Shakshuka with Lamb, Fennel, and Feta

Jump to Recipe

This post contains affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission at no cost to you. You can view my affiliate disclosure here.

Shakshuka originates from North Africa and usually consists of poached eggs cooked in spicy tomato sauce. This can be either served for breakfast or dinner. Shakshuka literally means "a mixture" and has many different variations.

I like to make it with savory lamb and feta cheese to make it a little more hearty. This time I sautéed a little diced fennel bulb and I love how it transforms this dish. Fennel has a distinct licorice taste and is often used in Mediterranean cuisine.

Shakshuka is great for entertaining, especially if you have people over for brunch. It presents nicely but is simple to make. The tangy tomato sauce compliments a warm slice of pita bread or naan. It is so satisfying, you will come back for seconds!

I specifically made this recipe for my husband, who loves to put eggs on everything: burgers, ramen, toast, you name it. This recipe was right up his alley.

Tips for Making Shakshuka

I would recommend either using a very well seasoned cast iron skillet or an enameled cast iron pan to make this recipe. You will want something that you can use on the stovetop and in the oven. If you use cast iron, I would rinse it out and re-season it after. The reason for this is that tomatoes are acidic and wear down the pan's seasoning leaving your food with a metallic taste. Avoid the hassle by making sure you are using the correct pan.

For a similar reason, I always recommend buying tomato based products in a glass jar (like the whole tomatoes I have linked below) because the aluminum from the can will leach into your tomatoes.

I prefer to use whole peeled tomatoes in sauce for this recipe because I love the chunks of tomato and sauce, but you can also used crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce in a pinch.

One last tip, the eggs cook more uniformly when you create pockets for them in the sauce. When I forget to do this, the eggs run everywhere. You want the best presentation especially for a weekend brunch.

What You Will Need

1 tbsp butter

6 eggs

1 lb ground lamb

28 oz whole peeled tomatoes

1 fennel bulb diced

¼ cup feta cheese

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tbsp paprika

½ tbsp chili powder

½ tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

parsley chopped, for garnish

How to Make Shakshuka with Lamb, Fennel, and Feta

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Meanwhile, sauté the fennel and garlic in butter until softened and fragrant.

Add in the ground lamb and sauté until browned.

Once the lamb is cooked, add the whole peeled tomatoes and spices. Gently break up the tomatoes with a spatula and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Create six small pockets in the sauce for the eggs.

Crack the eggs into the pockets and top with crumbled feta cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. This will ensure the egg whites are cooked but you still get that soft, nutritious egg yolk.

Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with warm pita bread or naan.

If you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a star rating and a comment below. Share what you made and tag me on Instagram @keepingitholistic! For more scratch-made recipes and natural living tips, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on YouTube and Instagram!

📖 Recipe