Quick Shakshuka Pasta (Printable View)

Spicy tomato sauce with tender pasta and eggs, garnished with fresh herbs and feta cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
02 - Salt, for boiling

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional, adjust to taste)
10 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
11 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 1/2 tsp sugar
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Eggs & Finishing

14 - 4 large eggs
15 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
16 - Crumbled feta cheese, for serving (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and red bell pepper; cook for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and chili flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
05 - Create four wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each. Cover skillet and cook for 4 to 6 minutes until egg whites are set but yolks remain runny.
06 - Gently fold cooked pasta into the sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired creaminess.
07 - Sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro and crumbled feta cheese if desired. Serve immediately, ensuring each portion includes an egg.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Runny egg yolks become your sauce the moment you break them—no cream needed, just rich, silky pasta.
  • It tastes like you spent hours building layers of flavor when really you've spent maybe twenty minutes.
  • Feels special enough for guests but simple enough to throw together on a random weeknight without stress.
02 -
  • The runny yolk is everything—once it breaks, it becomes the richest, creamiest part of your sauce, so resist the urge to cook the eggs all the way through.
  • Don't add pasta directly to a hot, uncovered skillet or the eggs will scramble from the heat; the lid creates steam that cooks the eggs gently instead of scrambling them.
03 -
  • Reserve at least half a cup of pasta water before draining—it's liquid gold for loosening the sauce if things get too thick.
  • Cook your eggs covered and watch them carefully; the difference between perfectly runny and overcooked is maybe ninety seconds, so stay near the stove.
Return