Shakshuka II
A crowd-pleasing vegetarian built around plum tomatoes and fresh basil — roughly 65 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Warm the olive oil in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat, then add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to let the spices scorch.
- Add the tomato paste and the chopped plum tomatoes, season with salt and black pepper, and simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the tomatoes break down.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, then use the back of a spoon to make six shallow wells in the sauce.
- Crack one egg into each well, cover the skillet, and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 6 to 9 minutes until the whites are fully set and opaque but the yolks remain as runny as you like, ensuring the eggs reach a safe internal temperature.
- Scatter the torn basil over the top and serve straight from the pan with crusty bread for scooping.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
Tips & common questions
How long does Shakshuka II take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of eggs?
Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Shakshuka II vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Shakshuka II is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Münster, Wochenmarkt -- 2015 -- 7414.jpg by Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.