Sunday Shakshuka with Lemon Tahini, Zhoug, and Golden Pickled Cabbage

Tomato-Pepper Shakshuka

Reducing the tomato sauce before adding the eggs concentrates its flavor and keeps the finished bowls from turning watery. Gentle covered cooking sets the whites while leaving the yolks soft.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 8 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide, lidded 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and salt. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft but not deeply browned.
2. Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, and coriander. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juices. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick enough that a spoon drawn through the sauce leaves a brief trail. Taste and adjust the salt.
4. Reduce the heat to low. Make eight wells and crack an egg into each, keeping the yolks intact. Cover and cook gently for 6–9 minutes, checking early, until the whites are opaque and set but the yolks still wobble. Cook longer if firmer yolks are preferred.
5. Remove from the heat immediately and finish with black pepper. Serve promptly so residual heat does not overcook the eggs.

Notes

• If the sauce becomes too thick before the eggs cook, add a tablespoon or two of water around the edge of the skillet.
• For diners at higher risk from undercooked eggs, use pasteurized eggs or cook until both whites and yolks are firm.

Lemon Tahini Sauce

Tahini adds creamy richness without obscuring the tomato sauce. Lemon and cold water turn it into a light, spoonable topping.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup well-stirred tahini
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ⅓ cup cold water, added gradually as needed

Instructions

1. Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt together. The mixture will initially tighten.
2. Whisk in cold water a tablespoon at a time until smooth and thickly pourable. It should spread gently when spooned over the eggs rather than run into the tomato sauce.
3. Taste and adjust the lemon and salt.

Notes

• Tahini varies in thickness; use only as much water as needed.

Cilantro Zhoug

A coarse herb sauce adds concentrated green flavor and chile heat. Keeping it slightly textured distinguishes it from the smooth tahini.

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
• ½ cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 serrano chile, stemmed and roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Pulse the cilantro, parsley, serrano, garlic, cumin, cardamom, and salt in a small food processor until finely chopped.
2. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and pulse briefly to make a coarse, spoonable paste. Scrape down the bowl as needed; avoid blending into a completely smooth purée.
3. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon.

Notes

• Remove the chile seeds for less heat, especially when serving alongside harissa.

Golden Quick-Pickled Cabbage and Carrot

Thinly sliced cabbage softens just enough in a warm turmeric brine while retaining crunch. Its vinegar bite cuts through the tahini and egg yolks.

Ingredients

• 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 small carrot, peeled and julienned
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions

1. Place the cabbage and carrot in a heatproof bowl.
2. Bring the vinegar, water, salt, and turmeric just to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the salt.
3. Pour over the vegetables and toss thoroughly. Press the vegetables into the brine with a small plate and let stand for at least 25 minutes, tossing once.
4. Drain the portions needed for serving well so the brine does not dilute the shakshuka.

Notes

• This is a quick pickle, not a fermented or shelf-stable preserve. Refrigerate the vegetables in their brine after cooling.

Harissa and Cilantro Finish

A small central spoonful of harissa adds a concentrated red-chile accent. Fresh cilantro ties the eggs to the green sauce.

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons gluten-free harissa paste without added sugar
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves
• ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Reserve the harissa for spooning onto the tahini at serving time.
2. Pick the cilantro leaves and keep them dry. Scatter over the finished bowls with the black pepper.

Notes

• Harissa heat varies considerably; start with less for a particularly hot paste.

Overall Timing / Workflow

Make the cold toppings while the tomato sauce simmers, then cook the eggs only when everything else is ready.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Slice the cabbage and carrot, heat the pickle brine, and set the vegetables aside to pickle.
2. 0:10 — Chop the shakshuka vegetables and start cooking the onion and pepper.
3. 0:22 — Add the garlic, paste, and spices, followed by the tomatoes.
4. 0:25 — While the tomato sauce reduces, make the tahini sauce and zhoug. Set out the harissa and cilantro.
5. 0:42 — Taste the reduced tomato sauce, add the eggs, and cover. Drain the cabbage portions and warm four shallow bowls.
6. 0:50 — Check the eggs and plate as soon as the whites are set.

Notes

• The tomato base, pickles, tahini, and zhoug can all be made a day ahead. Reheat the tomato base fully before adding fresh eggs.

Plating

Keeping the toppings in distinct areas preserves their contrasting colors, textures, and temperatures.

Instructions

1. Divide the tomato sauce among four warm shallow bowls, carefully transferring two eggs into each.
2. Spoon lemon tahini across the center without covering every egg. Place a small dollop of harissa on the tahini.
3. Add zhoug to one side and a generous, well-drained mound of golden cabbage to the other.
4. Scatter with cilantro and black pepper and serve immediately.

Leftover Path

Storing the cold toppings separately keeps the herbs fresh and the pickles crisp. Leftover tomato sauce is especially useful for cooking a fresh round of eggs.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours, keeping the shakshuka, tahini, zhoug, and pickled cabbage in separate covered containers.
2. Use cooked egg portions within 3 days and reheat gently, covered, until they reach 165°F; the yolks will become firm.
3. Keep tomato sauce without eggs for up to 4 days, then reheat in a skillet and cook fresh eggs directly in it.
4. Use tahini and zhoug within 4 days and refrigerated quick-pickled cabbage within 1 week. Stir the tahini and loosen with a little water before serving.