# Summer Vegetable Shakshuka with Eggplant and Cilantro > Eggs settle into a thick, gently spiced sauce of late-summer tomatoes, peppers, and silky eggplant, with zucchini keeping the vegetables fresh and substantial. A generous finish of cilantro and black pepper lifts the rich sauce—a good skillet to put in the middle of the table on a slow Sunday morning. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/summer-shakshuka-with-peppers-eggplant - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2020-08-23 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo, nut-free ![Summer Vegetable Shakshuka with Eggplant and Cilantro](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Fba4611c8697e6120.jpg) ## Summer Vegetable Shakshuka Browning the eggplant before building the sauce gives it a silky interior without letting it dissolve. Reducing the tomatoes before adding the eggs keeps the finished skillet rich rather than watery. ### Ingredients - 3 tablespoons ghee, divided - 1 small globe eggplant, about 12 ounces, cut into 3/4-inch chunks - 1 medium yellow onion, diced - 1 red bell pepper, cut into short strips - 1 small zucchini, cut into thick half-moons - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 1 teaspoon ground cumin - 1 teaspoon sweet paprika - 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes - 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped, juices retained - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste - 8 large eggs - 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, to taste - 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems - 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a wide, deep 12- to 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant in a single layer, season with a little of the salt, and cook for 7–9 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on several sides. Transfer to a plate; it will finish cooking in the sauce. 2. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon ghee. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened with a few browned edges. 3. Add the zucchini and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika, and chile flakes and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. 4. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the browned eggplant, and the remaining salt. Simmer uncovered for 12–18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender and the sauce is thick enough that a spoon dragged through it leaves a brief trail. Add a splash of water only if the vegetables begin to catch before becoming tender. 5. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice, adding the second teaspoon only if the tomatoes need more brightness. 6. Reduce the heat to low. Make eight shallow wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook gently for 6–10 minutes, checking after 6 minutes, until the whites are opaque and set and the yolks are as soft as you like. Keep the sauce at a gentle bubble rather than a hard simmer. 7. Remove from the heat promptly. Scatter generously with cilantro and coarse black pepper and serve immediately. ### Notes - For fully cooked eggs, continue covered until the yolks are firm; egg dishes should reach 160°F. Use pasteurized eggs if serving soft yolks to anyone at increased risk from foodborne illness. - A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet works for this brief tomato simmer, but transfer leftovers out of the pan promptly. Enameled cast iron or stainless steel also works well. - If the tomatoes are especially juicy, reduce the sauce longer before adding the eggs rather than trying to thicken it afterward. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Finish the sauce completely before adding the eggs so their doneness is the only thing to manage at the end. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Cut the vegetables, keeping the eggplant separate. Chop the tomatoes and retain their juices. 2. 0:20 — Brown the eggplant, then soften the onion, pepper, and zucchini. 3. 0:38 — Add the spices and tomatoes and simmer until the sauce is thick and the vegetables are tender. Wash and dry the cilantro while it cooks. 4. 0:52–0:58 — Adjust the sauce seasoning, add the eggs, and cover. Have plates ready before checking the whites. 5. Serve as soon as the eggs are set, finishing with cilantro and black pepper. ### Notes - The vegetable sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. Reheat to a simmer before making the wells and adding fresh eggs. ## Plating Serving directly from the skillet preserves the soft eggs and keeps the thick vegetable sauce hot. ### Instructions 1. Set the skillet on a heatproof trivet and finish with the cilantro in loose sprigs rather than finely chopping it. 2. Spoon two eggs onto each warm plate with plenty of the surrounding vegetables and sauce. ## Leftover Path The sauce reheats well, while gentle handling prevents already-cooked eggs from becoming unnecessarily tough. ### Instructions 1. Transfer leftovers to a shallow airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours. Use within 3 days. 2. Reheat portions in a covered small skillet over low heat with a splash of water until they reach 165°F; the yolks will become firmer. 3. If only sauce remains, bring it to a simmer and cook fresh eggs directly in it. Add fresh cilantro after reheating. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.