This recipe is my favorite spin on the classic – a tomatillo shakshuka base baked in a cast iron pan with crumbled feta and topped with a heavy dose of cilantro. I consider this a fusion of two of my favorite breakfasts: shakshuka and huevos rancheros.

Shakshuka is one of those recipes that’s delicious every single time – it’s a baked dish with eggs that are poached in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, and peppers and seasoned with spices.

Eggs and green salsa on a white plate with cilantro.

Shakshuka’s origins go far back in history to the ancient Ottoman empire, thought the dish is also speculated to have roots in the Middle East and North Africa. Many call it a Tunisian dish… the truth is that no one can truly pinpoint where exactly it came from. Regardless of its origins, people all over the world enjoy this amazing dish.

🌟Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Usually, to poach eggs you would drop then into boiling water. With Shakshuka, the sauce is serving as the vehicle that you cook the eggs in.
  • The shakshuka is cooked in the same pan as the salsa ingredients, making it easy to clean-up. I also love making this easy homemade challah french toast for breakfasts.
  • Tomatillos are less sweet and more tart than regular tomatoes. If you’ve tried tomatillo salsa, you know it has an irresistible tangy kick. That flavor is complemented by a helping of savory garlic, red onion, and some cumin.

🧾 Ingredients in This Recipe

Tomatillos and other ingredients on a countertop.
  • Tomatillos – These green husky tomatoes are usually available year round, but are best when they’re in season from early summer through late fall.
  • Jalapeno – It’s optional to add these in if you want some extra heat in your shakshuka.
  • Garlic – This recipe uses whole cloves of garlic still in the husk, and you remove the husk after cooking. You can substitute with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
  • Flavorless oil – any flavorless oil like avocado oil, vegetable or canola oil work in this recipe.
  • Feta – A sheep milk cheese that had a wonderful tanginess to it. This recipe is also delicious with cotija cheese.

How to Make this Recipe

The first step is to make the base. Add the tomatillos, red onion, garlic cloves, and jalapeño to a baking sheet or cast iron pan, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with a little oil.

Broil for 5 minutes. Toss the ingredients around, then broil for another 2-5 minutes until you start to get a char.

Then, turn off the broiler, take the pan out of the oven, and start to preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tomatillos and other vegetables in a cast iron pan.

Add all the broiled ingredients to a food processor or blender. Add in the juice of ½ of a lime, half a bunch of cilantro (stems included), and 1 teaspoon of cumin.

Pulse until the mixture is your desired chunkiness. Take a moment to taste-test the sauce and adjust for the amount of lime, salt, pepper, and cilantro, if necessary.

Transfer the sauce back into your cast iron pan or another oven-safe dish. Crack your eggs into the sauce, season them with cumin and salt, then drop in the crumbled 3 ounces of feta cheese.

Green salsa with raw eggs in a cast iron pan.

Bake the shakshuka for 7-10 minutes at 375F until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Take it out of the oven, top with a heavy dose of fresh, chopped cilantro, and dig in!

Shakshuka can for sure be the star of the show, but it’s often served as one dish among many at breakfast, brunch, or lunch with bread like pita or sangak. It’s also great served over warm tortillas.

Eggs in a cast iron pan with green tomato sauce and cilantro.

🍳 More Delicious Breakfast Recipes

In need of some breakfast inspiration? Try one of these recipes:

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Eggs in a cast iron pan with green tomato sauce and cilantro.

Tomatillo Shakshuka

5 from 1 vote
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A tomatillo base baked in a cast iron pan with crumbled feta and topped with a heavy dose of cilantro and ready in 30 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American, Mexican, Middle-Eastern
Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 115kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb tomatillos husked, cleaned, and quartered
  • 1 jalapeño or 2 small, stem removed and cut in half
  • 1/2 red onion small, quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves skin on, pierced with a pairing knife
  • 2 tablespoons oil flavorless like avocado or canola
  • 1 ounce cilantro (half a bunch) plus more for serving
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 lime juiced
  • bread for serving optional (like pita or tortillas)

Instructions

  • Add the tomatillos, red onion, garlic cloves, and jalapeño to a baking sheet or cast iron pan, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with a little oil. Broil for 5 minutes. Toss the ingredients around, then broil for another 2-5 minutes until you start to get a char.
  • Turn off the broiler, take the pan out of the oven, and start to preheat the oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.
  • Add all the broiled vegetables to a food processor or blender. Add in the juice of ½ of a lime, half a bunch of cilantro (stems included), and 1 teaspoon of cumin.
  • Pulse until the mixture is your desired chunkiness. Take a moment to taste-test the sauce and adjust for the amount of lime, salt, pepper, and cilantro, if necessary.
  • Transfer the sauce back into the cast iron pan or another oven-safe pan. Crack your eggs into the sauce, season them with cumin and salt, then drop in the crumbled 3 ounces of feta cheese.
  • Bake for 7-10 minutes at 375F until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Take it out of the oven, top with a heavy dose of fresh, chopped cilantro, and dig in!

Video

Notes

Serve with fresh bread like pita, tortillas, or barbari.
You can bake the shakshuka in any oven-safe pan or dish as long as it isn’t too wide. You want the eggs to cook in the liquid, so it is not advised to use an area larger than 115 square inches.
  • If it is a circular pan, 12 inch diameter. 
  • If it is a square pan, 10-inch side.

Nutrition

Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 399mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 656IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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