Chakchouka

Name: Chakchouka
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 onion, diced; 1/2 red bell pepper, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 can canned crushed tomatoes; 1 tbsp harissa paste; 1/4 tsp ground cumin; 4 large eggs; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp black pepper

Eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce. A North African comfort dish that's hearty for breakfast or dinner, perfect with crusty bread for dipping.

30 minEasyServes 4220 cal/serving

TunisianBreakfastStovetopVegetarian

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can canned crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp harissa paste
1/4 tsp ground cumin
4 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2

Add 1/2 diced onion and 1/2 diced red bell pepper, cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3

Stir in 2 cloves minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4

Add 1 can canned crushed tomatoes, 1 tbsp harissa paste, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper.
5

Simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
6

Make 4 small wells in the sauce and crack one large eggs into each well.
7

Cover the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes until egg whites are set but yolks remain runny.
8

Serve hot directly from the skillet with crusty bread.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

Questions

What is Chakchouka?

Eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce. A North African comfort dish that's hearty for breakfast or dinner, perfect with crusty bread for dipping. This reference files it under Tunisian breakfast: made on the stovetop, rated easy and about 30 minutes start to finish.

What can I use instead of harissa in Chakchouka?

The entry for Chakchouka calls for 1 tbsp harissa paste. In its place: Mix a chili paste such as sambal oelek or sriracha with a pinch each of ground cumin, coriander and caraway, plus a little olive oil.

Is Chakchouka spicy?

Moderately. The heat in Chakchouka comes from 1 tbsp harissa paste. For a milder plate, start with half the harissa and add more to taste at the end; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.

Is Chakchouka vegan?

No, though it is vegetarian. What keeps it from vegan is 4 large eggs. For fully plant-based entries, see the vegan breakfast collection.

Does Chakchouka contain eggs?

Yes: 4 large eggs. The full allergen list for this entry is eggs. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.