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Chakchouka is a skillet of tomatoes and peppers that have cooked down into a thick, spiced sauce, with eggs nestled into wells in the hot sauce, their whites set but yolks still runny, ready to be broken and mixed through. This is breakfast or a light dinner across North Africa, particularly Algeria, a dish that appears in home kitchens and cafes alike, often shared from a single skillet at the center of the table. The sauce is aromatic with cumin, paprika, and coriander, and just spicy enough to wake you up; the eggs provide richness and protein. The dish is forgiving—variations appear with merguez sausage, potatoes, or preserved fish, but the classic version is simply vegetables, eggs, and spices.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the chopped bell pepper to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, ground cumin, ground paprika, ground coriander, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper (if using), and salt. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture has thickened.
Using a spoon, make four small wells in the tomato mixture. Crack one egg into each well.
Reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet. Cook until the eggs are set to your liking, about 5-7 minutes for runny yolks or a few minutes longer for fully set yolks.
Garnish the chakchouka with freshly chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve hot with crusty bread or pita for dipping.
Chakchouka is a North African dish of tomatoes and peppers cooked down into a thick, aromatic sauce spiced with cumin, paprika, and coriander, with eggs poached directly in the hot sauce. It is eaten for breakfast or dinner, traditionally served in the same skillet for sharing.
Chakchouka is a staple of North African cuisine, particularly celebrated in Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco, though each country claims its own version and traditions around the dish. In Algeria, it is found in humble home kitchens and in restaurants, and is eaten both as a morning meal and as a simple dinner.
The base is olive oil, onion, and garlic, with tomatoes and bell peppers as the main vegetables. The sauce is flavored with ground cumin, paprika, coriander, black pepper, and salt, with optional cayenne for heat. Eggs are the final ingredient, poached right in the sauce.
Let the tomatoes cook down fully until the sauce thickens and the raw tomato flavor mellows into something more developed—this takes 15-20 minutes of patient stirring. When you add the eggs, nestle them gently into wells you make in the sauce, then cover the skillet and lower the heat so they cook slowly and gently without the bottoms scorching.
Chakchouka is traditionally served with crusty bread torn into pieces and used to scoop up the sauce and egg. Olives, fresh cheese, and a simple salad of raw tomatoes and cucumbers often accompany it. Many eat it straight from the skillet, making it a communal dish ideal for casual meals.