Shakshuka Baked Pasta Dish (Print Version)

Pasta baked in a rich spiced tomato sauce with eggs and melted cheese for a hearty meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10 oz short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - ½ tsp ground coriander
11 - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
12 - 1 tsp sugar
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Dairy & Eggs

14 - 1 cup grated mozzarella or crumbled feta (optional)
15 - 4 large eggs

→ Fresh Herbs

16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

# How To Make It:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F to prepare for baking.
02 - Boil salted water and cook pasta until just al dente. Drain and reserve.
03 - Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add onion and red bell pepper; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
04 - Incorporate minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Let the sauce simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until it thickens slightly.
06 - Add cooked pasta and half of the cheese, if using. Mix thoroughly to coat evenly.
07 - Spread the mixture evenly in the skillet or transfer to a baking dish. Create 4 small wells and crack an egg into each.
08 - Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top if desired. Bake uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes until egg whites set but yolks remain runny.
09 - Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro, and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering something for ages.
  • The runny yolks turn the whole dish into a sauce you'll want to soak up with bread, and nobody judges you for it.
  • It bridges the gap between weeknight comfort and something special enough for guests.
02 -
  • Don't overbake the eggs or you'll lose the runny yolk magic that makes this dish sing—watch the oven after 15 minutes and pull it when the whites are barely set.
  • The sauce should taste a little salty on its own because the pasta will dilute it; this is the mistake people make most often, and it's why the final dish tastes flat.
  • If your skillet isn't oven-safe, transfer everything to a baking dish before adding the eggs—attempting to move it mid-cooking is stressful and unnecessary.
03 -
  • Buy good eggs if you can; they'll have deeper golden yolks and taste noticeably better when they're the star of the dish.
  • If your pasta is still sitting around at room temperature before you're ready to make this, it can get sticky—a light toss with a tiny bit of olive oil keeps it loose.
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