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A cast iron skillet filled with poached eggs in a chunky red shakshuka sauce, garnished with chopped herbs and red pepper flakes.
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Ground Lamb Shakshuka

Spiced ground lamb simmered in a rich tomato sauce with warm North African spices, eggs poached right in the skillet. One pan, 45 minutes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: brunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 4 servings (1-2 eggs per person with sauce)
Calories: 455kcal
Author: Dee Broughton

Equipment

Ingredients

can crushed tomatoes

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground lamb Freedom Run Farm American ground lamb preferred
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 4 to 5 large eggs room temperature
  • flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Instructions

Brown the Lamb

  • Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the ground lamb and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then break it up. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until fully browned. Spoon off excess fat if the pan looks very oily, leaving a light coating.
    Ground lamb is being cooked in a cast iron skillet and stirred with a wooden spoon; seasonings, garlic, and parsley are visible in the background.

Cook the Vegetables

  • Add the diced onion and bell pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent and the pepper has lost its raw crunch.
    A cast iron skillet on a green tiled surface contains ground lamb, diced red bell pepper, and chopped onion being sautéed with a wooden spoon.

Bloom the Spices

  • Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the salt, cumin, paprika, coriander, and chili powder. Mix in the tomato paste and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring, until the paste darkens and the spices are fragrant.
    A cast iron skillet with ground lamb, chopped onions, red bell pepper, and spices being mixed with a wooden spoon on a green tiled surface.

Simmer the Sauce

  • Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick enough that a spoon dragged through it leaves a slow-filling channel.
    A hand pours chopped tomatoes from a measuring cup into a cast iron skillet with cooked ground lamb and vegetables on a green tiled countertop.

Add the Eggs

  • Make 4-5 deep wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon.
    A cast iron skillet filled with chunky shakshouka sauce sits on a green tiled surface, with a wooden spoon and fresh ingredients nearby.
  • Crack one egg into each well.
    A person cracks an egg into a cast iron skillet filled with shakshuka sauce and ground lamb, with various ingredients on the side.

Cover and Cook

  • Cover the skillet and cook for 6-10 minutes — 6 minutes for runny yolks, 8-10 for set yolks. Check early; carryover heat continues cooking after the lid comes off.

Garnish and Serve

  • Top with fresh parsley. Serve directly from the skillet.
    A cast iron skillet filled with shakshuka; poached eggs in a spiced tomato sauce, garnished with herbs, on a green tiled surface with ingredients nearby.

Notes

  • We almost always add harissa to this one. Stir in 1 tablespoon of harissa into the sauce right after the crushed tomatoes get added. Start there, taste after they've simmered a few minutes, and add a little more if you want more heat. Rose harissa is a great addition if you can find it. 
  • The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead; reheat over medium-low and add fresh eggs when serving.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce alone freezes well for up to 2 months.
  • For best results, pull eggs from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking - room-temperature eggs set more evenly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 269mg | Sodium: 1376mg | Potassium: 548mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1972IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 4mg