Short answer
This shakshuka recipe UK cooks can make in one frying pan uses tinned tomatoes, a red pepper, onion, garlic, cumin and paprika. Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes, add four eggs, cover and cook for about six minutes.
This shakshuka recipe UK home cooks can follow uses ingredients from any supermarket: tinned tomatoes, a red pepper, an onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and eggs. Cook the sauce for about 15 minutes in a wide frying pan, crack in four eggs, cover and cook for around six minutes until the whites set. It serves two generously.
What do you need for a UK shakshuka recipe?
You need ordinary store-cupboard and fridge items, and nothing is hard to find. The quantities below make two large portions or three lighter ones.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
| Onion, sliced | 1 medium |
| Red pepper, sliced | 1 large |
| Garlic cloves, chopped | 3 |
| Ground cumin | 1 teaspoon |
| Smoked or sweet paprika | 1 teaspoon |
| Chilli flakes | Pinch, or to taste |
| Chopped tinned tomatoes | 1 tin, 400 g |
| Tomato puree | 1 tablespoon |
| Salt and black pepper | To taste |
| Eggs | 4 |
| Fresh parsley or coriander | Small handful |
Optional extras are 100 g of crumbled feta, a pinch of sugar and a few olives. Harissa paste, sold in most large UK supermarkets, can replace the chilli flakes.
How do you make shakshuka step by step?
To make shakshuka, soften the onion and pepper, add the spices and tomatoes, simmer the sauce until thick, then cook the eggs in it with a lid on. The sauce does the work, and the eggs take only a few minutes.
- Heat the olive oil in a lidded frying pan over a medium heat.
- Add the onion and pepper with a pinch of salt and cook for about eight minutes, until soft.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika and chilli flakes and cook for one minute.
- Add the tomato puree and the tin of tomatoes, plus half a tin of water. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick.
- Taste and adjust the salt, pepper and sugar.
- Make four small hollows with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each.
- Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft.
- Scatter with herbs and feta if using, and bring the pan to the table.
If you like firmer yolks, cook for another two minutes. Take the pan off the heat when the whites are opaque, since the hot sauce carries on cooking the eggs.
How long does shakshuka take, and how do you plan it?
Shakshuka takes about 35 minutes from start to table, with roughly 25 of those spent on the sauce. That makes it a practical weekend brunch or a quick evening meal.
If you are short of time, make the sauce ahead and keep it in the fridge. When you are ready, heat it in the pan until bubbling and add the eggs. This way the final cooking is under ten minutes.
What can you swap in a UK shakshuka recipe?
You can swap most of the vegetables and spices, and the dish still works as long as there is a thick tomato base and gentle egg cooking. The table lists the changes that work well.
| Swap | Result |
|---|---|
| Passata instead of tinned tomatoes | Smoother sauce, shorter simmer |
| Yellow or green pepper | Milder, less sweet |
| Courgette or aubergine, diced | Heartier, more vegetables |
| Spinach, a few handfuls | Wilts in, adds green |
| Tinned chickpeas, 200 g | Makes it more filling |
| Harissa, 1 teaspoon | More heat and depth |
| Ground coriander, half a teaspoon | A warmer, citrus note |
A cooked, spiced chicken sausage or a little beef mince can be browned first for a meaty version. Keep to halal ingredients if that matters to you, and check the labels on any ready-made sausage.
What do you serve with shakshuka?
Serve shakshuka in the pan with something to scoop. Toasted sourdough, warm pitta, flatbread or a crusty loaf all work, and a bowl of yoghurt or labneh on the side cools the spice.
A simple salad of cucumber, tomato and red onion dressed with lemon and olive oil makes it a larger meal. For a drink, tea or coffee suits a morning plate, and a jug of water with lemon works for lunch.
Why is my shakshuka watery, and how do I fix it?
A watery shakshuka usually means the sauce was not simmered long enough before the eggs went in. Thicken it by simmering uncovered for another five to ten minutes until a spoon leaves a clear trail in the pan.
Other causes are watery vegetables such as courgette, or too much liquid from the tin. Drain a little juice if the tomatoes look very wet. When you add the eggs, the sauce should be thick enough that the whites stay in place rather than spreading across the pan.
What are the best tips for a better shakshuka?
The best tips are to cook the onions and peppers until properly soft, to simmer the sauce until thick and to cover the pan for the eggs. Most disappointing shakshuka comes from rushing one of these steps.
- Season in layers. Add a pinch of salt with the onions, then taste again once the tomatoes have reduced.
- Bloom the spices. Cooking cumin and paprika in the hot oil for a minute releases their flavour before the tomatoes go in.
- Add a little sugar if the tinned tomatoes taste sharp.
- Space the eggs. Leave a gap between each one so the whites do not merge.
- Use a lid. Steam sets the tops of the whites, which a pan without a lid will not do.
- Finish with something fresh, such as herbs, lemon juice or yoghurt.
What is the difference between shakshuka and eggs in purgatory?
Shakshuka is spiced with cumin and paprika and comes from North Africa and the Middle East, while eggs in purgatory is an Italian dish with a garlic, chilli and tomato sauce, often finished with parmesan. Both cook eggs in tomato sauce.
The Italian version tastes of garlic and basil, and is eaten with crusty bread. Shakshuka tastes warmer and more earthy because of the cumin. If you have the ingredients for one, you can make the other by changing the spices and herbs.
How do you store and reheat shakshuka?
Store only the sauce, not the cooked eggs, and use it within about three days. Cool the sauce quickly, cover it and refrigerate. Reheat it in a pan until steaming hot all the way through, then cook fresh eggs in it.
The sauce can also be frozen for up to a couple of months in a sealed container. Defrost it overnight in the fridge before reheating. Cooked eggs do not freeze or reheat well, so it is better to add them fresh each time.
Is shakshuka on the Lazy Graze menu?
Yes. Lazy Graze lists shakshuka in the breakfast section of its recorded menu, and reviewers mention it, described as eggs baked in a spiced tomato sauce.
Lazy Graze is a tea room and cafe in Cheltenham, and this site is an independent guide, not the cafe. The dish name comes from public listings read on 13 November 2026. No price was published, and the recipe, bread and extras are not recorded, so the version above is a home method rather than the cafe’s own. See the recorded menu and the opening hours if you would rather have it made for you.
Common questions
What size pan do I need for shakshuka?
A 26 to 28 cm frying pan with a lid works for four eggs. It should be wide enough for the eggs to sit apart and deep enough to hold the sauce without it spilling when you stir.
Can I use passata instead of tinned tomatoes?
Yes. Passata makes a smoother sauce and needs a little less simmering. Use about 500 g and add a pinch of sugar if it tastes sharp. Chopped tinned tomatoes give a chunkier, more traditional texture.
How long does leftover shakshuka sauce keep?
The sauce keeps for about three days in a covered container in the fridge. Cool it quickly, reheat it until steaming hot and cook fresh eggs in it rather than reheating cooked eggs.
What can I use if I have no smoked paprika?
Use ordinary sweet paprika and add a pinch of chilli flakes for warmth. The flavour will be a little less deep, but the dish will still work well with cumin and garlic.
For the address, opening hours and menu, see Lazy Graze in Cheltenham.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Lazy Graze itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.