Shakshuka with Feta

4.99 from 358 votes

Shakshuka with Feta is a one skillet meal like eggs in purgatory. Eggs are poached in a spiced tomato sauce with caramelized onions and sprinkled with feta!

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If you’re looking to switch your brunch routine and add a new savory dish with a Mediterranean flavor, this shakshuka with feta is a great one to try. I’ve made regular Shakshuka recipe and I’ve made Green Shakshuka before. This one is very similar to the original recipe, but with creamy, crumbly and wonderfully melty feta cheese mixed into the spiced tomato sauce.

Close up shot of Shakshuka with feta cheese topped with bread slices

Shakshuka with feta is a one skillet meal you can enjoy for breakfast, brunch or even dinner. It’s very easy to whip up, super forgiving and is definitely a just a fun recipe to say at a meal with friends haha!

What is Shakshuka?

Shakshuka is basically eggs poached in a tomato sauce. The recipe originates from North Africa, but it’s very popular all over the Middle East, with a lot of variations depending on the region. Think of it like eggs in purgatory, but with different seasoning. The tomato sauce is made up of caramelized onions and red peppers, juicy tomatoes and varying spices like cumin, paprika and coriander.

Shakhuka is made in one skillet, and because the main ingredient is eggs, it’s popular to serve it for breakfast or brunch. But it works great for dinner as well. It’s often served with a crusty bread to dip into the tomato sauce. We also eat it with pita (Arabic bread).

How do you make shakshuka with feta?

Caramelize onions and peppers

Start with a well-seasoned cast iron cook the onions and peppers until they soften and begin to caramelize. This could take up to 10 minutes, but the process creates most of the flavor in the dish, so it’s worth it. I also like using a cast-iron skillet since I can move the dish from stovetop to oven to finish cooking. But you can use any skillet and simply cover it once you add the eggs.

Cast iron skillet with onions yellow peppers and red peppers

Cook the tomato sauce

Once the onions and peppers soften, add the garlic and the canned tomatoes. You can use fresh tomatoes as well. But I find that the canned ones work really well in this recipe since they give it that stew consistency immediately.

Added tomatoes to the cast iron skillet

Now you’ll want to add the spices. I use equal parts of cumin, paprika and coriander. You can also add coriander, caraway, red pepper flakes, chili powder and even sugar (which I don’t find necessary). It’s very common to make the dish really spicy. But I have a 6-year mini feelgoodfoodie who loves this shakshuka with feta, so I don’t use red pepper flakes generally.

Added spices to the skillet with the tomato sauce

Now, let the sauce simmer for a good 10 minutes. You want to make sure the sauce resembles a stew and is not runny. This will help hold the eggs in place too, so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs. Once you have a stew-like consistency, you can stir in the feta. You can also keep the feta until the end if you prefer.

Added feta cheese to the skillet with the spiced tomato sauce

Add the eggs and bake

Now is the fun part! Create 5-6 “nests” with a wooden spoon depending on how large your pan is. Then, carefully crack the eggs into those nests. Now you can transfer it to the oven to set the egg whites (or cover the pan if you’re keeping on the stovetop).

Created 5 nests and cracked eggs into the nests

How long you cook the Shakshuka with feta will depend on how runny you like the eggs. The important thing is let the egg whites set, and then you can remove it when the yolk is done to your likeness.

Now sprinkle on some cilantro and dig right into the skillet, family style. You can also scoop an egg with the surrounding tomato stew into a bowl and use the bread to dip in while you eat.

Shakshuka with Feta served with bread and cilantro in a cast iron skillet

Tips to make Shakshuka with Feta

  • Don’t worry about chopping everything finely. And in fact, don’t even bother chopping the vegetables; slicing them is fine. That’s because the vegetables will soften quite a bit, so that’s just wasted chopping effort in my opinion.
  • Add the feta after cooking to keep the color of the stew from turning orange. I like stirring it in before to incorporate the taste into the sauce, but the color of the dish may not look as appealing when you first stir them in.
  • Let the sauce simmer and thicken before adding the eggs. When you first add the canned tomatoes, the tomatoes will generally be separate from the liquid. You want the mixture to blend well together so it becomes stew-like. But, be careful not to reduce the sauce too much, which may lead to the tomatoes sticking to the pan.
  • Use a wooden spoon to create nests before cracking the eggs. Otherwise the sauce will run into the eggs, and we want to keep them separated, not scrambled.

If you like this shakshuka with feta, try these other shakshuka recipes:

For more egg recipes:

close up of spoon taking a portion out of a skillet of shakshuka

This Shakshuka recipe is one of my favorite brunch recipes! It is full of flavor, feeds a crowd and loaded with protein! I love that it’s all made in one skillet and served in that same skillet – so less fuss when you’re entertaining guests. Adding the feta cheese to the classic Shakshuka recipe adds a salty, creamy and tangy flavor that is perfectly fitting for Sunday brunching.

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Shakshuka with Feta recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

Shakshuka with Feta

Shakshuka with Feta is a one skillet meal like eggs in purgatory. Eggs are poached in a spiced tomato sauce with caramelized onions and sprinkled with feta!
5 from 358 votes
Servings 5 servings
Calories 163
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 42 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic clove minced
  • 2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • Salt and pepper
  • 5-6 eggs
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese plus more for serving
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish
  • Crusty bread for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F degrees.
  • Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook for about 15 minutes until the onions become soft and translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute until the garlic becomes fragrant.
  • Pour the tomatoes, and add cumin, paprika and coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the tomato sauce thickens like a stew, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the crumbled feta cheese.
  • Create 6 small nests in the tomato and feta sauce. Gently crack the eggs into the skillet over the tomatoes in the nests formed. Season with salt and pepper. Place the skillet in the oven to continue cooking until the eggs are set, about 8-12 minutes.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve with crusty bread or pita.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However you can substitute the red peppers for green peppers. You can also use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes, but the consistency will be slightly different.
* Please note the nutrition label does not include the bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 177mg, Sodium: 363mg, Potassium: 339mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1350IU, Vitamin C: 40.8mg, Calcium: 138mg, Iron: 2.3mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

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Comments

  1. Your shakshuka recipe is great! Easy to make right on the stove top for an impromptu breakfast. Yum!
    I would just encourage you to let others know this is taken to a higher level by adding 1 lb of ground lamb and using the crumbled feta! I could eat this every day! Thanks!

    1. Great question! As long as your cast iron pan is well-seasoned, it should not be an issue. Since we aren’t cooking a sauce that takes a couple of hours, it should be fine. If you prefer not to use cast iron you can use another oven-safe pan in place of the cast iron. Hope you enjoy!

    1. Thank you for your feedback! I like to use 1 teaspoon of each of the three spices, but definitely adjust to your preferences.

  2. Wanting to make this for Christmas brunch, but would it be possible to make the sauce a day once advance and only on Christmas morning would I make the little nests and place the eggs to bake?

  3. The addition of the Feta raises this dish to another level.
    I must admit your recipe is one of the tastier ones out there!
    Thanks for sharing