Shakshuka Blend

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Moroccan Shakshuka

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Shakshuka is one of those dishes that belongs to everyone and no one all at once. Across North Africa and the Levant, you'll find it under different names — Bayd Maticha in Morocco, Mkila in Tunisia — eggs simmered in a spiced tomato sauce, eaten straight from the pan, usually with a lot of bread.

Mehdi grew up eating it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with equal enthusiasm. The argument about where it truly comes from has never been settled, and probably never will be. What's settled is the result: a deeply satisfying one-pan dish that takes twenty minutes and tastes like it took a lot longer.

Our Shakshuka Blend does the heavy lifting here — built around bright tomato powder with cumin, sweet paprika, a touch of cinnamon and a gentle heat from cayenne. Add a spoonful of harissa if you want more fire. Serve with good bread, always.

Ingredients

Method

Warm the olive oil in a tagine or wide skillet over low heat. Add the onion and sweat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.

  1. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, Harissa, Shakshuka Blend, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and the water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened — around 10 minutes.

  2. Use a spoon to make four shallow wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each one.

  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still a little loose, or to your liking.

  4. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt. Scatter over fresh cilantro leaves, drizzle with olive oil, and serve straight from the pan while hot.

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Harissa Prawn Shakshuka

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Shakshuka is one of those dishes that feels like it's been on every table forever — and for good reason. This version adds prawns and a generous spoonful of harissa, turning a classic into something with a little more heat, a little more substance, and a lot more personality. It works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and it comes together in one pan.

Ingredients

Serves 2–4

  • 3–4 eggs

  • 1 tbsp tomato paste

  • 2–3 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

  • 1 medium onion, finely diced

  • 1 lb large prawns, shell-on for more flavor or peeled for easier eating

  • 1 tbsp Villa Jerada Harissa

  • 1 tbsp Villa Jerada Shakshuka Blend

  • 3 tbsp good olive oil, plus more to finish

  • 1 cup water

  • ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped, plus whole leaves to garnish

  • Flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a tagine or large skillet, warm the olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and sweat gently for about 15 minutes, until soft and translucent — don't rush this part, it's the base of everything.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, cilantro, harissa, shakshuka blend, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and the water. Stir to combine and cook until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened, about 10–15 minutes.

Nestle the prawns into the sauce. Then use the back of a spoon to make small wells in the sauce and crack one egg into each. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the eggs are set to your liking and the prawns are cooked through — about 8 minutes for medium-soft yolks.

Season the eggs with a pinch of salt. Scatter whole cilantro and parsley leaves over the top, finish with a drizzle of olive oil, and serve straight from the pan while hot.

The harissa and shakshuka blend are what give this dish its depth. Grab them below.

Watch Mehdi Make It

Here's Mehdi making a classic shakshuka — same technique, same foundation. Just add the prawns and you're there.

Sweet Pea Shakshuka

Ingredients

  • 3-4 Eggs

  • 1tbsp Tomato paste

  • 2-3 Tomatoes (chopped)

  • 1 Onion

  • 3 Tbls Sweet Peas

  • 1tbsp Harissa

  • 3tbsp Olive oil

  • 1 cup Water

  • 1tbsp Shakshuka Blend

  • Parsley

  • Cilantro

  • Salt

Method

In a tagine or large skillet, sweat some onions in olive oil on a light heat for about 15 min. until translucent. Add the tomato, tomato paste, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, Harissa, Shakshuka Blend, a generous pinch of salt, pepper and water. Cook until the tomato has broken down and the mixture has thickened to a sauce-like consistency. Add sweet peas. Use a spoon to make an egg-sized hole in the Shakshuka. Crack one of the eggs into the hole. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the eggs reach desired finish, about 10 minutes for medium-soft. Sprinkle the eggs with a little salt. To garnish scatter whole cilantro leaves over and drizzle olive oil over the dish and serve hot.

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Kefta Shakshuka

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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

  • 1 lb ground beef chuck
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro, divided
  • 2 teaspoons Villa Jerada Shakshuka Blend
  • 2 ½ teaspoons Villa Jerada Kefta Rub
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus additional to taste
  • 1 small onion, grated on the large holes of box grater or finely minced
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large ripe tomato, diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Villa Jerada Harissa
  • Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 eggs
  • Whole cilantro leaves, to serve
  • Crusty bread or pita, to serve (optional)

Method

  1. First, make the kefta (meatballs): combine the beef, ¼ cup of the chopped cilantro, 2 ½ teaspoons of the kefta rub, 1 teaspoon salt and the onion in a medium bowl. Mix well to combine. (I think it’s easiest to mix with your hands.) Using your hands or a small scoop, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and chill for at least 20 minutes.

  2. While the kefta are chilling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the tomato, tomato paste, remaining ¼ cup chopped cilantro, harissa, the 2 teaspoons Shakshuka blend, a generous pinch of salt and pepper and the water. Cook until the tomato has broken down and the mixture has thickened to a sauce-like consistency. Add the kefta. Cover and cook until the meatballs are almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Use a spoon to make an egg-sized hole in the shakshuka. Crack one of the eggs into the hole. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the eggs reach desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-soft. Sprinkle the eggs with a little salt. Scatter the whole cilantro leaves over the shakshuka and serve hot.