Shakshuka Baked Pasta (Printable Version)

Baked pasta in a spiced tomato sauce with poached eggs and fresh herbs.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Boil salted water and cook pasta until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
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 if using. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Mix in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Stir cooked pasta and half of the cheese, if using, into the sauce until well coated.
07 - Spread the mixture evenly in the skillet or transfer to a baking dish. Create four shallow wells and crack one egg into each.
08 - Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the prepared dish, if desired.
09 - Bake uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, until egg whites are set but yolks remain runny.
10 - Remove from oven, garnish with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like a secret fusion that actually makes sense, combining the cozy familiarity of pasta bake with the warm spices of the Middle East.
  • Those runny egg yolks become the best sauce you never expected, turning something already delicious into something transcendent.
02 -
  • Watch those eggs carefully in the last few minutes—the difference between a perfect runny yolk and a cooked one can be just 60 seconds, so don't walk away from the oven.
  • Using an oven-safe skillet means you can go directly from stovetop to oven to table, which keeps everything hot and tastes noticeably better than transferring to a separate dish.
03 -
  • Serve this with crusty bread alongside so people can build little edible vessels for soaking up the sauce—it's the right way to finish a bowl.
  • If you want to add greens, wilt some spinach or kale in the sauce for the last 2 minutes before baking; they'll soften and add nutrition without dominating the flavors.
Go Back