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Pumpkin Shakshuka

Pumpkin shakshuka with poached eggs in a thick orange pumpkin-tomato sauce, finished with feta crumbles and fresh herbs. Oven-safe skillet method creates set whites with runny yolks for a cozy, scoopable dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Middle Eastern-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vegetable base and sauce
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne
  • 0.5 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 6 eggs
  • 0.25 Fresh parsley, cilantro, and pita for serving
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Build the pumpkin-tomato sauce
  1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-safe cast iron skillet. Sauté the diced onion and bell pepper for 6 minutes, stirring until softened and slightly glossy.
  2. Add the minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant and darker at the edges.
  3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir in the pumpkin puree. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens to a spoonable consistency.
  4. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well so the seasoning disperses evenly.
Poach the eggs in the sauce
  1. Make 6 wells in the sauce using the back of a spoon. Keep the wells wide enough to cradle the eggs.
  2. Crack 1 egg into each well. Cover the skillet and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks remain runny.
  3. Scatter the crumbled feta and fresh herbs over the top. Serve immediately with warm pita.

Notes

For best poaching, keep the sauce at a steady simmer before adding the eggs so the whites set without turning watery. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet over low heat until hot, adding a splash of water if needed. Freezing is not recommended because the eggs can turn watery when thawed. For a dairy-reduced option, use a reduced-fat or omit feta and finish with extra herbs plus a drizzle of olive oil.