3-Ingredient Shakshuka

From the kitchen of Carly

Pico de gallo simmers down to a thick, jammy tomato sauce, then gets studded with creamy feta and finished with baked eggs. It's minimal ingredients, maximum flavor, and everything happens in one skillet from stovetop to table.

3-Ingredient Shakshuka

Pico de gallo becomes the whole sauce here, reduced down until jammy and concentrated, with eggs poached right in. Feta melts into the heat, salt and acid from the tomatoes do the real work, and you get shakshuka with almost zero fuss. The trick is not rushing the tomato reduction, and letting the oven finish the eggs so they set creamy and tender.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1/3 cupolive oil
  • 6 cupfresh pico de gallo, strained
  • 1 tspkosher salt, plus more
  • 3 1/2 ozcrumbled feta
  • 6 largeeggs
  • 1Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Set the oven to 375°F. Pour the olive oil into a large ovenproof skillet over medium-low heat, then add the pico de gallo and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very soft and the liquid has reduced by three-quarters, about 25 minutes. Fold in the feta, then crack the eggs in one at a time, spacing them evenly across the surface. Season with salt and pepper.

  2. Slide the skillet into the oven and bake until the eggs are just set, 14 to 16 minutes. Bring it straight to the table and serve hot from the skillet.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Strain your pico well before it hits the pan so excess liquid doesn't extend your cooking time. Pat it dry with paper towels if it's particularly wet.
  • Don't skip the 25-minute simmer on the stovetop. The pico needs to collapse and concentrate, not just warm through, or you'll end up with watery sauce and runny yolks.
  • Crack eggs into a small bowl first, then slide them gently into the sauce one at a time. It keeps them from breaking and gives you control over spacing.
  • If your skillet isn't ovenproof, transfer the whole thing to a baking dish once the tomatoes are ready and the eggs are in.

Variations

  • Skip the feta and use crumbled cotija or queso fresco instead for a sharper, drier cheese that won't melt as much.
  • Stir in a pinch of cumin or smoked paprika when you add the pico to warm them through the sauce.
  • Swap the oven finish for stovetop: cover the skillet with foil or a lid once eggs go in and cook over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes until set.
  • Add a handful of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice just before serving for brightness.

Make ahead and storage

Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a low oven (300°F) with a splash of water until the eggs are warm through, about 10 minutes. Don't microwave, it'll toughen them.