Shakshuka with Grains and Feta Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between shakshuka and menemen? ›

Both Shakshuka and Menemen serve as rich, cultural embodiments of their respective cuisines. Shakshuka, with its layered flavors, mirrors the diversity of North African and Israeli culinary heritage. Menemen, by contrast, champions simplicity and freshness, epitomizing Turkish cuisine's essence.

Bread or pita bread.

The first side you want to serve with your shakshuka is of course the bread, so you can dip it into the sauce. For a very western version, you'll want to make a classic no-knead bread (super easy!) for the occasion.

Then return the skillet to a gentle simmer at medium-low heat. Spoon some of the sauce over the whites. After breaking the eggs into the sauce, gently spoon some of the sauce over just the whites. This helps the whites cook faster so they set before the yolks overcook.

Even though many people today associate shakshuka with Israel, it actually originated in North Africa and the Ottoman Empire: the only reason shakshuka is eaten in Israel is because North African Jewish immigrants brought it there.

Shakshuka is a staple of Tunisian, Libyan, Algerian, and Moroccan cuisines traditionally served up in a cast iron pan with bread to mop up the sauce (most important). It is also popular in Israel, where it was introduced by Tunisian Jews. These Sephardic Jews came from Spain, Portugal and the Middle East.

Shakshuka is a simple dish made of gently poached eggs in a delicious chunky tomato and bell pepper sauce. Said to have originated in Tunisia, this breakfast recipe is popular in many parts of North Africa and the Middle East. It is so satisfying, you can serve it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Serve with thick-cut slices of crusty bread that have been rubbed with a garlic clove, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. What is this? A deeply flavorful back pocket shakshuka recipe that makes the most of vibrant spring eggs and a host of pantry staples.

In Jewish culture, a large batch of tomato stew is made for the Sabbath dinner and the leftovers used the following morning to make a breakfast shakshouka with eggs.

Ingredients to make shakshuka breakfast

Seasonings: Cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, and pepper. Eggs: The shakshuka eggs are dropped into little 'nests' or intentions in the sauce and poached to your liking. I prefer a medium cook where the white is cooked through and the yolks are left runny.

Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, checking often once you reach 8 minutes. You know when the eggs are done when the egg whites are an opaque white and the yolks have risen a bit but are still soft. They should still jiggle in the centers when you “shimmy” the pan.

Do you need a cast iron pan for shakshuka? ›

“Shakshuka should be made and served in a cast iron pan.”

Many restaurants dish out shakshuka in cast iron for the simple reason that it's one of the less expensive tools for turning out the dish quickly.

Sephardic Jews from Libya and Tunisia brought shakshuka to the newly created state of Israel in the 1950s and 1960s but it wasn't until the 1990s that the dish became a mainstay of menus there. Much of its current popularity in Israel is due to Bino Gabso, the son of Jewish emigrés from Tripoli.

A side salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon juice, and oil (non-olive) with salt/ pepper/ sumac might be good to contrast with the shakshuka. Turkish breakfast often has a special sausage on the side.

Serve Shakshuka in the skillet or pan it was cooked in and enjoy it directly from the dish with bread or pita on the side for dipping. What is this? While you certainly can use a fork or spoon, traditional serving uses bread or pita as a serving utensil.

Turkish menemen is very similar to shakshuka, but there's a lesser-known Turkish eggs recipe that's incredibly delicious too. This, called cilbir, involves poaching eggs, then laying them on a swirl of garlic-infused yoghurt, topping with a nutty chilli butter and fresh dill fronds.

Menemen is a traditional Turkish breakfast dish. An easy way to think of it is as Turkish scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and green peppers.

Shakshuka, a common vegetarian dish in the region, is made of eggs, tomatoes, onions, peppers and cumin. It is originally a Turkish dish with meat, but Tunisian Jews who moved to Israel eliminated the meat. Palestinians picked it up because of its similarity toward traditional Arabic dishes.

Menemen is basically scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and, sometimes, onions. The seasoning is quite simple and often includes a dash of dried herbs (I used oregano) and a touch of heat from some chili flakes.