Tunisia's fiery, characterful take on shakshuka — spiced merguez sausages, sweet peppers and eggs in a harissa-spiked tomato sauce, cooked in one bold, fragrant pan.
While Shakshuka is often associated with Israeli cuisine in the West, it originated in Tunisia and the Maghreb before travelling east through the Sephardic Jewish diaspora. The Tunisian version — chakchouka (شكشوكة) — is distinctly bolder and spicier than its Israeli counterpart, built on a foundation of roasted peppers, heavily spiced tomato sauce and the defining addition of merguez, the North African lamb sausage fragrant with harissa, cumin and paprika. Whole eggs are cracked into the sizzling sauce at the end and poached until just set. Eaten with Tunisian khobz flatbread for scooping, this is robust, deeply aromatic, warming food.
Serves 4
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the merguez pieces and cook, turning, until browned all over, about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside (leave the fat in the pan).
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and peppers and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until very soft and beginning to caramelise at the edges.
Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, caraway seeds and harissa. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until very fragrant.
Add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt. Return the merguez to the pan. Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes until the sauce is thick and deeply flavoured.
Make 6 wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each well. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny.
Scatter fresh coriander over the top. Bring the pan to the table and serve with warm flatbread for scooping.
Merguez is available in halal butchers, Middle Eastern grocery stores and many supermarket deli counters.
Caraway seeds are a distinctive Tunisian addition that sets this version apart from other shakshuka styles.
For a milder version, use only 1 tablespoon of harissa and add a pinch of sugar to balance the heat.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
A fully vegetarian Tunisian chakchouka omits the merguez — simply increase the peppers and add a pinch of ras el hanout.
Some Tunisian versions add a layer of sliced courgette to the sauce.
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.
The sauce (without eggs) keeps for 4 days in the fridge. Add fresh eggs each time.
Chakchouka is a traditional Tunisian and Maghrebi dish that predates its Israeli popularity by centuries. It was spread globally by Tunisian Sephardic Jews who emigrated to Israel in the mid-20th century, where the dish became widely adopted under its Arabic name.
You can use chorizo for a different but complementary flavour. For a closer substitute, season any lamb sausage with harissa, cumin and paprika before cooking.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Authenticity sits on a spectrum — what matters more is honoring the technique and balance of flavors. If the dish tastes harmonious and respects how cooks in its home region would build it, you're on solid ground.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 4 servings total
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