Chakchouka

Name: Chakchouka
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Tunisia
Ingredients: 3 red peppers, sliced; 2 onions, sliced; 1 courgette, finely diced (optional); 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 800 g chopped tomatoes; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp ras el hanout; 1 pinch of chilli (optional); 6 eggs; Fresh coriander; Salt and pepper; Pita or baguette, to serve

Local name: شكشوكة

Peppers, tomatoes and onions simmered with cumin and ras el hanout, with eggs poached straight in the sauce. Made for mopping up with bread.

#eggs#peppers#tomatoes#cumin#brunch

Photo: Calliopejen1 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Method

Soften the onions in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the peppers and courgette and cook over high heat for 10 minutes, stirring.
Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, ras el hanout and chilli. Stir for 1 minute.
Pour in the tomatoes and season. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Make 6 small wells in the sauce with a spoon and crack an egg into each.
Cover and cook gently for 6 to 8 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks still runny.
Scatter with coriander and serve straight from the pan, with bread for dipping.

An emblem of Tunisian cooking, chakchouka has travelled across the Maghreb and the Middle East. For a vegan version, replace the eggs with cubes of tofu or plant-based feta added at the end.

Nutrition · per serving

Calories: 330 kcal
Protein: 15.4 g
Fat: 19.6 g
Carbohydrate: 26.9 g
Fibre: 7.6 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

My eggs come out over- or undercooked. How do I get them right?

Reduce the sauce uncovered first: if it is too loose, the eggs sink and the whites spread. Make proper wells, drop an egg into each, then cover and keep the heat low. From six minutes on, watch closely; the whites should be opaque and the yolks still soft to the touch.

How do I make a vegan chakchouka?

Leave out the eggs and finish with cubes of firm tofu, or crumble a plant-based feta over the hot sauce. Tofu is much better browned in a pan first, otherwise it stays bland among the peppers.

Why is my sauce still watery?

Peppers and courgette release a lot of liquid. Cook them over high heat, stirring, as the method says, then simmer the tomatoes uncovered: evaporation is what concentrates the sauce. Covering the pan at that stage is the usual mistake.

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