Easy Shakshuka with Dragon Cheese

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Traditional shakshuka gets a makeover with juicy courgette, tangy leeks, and a crown of golden-yolked poached eggs, all topped with melted Dragon Vintage Welsh Cheddar Cheese. On the table in just 30 minutes!

There’s something undeniably comforting about a pan of shakshuka, its deep red sauce simmering with hints of cumin and smoked paprika, as light dances on pools of burnt orange. Crowned with perfectly poached eggs, their golden yolks teasingly poised to spill into the sauce with the first tear of warm bread, shakshuka is a comforting dish that satisfies at any hour.

I remember the first time I truly savoured shakshuka (or, should I say, ojja – more on that below). We arrived in Djerba in darkness close to midnight, after a six-hour drive from Tunis. Exhausted and hungry, my stomach cooed at the sight of runny poached eggs oozing liquid gold into the smoky, spiced tomato and pepper sauce, begging to be mopped up with crisp-edged, freshly baked bread. Though it’s often hailed as the ultimate brunch, that late-night feast proved that shakshuka isn’t bound by time.

My version puts a bold twist on the classic, with mature, velvety Welsh cheese melting seamlessly into the smoky, spiced sauce. It’s an effortless way to bring those warming flavours to your table, whether you’re reminiscing about past travels or simply craving something hearty and full of character.

Easy Shakshuka

Shakshuka recipes vary widely between countries and even families, but the basics often remain the same: a rich tomato-based sauce flavoured with onions, peppers, garlic, harissa or chilli. Popular additions include aubergine, potatoes, spinach, or meats like ground beef and spicy lamb merguez sausages. Traditionally, shakshuka is topped with feta cheese or yoghurt and served with bread to scoop up every last bite.

My easy shakshuka puts a twist on the classic by swapping onions and peppers for leeks and courgettes, and finishing with grated Dragon Vintage Welsh Cheddar Cheese instead of the usual feta or yoghurt. Made with milk from cows grazing on traditional Welsh farms and matured at Dragon’s creamery on the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales, this punchy, creamy, vegetarian-friendly Cheddar is a perfect match for the smoky, spiced flavours of shakshuka. You can buy this cheese directly from Dragon’s website or find it at local stockists and independent UK supermarkets.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make my Easy Shakshuka with Dragon Cheese:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh leek, washed and trimmed (the white and lighter green parts only)
• Fresh courgette
• Garlic clove
• Harissa
• Ground cumin
• Salt
• Chopped tomatoes or fresh tomatoes
• Eggs
• Dragon Vintage Welsh Cheddar Cheese
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Crusty white baguette, or bread of choice

How to make my easy shakshuka with Dragon Cheese

Some shakshuka recipes can get pretty complicated, calling for ingredients you may not have to hand. I’ve kept my shakshuka recipe fairly simple, with affordability and convenience in mind. It’s quick too – just 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook, so it’ll be on the table in half an hour. Just the thing for a lazy weekend breakfast or brunch!

Here’s a basic step-by-step guide to making my easy shakshuka (find the full recipe below!):

1. Sauté the vegetables: Fry the vegetables, spices, and salt until softened.
   
2. Add the tomatoes: Stir in the chopped tomatoes and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
   
3. Cook the eggs: Make four small wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each. Cook until the whites are set, and the yolks remain runny. –
   
4. Finish with cheese and herbs: Scatter grated cheese and parsley over the top.

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Easy Shakshuka with Dragon Cheese

A traditional Maghrebi dish, many North African countries lay claim to shakshuka (also known as “shakshouka” or “chakchouka”), but its roots are thought to lie in Tunisia. Today, the dish is popular in various forms throughout the Levant, especially in Israel, where it’s commonly served with pita or challah bread for breakfast or brunch. However, this versatile dish can be enjoyed any time of day.

Named after the Arabic term for “a mixture” or “all mixed up,” this aptly named dish combines vegetables like onions, peppers, garlic, aubergine, and spices, gently fried and simmered in a slow-cooked spiced tomato sauce. It’s then crowned with runny-yolked poached eggs, and often finished with creamy labneh or salty feta cheese.

My easy shakshuka swaps onions and peppers for leeks and courgettes, which lend a sweeter, more delicate flavour and a fresher feel. Melted Dragon Vintage Welsh Cheddar adds a rich, tangy indulgence, best enjoyed with crusty baguette for mopping up the sauce.

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Maghreb, North African, Tunisian, Vegetarian

Keyword Cheese, courgette, cumin, leeks, Mini Eggs, tomatoes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 216kcal

Author Kacie Morgan

Cost £1

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium leek approx. 100g, washed, trimmed, and sliced to 1cm thick (white and light green parts only)
• 1 courgette approx. 200g, sliced into 1cm-thick rounds and quartered
• 1 garlic clove peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp harissa
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 800 g canned chopped tomatoes or approx. 5 large fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
• 4 eggs
• 120 g Cheddar cheese grated
• Fresh parsley chopped (optional garnish)
• 1 small baguette to serve

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan or skillet over medium heat.
• Add the sliced leeks, courgettes, garlic, harissa, cumin, and salt. Fry for around 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and lightly golden.
• Stir in the chopped tomatoes, ensuring the mixture is evenly combined. Simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
• Use a spoon to create four small wells in the tomato mixture. Carefully crack an egg into each well, keeping the yolks intact.
• Reduce the heat slightly, cover the pan with a lid (or loosely with foil if a lid isn’t available), and cook for around 5 minutes, or until the egg whites are set but the yolks remain runny.
• Scatter the grated cheddar evenly over the sauce, allowing it to melt slightly. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
• Serve immediately with hunks of crusty baguette for dunking.

Notes

• Adjust the spice level to your taste: use 1/2 tbsp harissa for a milder heat or omit it entirely, replacing it with a pinch of dried chilli flakes for a more subtle kick.
• If using chilli flakes instead of harissa, add a pinch of ground coriander and caraway seeds.
• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, but remove any leftover eggs before reheating.
• Experiment with different seasonal vegetables like peppers, aubergine, onions, spinach, or even diced potatoes.
• Use room temperature eggs, to allow for quicker cooking times.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 547mg | Potassium: 545mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 989IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 3mg

Find Dragon’s Welsh cheese range on the Dragon website, and at local stockists and independent UK supermarkets.

Before you head off, check out my other Dragon Cheese recipes:

• Pigs in Blankets Macaroni Cheese
• Glamorgan Sausages

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