Recipe

Africa🇹🇳 TunisiaTunis
Shakshuka bel Harissa
Tunisian · easy · serves 2
prep 10 min · cook 25 min
~239 cal · 17g protein · 20g carbs · 12g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Skillet of eggs poached in red pepper-tomato sauce
🇹🇳 Tunis
Shakshuka means "all mixed up" in Tunisian Arabic, and the Maghreb claims it long before it conquered brunch menus worldwide. The Tunisian original doesn’t hold back on harissa — the chili paste the country considers a birthright.
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Ingredients
Serves 2
4 eggs
4 (or 14 oz) ripe tomatoes, chopped (or canned)
2 red bell peppers, sliced
1–2 tbsp harissa
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp caraway
3 tbsp olive oil
a handful parsley or cilantro
1/2 loaf crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
1
Soften the peppers in olive oil over medium heat, 8 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and caraway for 1 minute.
2
Stir in the tomatoes and harissa; simmer 10 minutes until thick enough to hold a spoon-trail.
3
Make wells and crack in the eggs (or nestle the tofu). Cover and cook 5–7 minutes until the whites set but yolks still tremble.
4
Scatter with herbs and bring the pan to the table with bread for scooping.
Tunis medina home cooking.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
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Tunis. Medina kitchens where eggs poach in fiery tomato and harissa.
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Tunisia. North Africa’s harissa-loving Mediterranean coast.
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Africa. Fifty-four countries of tagines, stews, and fire-kissed grills.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
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Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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