Best Shrimp Shakshuka with Chunky Tomato Sauce

Ready to try a delicious breakfast? Then you must try my Best Shrimp Shakshuka with Chunky Tomato Sauce. This is my version of a traditional Middle Eastern breakfast dish. 

This recipe contains a spicy herb chunky sauce along with poached egg yolks and tender shrimp. 

The best part is shrimp breakfast recipes are perfect for any time of day such as dinner!

Affiliate Link Disclosure: This post contains links to products I love. If you click through the links provided, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

What is Shakshuka?

Shakshuka is a dish that consists of eggs poached in a flavorful tomato sauce along with bell peppers and onions. It is a popular dish in the Middle East and North Africa. The traditional version of North African Shakshuka doesn’t contain meat.

I kept some of the traditional ingredients such as red bell pepper, onion and cumin and also added my own twist with the prawns, orange bell pepper, Aleppo pepper and Everything Spicy Seasoning from Flavor God (There’s a coupon code at the bottom!)

Warning: Your taste buds will be alive when you eat this delightful meal! 

More breakfast recipes to try next time:

Quick and Easy Southwest Tofu

Perfectly Chewy Ube Mochi Waffles

Refreshing Broccoli Smoothie with Mango

Ingredients needed

• large eggs
• peeled shrimp
• canned whole peeled tomatoes
• red bell pepper  
• orange bell pepper  
• white onion , sweet onion can be used
• garlic cloves
• aleppo pepper you can sub with sweet paprika and cayenne mixed together
• everything spicy seasoning, you can sub with cajun seasoning or cayenne
• cumin ground  
• black pepper  
• kosher salt  
• extra-virgin olive oil
• italian parsley  

How to make Shrimp Shakshuka

Start with adding the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions, peppers and garlic. Turn the heat down to low and let the veggies cook for about 8-10 minutes until the onions are nice and sweaty. Then add all the spices. Let the spices cook with veggies for about 2-3 min. 

Add the peeled whole tomatoes and gently crush them with a big wooden spatula. Let it simmer for 5-7 min. 

Now is the best time to taste test your sauce if you want to adjust the heat of the spices or add additional salt.

Gently place the shrimp into the tomato sauce, spacing them out. Let them boil in the tomato sauce for about seven minutes. When they start to turn opaque in color, they are done.

Carefully crack one egg into a separate bowl then add it into the pan one by one, keeping them intact.  Let the dish simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes. Don’t disturb the eggs.

The dish will be done when the egg whites are cooked all the way through and the yolk is shiny yet firm. You can always undercook the egg a little if you prefer runny yolks. Sprinkle with fresh Italian parsley and fresh cracked black pepper.

Other ways to customize Shrimp Shakshuka

This Shakshuka recipe can be made several different ways. You can omit the shrimp and make a vegetarian Shakshuka with adding cooked lentils, fava beans or black beans. 

I use Argentinian Red Shrimp from Trader Joe’s as I like the meaty-lobster like texture it has. But any type of shrimp or prawns works in this easy recipe.

Avocado slices are delicious on top along with green onions. 

You can use green bell peppers. 

Squeeze lemon juice on top to make it a more Mediterranean dish and top it with feta cheese. 

Instead of using canned whole tomatoes, regular tomato sauce works along with a spoonful for tomato paste and add in cherry tomatoes to make it more thick and chunky. 

If you can’t locate Flavor God seasonings, you can substsitute with your favorite spicy seasoning or cajun seasonings. 

Hot sauce, red pepper flakes, harissa paste or chili sauce can be used if you want more heat. 

Add a touch of heavy cream to make a tomato cream sauce. 

Another great alternative to shrimp is using ground turkey or another protein to add it.

​What to serve with Shakshuka

Serve this with warm pita bread or Naan. To keep it gluten free, use Almond Flour tortillas instead of pita. If using store bought pita or naan, you can warm it up in the oven for a few minutes and brush it with a little olive oil or butter and add a touch of salt on top.

For a more comfort food feel, roasted potatoes are amazing with this dish along with adding a side of bacon or creamy grits. 

Storing Shrimp Shakshuka

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and are best to consumed the following day.

Quick tip

If you eat up all the poached eggs in the dish and have left over sauce, save it for the next day and cook up more eggs on the side, then serve the peppery  tomato sauce on top of the eggs! 

In need of a healthy dinner recipe or a dessert idea for your next brunch? Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and receive delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox!

Use coupon code SALTYANDSWEET23 for 10% off your Flavor God order.