AI-generated photo.
Levantine · Lebanon
Pepper Shakshuka
Also called Shakshuka
Eggs poached in a pepper-and-tomato pan.
Pai editors’ mark 5 / 5
Plan, list, and collections
A breakfast that is also dinner. The sauce needs to be thick enough to hold the eggs. Watery tomatoes make a stew, not a shakshuka.
Health
How this plate sits
Counted from the ingredient table. The score, richness, and badges describe one serving as written. The ring and the nutrient table follow the serving count above. This is general information, not medical advice.
72
Health score
Light & nourishing
Moderate
Richness
Light
Light to very rich, from fat, saturated fat, sugar, and the cream or butter in the plate.
- Protein 20%
- Carbs 32%
- Fat 48%
Suits · Diabetes-friendly
Sugar, fiber, and the starch mix sit in a gentler range. Your own portion still decides the day.
Watch · Heart-friendly
Saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, or fiber keeps this off the heart-friendly list.
Watch · Weight loss
Calories, protein, or richness make this a fuller plate than a light day wants.
Watch · High protein
Protein is about 8.4 g, under the 25 g mark.
Watch · Low sodium
About 589 mg of sodium, above the 450 mg mark.
Suits · Gluten-free
No wheat, barley, or rye in the required list. Still read labels on sauces and oats.
Suits · Dairy-free
No milk ingredients in the required list.
Suits · Vegetarian
No meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish in the required list.
Suits · Pregnancy
No alcohol, liver, or caffeine in the required list. Cook meat, eggs, and seafood through.
Suits · Gentle when sick
Mild, not fried, and not a very rich plate. Comfort, not a treatment.
Suits · Kid-friendly
Heat stays mild, and the required list has no alcohol or liver.
Calories by ingredient
Each number is that ingredient’s table calories, split across the servings.
- Egg72 kcal
- Olive oil33 kcal
- Canned crushed tomato26 kcal
- Red bell pepper13 kcal
- Yellow onion12 kcal
- Garlic3 kcal
Glycemic load
Estimated glycemic load for this count: 4.9. The bands come from the ingredient table.
Portion
One serving is about 164 kcal. Two portions would be about 328 kcal if you want a fuller plate.
Allergens. Egg
Make it healthier
Use half the salt
Salt adds no calories in this table, so the calorie figure stays put while sodium falls.
About 164 kcal after the change.
Skip the feta.
Dairy-free. The sauce is the meal. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
Skip cayenne.
A milder pan for children or a tender morning. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
| Nutrient | Amount | % daily value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 164 kcal | 8% |
| Protein | 8.4 g | 17% |
| Carbohydrate | 13.8 g | 5% |
| Fiber | 3 g | 11% |
| Total sugars | 7.2 g | 14% |
| Fat | 9.2 g | 12% |
| Saturated fat | 2.2 g | 11% |
| Cholesterol | 186 mg | 62% |
| Sodium | 589 mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 475 mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 84 mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3.1 mg | 17% |
| Magnesium | 32 mg | 8% |
| Zinc | 1.1 mg | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 198 mcg | 22% |
| Vitamin C | 75.4 mg | 84% |
| Vitamin D | 1 mcg | 5% |
| Vitamin E | 3.1 mg | 21% |
| Vitamin K | 14 mcg | 12% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.1 mg | 10% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.3 mg | 26% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.4 mg | 9% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.3 mg | 20% |
| Folate | 59 mcg | 15% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.5 mcg | 19% |
These figures follow the USDA-linked ingredient table where a safe FoodData Central row exists. Optional ingredients are left out. A few pantry items still use Pai's curated numbers because no close USDA row was found. 50 g is the daily value for added sugar. This figure is total sugar, including fruit and milk.
- A serving stays under about 420 calories, so it can sit inside an ordinary day.
- A middle path: useful food, with one or two numbers worth watching.
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.
Equipment
- Heavy pot
- Scale
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Ingredients
Each line is stored in grams. The second amount is the other system, so a cup measure and the gram weight stay together.
Olive oil1 tbsp16.48 ml
Yellow onion, sliced1 onion120 g
Red bell pepper, sliced2 peppers200 g
Garlic, sliced2 cloves8 g
Canned crushed tomato1.75 cups400 g
Ground cumin0.5 tsp2 g
Sweet paprika1 tsp3 g
Cayenne0.25 tsp1 g
Kosher salt0.75 tsp3 g
Egg4 eggs200 g
Feta, crumbled · optional0.25 cup40 g
Cilantro0.25 cup8 g
The first amount follows the unit toggle. The second is the other system. Both follow the serving count.
If you need to swap
- Skip the feta.. Dairy-free. The sauce is the meal.
- Skip cayenne.. A milder pan for children or a tender morning.
Method
AI-generated photo.
1Cook onion and pepper in oil until soft.
Soften 8 min
AI-generated photo.
2Add garlic, cumin, paprika, and cayenne.
Spices 1 min
AI-generated photo.
3Add tomatoes and salt. Simmer until thick.
Simmer 10 min
AI-generated photo.
4Make wells and crack in the eggs. Cover until the whites set.
Eggs 6 min
AI-generated photo.
5Finish with feta and cilantro. Serve with bread if you want it.
How you know it is done
Pepper Shakshuka is done when the thickest piece is tender and the liquid is quiet, not at a hard boil.
If it goes wrong
- Pepper Shakshuka looks done on top and is still raw in the center. Trust the cue in the method, not the color alone. Give it a few more minutes and check the center.
- Pepper Shakshuka spread, sank, or turned out dry. Measure by weight next time, heat the oven fully, and stop when the doneness cue appears rather than when the timer ends.
Storage
Cool Pepper Shakshuka, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for a month if the dish reheats in a pot or oven, not a raw salad.
How this dish helps your daily life
- Eggs and a vegetable sauce in one skillet, morning or night.
- Peppers and tomato bring color and vitamin C to a pan of eggs.
Notes
Pregnancy. Cook the eggs until the whites are fully set and the yolks are firm if you are pregnant. Feta should be pasteurized. No alcohol.
Children. Leave the cayenne out. Children often like the eggs and sauce with toast.
From the kitchen. If the sauce is thin, the eggs spread into a sheet. Reduce it first.
Allergens in the required list: Egg.
Your stars and note
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.