Chorizo Shakshuka

Written by
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
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Leah Maroney
Updated 07/28/19
shakshuka
Leah Maroney
  • Total: 40 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
320 Calories
23g Fat
12g Carbs
17g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 320
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 8g 39%
Cholesterol 245mg 82%
Sodium 1130mg 49%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 5%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Protein 17g
Calcium 113mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Shakshuka is a spicy tomato and poached egg dish originally from North Africa. It is now popular all over the Middle East and has made it's way to America, too. This is a delicious, spicy Mexican version using fresh eggs, chorizo, Cotija cheese, and cilantro. The eggs are nestled in a bed of spicy tomatoes and cooked to perfection in the oven.

It is ridiculously easy to make Shakshuka and to clean it up. It requires the use of one cutting board and one pan. It is a great family style brunch dish. Depending on the size of your pan you can make this dish for a large party of people too.

Serve up this savory egg dish with a large chunk of crusty bread or any kind of toast you have on hand. It is perfect for dipping into the spicy tomato sauce. 

The chorizo adds lots of great flavor to the dish. You can replace it with another sausage if you wish or add spices such as cumin to the tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium diced onion
  • 1/2 pound crumbled chorizo sausage
  • 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes in sauce 
  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup Cotija cheese (or other crumbled Mexican cheese like queso fresco)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Steps to Make It

  1.  Preheat your oven to 450 F. 

  2. In a large cast iron skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil to medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft, about five minutes. 

  3. Add the crumbled chorizo sausage and cook until completely browned.  Drain excess oil if you wish, depending on how much fat was in the sausage.  Leaving some of the fat will add a lot of flavor to the dish!

  4. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, and cayenne powder to the skillet.  Stir and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat, until the tomatoes have been softened and the flavors have had a chance to blend.  Stir the mixture occasionally. You can cook this for longer if you wish. 

  5. Make four wells in the tomatoes.  Crack one egg into each well.  Remove the skillet from the stove and place in your preheated oven on a middle rack.  Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the eggs have reached your desired doneness.  The shorter the time the runnier the yolk. 

  6. Remove the skillet from the oven. Crumble the Cotija cheese over the top of the eggs. Sprinkle with the finely chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately. Thick, crusty, toasted bread will complement the eggs perfectly!