Shakshuka with Crispy Hash Browns
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the frozen shredded hash browns with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Spread the potatoes in an even layer and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until deep golden and crisp. Lower the oven to 350°F.
- While the hash browns roast, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the yellow onion, red bell pepper, jalapeños, and celery along with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, smoked paprika, cardamom, cinnamon, cayenne, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the spices smell fragrant, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, Meyer lemon zest and juice, and sugar. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick and well combined. Add water a little at a time only if you want a brothier texture; the sauce should be like a hearty chili, not pasty.
- Make 4 shallow wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack 1 egg into each well. If you are using fewer eggs, make only as many wells as eggs.
- Transfer the skillet to the 350°F oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still slightly soft if you like them runny.
- Spoon the shakshuka over the crispy hash browns and finish with fresh parsley and a crack of black pepper. Add sliced Hass avocado and toasted sourdough on the side if you like.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Main Ingredients
My first hash browns were sad, pale little things. Soggy, greasy, and completely unworthy of the eggs they were supposed to accompany. Here’s how I stopped making them, and started making shakshuka with crispy hash browns that actually delivers that weekend brunch magic.
Honestly, this easy shakshuka with hash browns has ruined restaurant brunch for me. Why wait forty-five minutes for a table when I can make something this good in my own kitchen? The core of this shakshuka with crispy hash browns is simple: a smoky, spiced tomato sauce with silky poached eggs, served over a pile of outrageously crisp potatoes.
The beauty of this shakshuka recipe is that it relies on pantry staples and a bag of frozen shredded potatoes. You’ve got olive oil, eggs, tomatoes, some warm spices, and that’s really the whole show. The sauce is hearty and thick, like a chili, and the potatoes are the crispy base that soaks up all those runny yolks.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
For the best shakshuka with crispy hash browns, let’s talk about a few key players before you start.
- Frozen shredded hash browns: These are your secret weapon. Don’t thaw them. The ice crystals create steam in the hot oven, giving you a fluffy interior and a ridiculously crispy exterior.
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: They add a subtle smoky depth you just can’t get from regular canned tomatoes. If you can’t find them, swap in regular diced tomatoes and add a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Meyer lemon: This California staple is sweeter and less acidic than a regular lemon. If you can’t find one, a regular lemon works perfectly fine.
- Jalapeños: The heat is adjustable. Leave the seeds in one or both if you want more of a kick, or remove them all for a milder sauce.
How to Make Shakshuka with Crispy Hash Browns
Let’s walk through the four major stages of this one-pan brunch idea. It’s easier than you think, and it all comes together without breaking a sweat.
Stage 1: The Hash Browns. Start this shakshuka with crispy hash browns by roasting the potatoes. Toss them with olive oil and salt straight on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread them in a thin, even layer. You want those edges to look like golden lace before you pull them out. The oven does the heavy lifting here, so no standing over a hot skillet flipping potatoes like a short-order cook.
Stage 2: The Flavor Base. While the potatoes crisp, build the sauce. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet. Diced onion, red bell pepper, jalapeños, and celery go in first with a generous pinch of salt. Let them soften and sweeten for about 10 minutes. Then comes the magic: the spices. Smoked paprika, ground cardamom, ground cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, and oregano. Bloom them in the hot oil for a minute until the kitchen smells like your favorite Middle Eastern breakfast spot.
Stage 3: The Sauce and Eggs. Stir in the garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, Meyer lemon zest and juice, and a pinch of sugar. Let it cook down until it’s thick and well combined. You want the sauce to bubble like a lazy volcano, not a soup. If it looks too thick, add a splash of water. Make shallow wells in the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each one. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the whites are set but the yolks still have a beautiful jiggle to them.
Stage 4: Bringing It Together. This is the payoff. Spoon the hot shakshuka over the crispy hash browns. Finish with fresh chopped parsley and a crack of black pepper. The contrast of the warm, jammy yolks and the shatteringly crisp potatoes is genuinely outrageous. Mine looked messy the first time. Tasted outrageous. That counts as a win.
Tips for the Crispiest Hash Browns
If there’s one thing to nail in this shakshuka with crispy hash browns, it’s the texture of those potatoes. Soggy hash browns are a tragedy. Here’s how to avoid it.
- Squeeze out the moisture. If you’re using fresh potatoes and a box grater, you absolutely must squeeze them bone-dry in a clean kitchen towel. I promise, this single step is the difference between crispy and sad. This recipe uses frozen, so you get a cheat code here.
- Don’t crowd the pan. On the baking sheet, make sure the potatoes are mostly in a single layer. If they’re piled up, they’ll steam instead of crisp.
- High heat is your friend. 425°F is the sweet spot. It’s hot enough to drive out moisture and create those golden, crunchy bits.
- Let them be. When you flip them halfway through, let them sit. Don’t stir them constantly. Give them time to develop that crust.
Variations to Try
This shakshuka with crispy hash browns is incredibly flexible. Here are some optional ways to switch it up. Just remember, these are additions, not part of the classic base.
- Make it spicy: Add a spoonful of harissa paste to the tomato sauce, or sprinkle red chili flakes over the top before serving.
- Add cheese: Crumble feta cheese over the top before the skillet goes into the oven. It’s not traditional, but it’s a wonderful, salty complement to the rich sauce.
- Swap your herbs: Fresh cilantro makes a great garnish instead of (or alongside) the parsley.
- Go sweet potato: You can swap the frozen shredded potatoes for grated sweet potato. The cooking time stays about the same, and the sweetness pairs beautifully with the smoky sauce.
Storage & Reheating
Got leftovers? Storing shakshuka with crispy hash browns is simple, but you need to manage expectations for the potatoes. The sauce keeps beautifully, but the hash browns will lose their crispness.
Any leftover shakshuka goes into a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm it in a pan on the stovetop until the sauce is bubbling and the eggs are heated through. If you’re meal prepping, you can make the full tomato sauce up to 2 days ahead. Just reheat, add the eggs, and bake when you’re ready.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving shakshuka with crispy hash browns, don’t skip the bread. You’re going to want something to soak up every last drop of that smoked paprika tomato sauce and runny yolk.
Here’s my ideal setup:
- Toasted sourdough or warm pita for dipping and scooping.
- Fresh sliced Hass avocado on the side. This is a California kitchen, after all. The creamy avocado balances the acidity of the tomatoes perfectly.
- Serve directly from the skillet. It’s meant to be a communal, dig-in-with-a-spoon kind of meal.
Other Classic Brunch Dishes
If you love this easy shakshuka with hash browns, you’ll probably enjoy a few other one-pan breakfasts on my site. Think hearty, vibrant skillets and egg-centric dishes that make weekend mornings feel special without a ton of fuss. There’s just something about that combination of crispy potatoes and runny eggs that keeps me coming back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you’ve tried this shakshuka with crispy hash browns, I’d love to hear about it. Drop a comment below and let me know how it turned out, or tag me in your photos. And if you’re looking for more inspiration like this, come follow along on Pinterest for more one-pan brunch ideas and skillet recipes.
I truly believe everyone should make shakshuka with crispy hash browns at least once. When you make this (and you will), come back and tell me: do you dip your hash browns IN the shakshuka, or pile them under it?
Source: Learn More About This Dish
