Shakshuka (Spicy Baked Eggs) with Halloumi

Shakshuka is a great dish if you love eggs and tomato sauce (both separately or together) but are looking to impress your brunch guests what you can do with a few ingredients. Eggs ate poached in a homemade harrisa spiced tomato sauce paired with fried halloumi cheese. I serve shakshuka with eggy challah bread for dipping.

Shakshuka (Spicy Baked Eggs) with Halloumi

What is Shakshuka?

While shakshuka has origins in North Africa, it’s a popular in the Middle East, especially Israel, Palestine and Egypt. The dish is made with eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Harissa – If you have never heard of harissa then I definitely recommend you try it! It is a spicy (but not “boiling lava hot” spicy) sauce or paste that is typically used in North African and Middle Eastern cooking. The sauce is a blend of hot chili peppers and spices and herbs such as coriander, cumin, garlic and lemon. The North African paste can be found at specialty grocery stores, most Whole Foods or online here.
• Halloumi – Halloumi is semi-hard, brined cheese made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk that can easily be grilled. The “squeaky cheese” can be found gourmet grocery stores and Whole Foods. If you can’t find halloumi cheese you can substitute paneer. 
• Whole peeled tomatoes – Canned whole peeled tomatoes are extremely versatile. They are picked when ripe then cooked and peeled before they are canned and packed in tomato juice or tomato puree. They have a rich tomato flavor perfect for tomato sauces.

How to Make Spicy Baked Eggs with Halloumi & Harissa

1. Heat grill or griddle. Heat a grill or griddle.to 400°F (200ºC).
2. Sauté the onions. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190ºC). Heat the oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.
3. Make the sauce. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cumin and paprika, and cook for 1 additional minute. Add the tomatoes and harissa, then season with salt and pepper.
4. Simmer the sauce. Simmer until the tomatoes have thickened, about 15 minutes.
5. Grill halloumi. Grill the halloumi until grill marks appear, about 30 seconds on each side. Remove from the grill and break into 1” cubes. Scatter the halloumi over the top of the tomatoes.
6. Add eggs and cook. Gently crack the eggs into the skillet over the tomatoes. Transfer the skillet to the oven, and bake until the eggs are just set, 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Garnish and serve. Top with cilantro and serve with challah bread on the side.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Watermelon Salad with Grains and Halloumi
• Farmer’s Market Breakfast Grain Bowl
• Creamy Italian Baked Eggs in Purgatory

Shakshuka (Spicy Baked Eggs) with Halloumi

Print Pin

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Serves 4

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons harissa, additional to taste, I use Mina Harissa
• kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces halloumi cheese
• 5 large eggs
• Chopped cilantro, for serving
• Challah bread, for serving

Instructions:

• Heat a grill or griddle.to 400°F (200ºC).
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat the oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cumin and paprika, and cook for 1 additional minute. Add the tomatoes and harissa, then season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer until the tomatoes have thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Grill the halloumi until grill marks appear, about 30 seconds on each side. Remove from the grill and break into 1” cubes. Scatter the halloumi over the top of the tomatoes.
• Gently crack the eggs into the skillet over the tomatoes. Transfer the skillet to the oven, and bake until the eggs are just set, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Top with cilantro and serve with challah bread on the side.

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