Skillet Shakshuka with Summer Zucchini and Feta
Pasture-raised eggs poached right in a spiced tomato and zucchini sauce, finished with creamy feta and fresh herbs. This North African and Middle Eastern classic is having a serious moment, and our eggs are exactly what it deserves. One skillet, no fuss, ready in under an hour.
Fresh from the pan: shakshuka with Altamont eggs, summer zucchini, and crumbled feta.
Shakshuka has been a breakfast staple across North Africa and the Middle East for generations, and it is finally getting the wide audience it deserves here in the States. The idea is simple: a thick, spiced tomato sauce that you crack eggs right into and let them poach in the pan. It sounds humble, and it is, but the result is something you want to eat every weekend.
Our pasture-raised eggs are built for this dish. Those deep orange yolks hold up beautifully in the sauce, and the flavor is rich enough to stand against harissa and tomato without disappearing. We added summer zucchini because it's coming in strong right now down here in Southwest Florida, and it fills out the sauce in a way that makes the whole thing feel like a proper meal. You can read how we raise them here.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a wide 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini cubes in a single layer and cook without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides pick up some golden color. Stir once and cook another 2 minutes, then season with a pinch of salt.
- 2
Add the harissa paste to the skillet and stir it into the zucchini for about 30 seconds, letting it bloom in the oil. Pour in the crushed tomatoes with their juices and stir everything together. Season with salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
- 3
Bring the sauce to a steady simmer and cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough that a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a brief trail.
- 4
Use a spoon to make 6 shallow wells evenly spaced in the sauce. Crack one egg into each well, keeping the yolks intact. Scatter half the feta over the sauce between the eggs.
- 5
Cover the skillet with a lid or a sheet of foil and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes. Check at 6 minutes: the whites should be set and opaque while the yolks are still a little soft in the center. Pull the pan off the heat right there.
- 6
Scatter the remaining feta and all the parsley over the top. Bring the skillet straight to the table with thick slices of crusty bread alongside for scooping.
Notes from our kitchen
- Pasture-raised yolks are richer and more orange than store eggs, so they look especially good here. Pull the pan off heat a touch early since they continue cooking in the hot sauce.
- If you want more heat, stir in an extra half teaspoon of harissa with the tomatoes. If you want less, swap the harissa for a teaspoon of smoked sweet paprika and a pinch of cumin instead.
- A cast-iron skillet holds heat evenly and goes from stove to table beautifully, but any wide oven-safe or heavy-bottomed pan will do the job.
Common questions
Can I make the tomato sauce ahead of time?
Yes. Cook the sauce through step 3, let it cool, and refrigerate it for up to three days. When you're ready to eat, reheat it gently in the skillet until it's bubbling, then add the eggs and proceed from there.
What do I serve with shakshuka?
Thick crusty bread is the classic move, perfect for scooping up sauce and yolk. Warm pita works just as well. A simple green salad on the side turns it into a full meal.
My eggs always overcook. How do I keep the yolks runny?
Watch the clock and pull the skillet off heat when the whites look just barely set at the edges of each yolk. The residual heat in the sauce finishes them while you carry the pan to the table.