What is the main egg-based ingredient in the North African dish shakshouka?

Poached eggs are the main egg-based ingredient in shakshouka.

Shakshouka is prepared by cooking eggs directly in a sauce of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices. The eggs are gently cracked into wells in the simmering sauce and cooked until the whites set while the yolks often remain soft. It is usually served in the pan with bread for dipping.

The dish is strongly associated with North African cuisines, especially Tunisia, and is now popular throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean. Its exact history and earliest origin are debated, with versions shaped by Arab, Amazigh, Jewish, and Ottoman-era culinary exchanges. Shakshouka should not be confused with menemen, a Turkish egg dish in which the eggs are commonly scrambled into the vegetable mixture. The name is often interpreted as referring to a mixture, fitting the dish’s combination of eggs, vegetables, and spices.