Shakshuka Pepper Cups
Equipment
- Kitchen Knife
- Measuring spoons
- medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 4 small bell peppers any colour
- 4 large eggs
- 410 g canned diced tomatoes with juice
- ½ medium brown onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cm piece fresh turmeric peeled and minced
- ¾ tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ tablespoon no-added-sugar tomato paste
- 1½ tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
- 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon erythritol sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook for approximately 10 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic and turmeric.
- Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, salt, erythritol, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper.
- Stir until evenly combined.
- Simmer for 2 minutes and remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F) for 3 minutes.
- Cut the tops from the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes.
- Check that the peppers can stand upright in the air-fryer basket.
- Divide the tomato mixture evenly among the four peppers.
- Make a shallow hollow in the filling of each pepper.
- Crack one egg into each filled pepper.
- Place the peppers upright in the air-fryer basket.
- Air-fry at 180°C (356°F) for 9 minutes.
- Check that the egg whites have set.
- Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the eggs.
- Air-fry for another 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the preferred firmness of the yolks.
- Check that the eggs have reached an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F).
- Transfer the peppers to a serving plate.
- Rest for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Suggestions
Serve one filled pepper per person with a green salad or toasted flatbread. For a larger brunch, accompany the peppers with olives, cucumber, hummus and fresh fruit.Recipe Notes
Choose small bell peppers that can stand upright inside the air-fryer basket. If necessary, carefully trim a very thin slice from the base without cutting through the pepper. Egg cooking times vary according to their size, starting temperature and the air-fryer model. Begin checking after 9 minutes. The whites should be completely set, and the eggs should reach 71°C (160°F). The saucepan cooking takes approximately 13 minutes, while the peppers require 10 to 12 minutes in the air fryer. This produces a realistic cooking time of approximately 23 minutes.Dietary Information
This recipe contains egg and cow’s milk from the feta cheese. It is suitable for vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-free, wheat-free, nut-free, soy-free and low-carbohydrate diets when all packaged products meet those requirements. Check the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, spices and feta for allergen warnings and possible cross-contamination. Feta made with animal-derived rennet may not be suitable for every vegetarian, so choose feta labelled vegetarian when required.Nutrition Information
The nutritional estimate applies to one stuffed bell pepper, including one egg, one-quarter of the tomato filling and feta. The previous recipe contained no nutritional information, so these values were calculated from the listed ingredients. Sodium varies considerably according to the canned tomatoes, feta and amount of salt used. Using no-added-salt tomatoes or reducing the added salt will lower the sodium content.Variations
Replace the feta with crumbled goat cheese or a plant-based feta alternative. Add chopped spinach to the tomato mixture or increase the cayenne for more heat. Fresh red chilli can replace the cayenne pepper.Storage
These pepper cups taste best immediately after cooking. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and consume them within 2 days. Reheat until the centre reaches 74°C (165°F). Freezing is not recommended because the cooked egg and pepper can develop a watery texture.Wine Advice
Pair these spiced shakshuka cups with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Rosé. Their fresh acidity complements the tomato, bell pepper and feta without overpowering the eggs.Nutrition values
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About Shakshuka Pepper Cups
Shakshuka pepper cups turn the familiar combination of spiced tomato sauce and baked eggs into colourful individual portions. Instead of cooking the bell pepper in the sauce, each pepper becomes an edible cup filled with tomato, aromatic spices, egg and feta. The result works particularly well for breakfast, brunch or a light meal.
Traditional shakshuka usually consists of eggs cooked directly in a seasoned tomato and pepper sauce. This variation keeps those recognisable flavours but changes the presentation. Cooking the filled peppers in an air fryer softens their flesh while keeping enough structure to hold the filling.
Preparing the bell peppers
Choose four small bell peppers that fit comfortably inside the air-fryer basket. Peppers with relatively flat bases remain upright more easily. If a pepper is unstable, carefully trim a very thin slice from its base without cutting through the flesh.
Remove the tops, seeds and pale membranes before adding the filling. Red, orange and yellow peppers provide a sweeter flavour, while green peppers taste slightly more bitter. Using several colours makes the finished dish more attractive without changing the cooking method.
Building the spiced tomato filling
Slowly softening the onion develops sweetness and prevents it from remaining firm inside the peppers. Garlic, turmeric, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and cayenne create a warm and aromatic base. The small amount of erythritol balances the acidity of the tomatoes without adding regular sugar.
Simmering the tomato mixture briefly removes some excess moisture. A very watery filling can make the peppers difficult to serve and may prevent the eggs from cooking evenly. If the canned tomatoes contain an unusually large amount of liquid, simmer the mixture for a few extra minutes.
Air-fryer baked eggs
Make a shallow hollow in the tomato filling before adding each egg. This helps keep the yolk centred and prevents the white from overflowing. Large eggs fit most small bell peppers, but slightly smaller eggs may be easier to use when the peppers are narrow.
Air fry the filled peppers until the whites have set. Add the feta near the end so it warms and softens without becoming dry. Cooking time depends on the size of the eggs, the temperature of the ingredients and the air-fryer model.
The eggs should reach 71°C before serving. More information about selecting, storing and safely cooking eggs is available from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Serving the stuffed shakshuka peppers
Allow the peppers to rest for five minutes after cooking. This gives the hot filling time to settle and makes the peppers easier to transfer to individual plates. Finish them with chopped parsley and serve while still warm.
For a complete brunch, combine the peppers with cucumber, olives, hummus or toasted flatbread. More dishes for a relaxed morning meal can be found in the breakfast recipe collection.
Dietary considerations
The recipe contains eggs and feta made from animal milk. It is suitable for a vegetarian diet when the feta uses vegetarian rennet. It can also suit gluten-free, wheat-free, nut-free and soy-free diets when every packaged ingredient meets those requirements.
People with allergies should check the labels of the feta, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, spices and sweetener. Cross-contamination can occur even when the main ingredients do not naturally contain gluten, wheat, nuts or soy.
Variations and storage
For a dairy-free version, omit the feta or use a suitable plant-based alternative. Chopped spinach can be stirred through the tomato mixture. Fresh chilli may replace the cayenne, while coriander or mint can replace the parsley.
Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and consume them within two days. Reheat until the centre reaches 74°C. Freezing is not recommended because cooked eggs and bell peppers can release water after thawing.
With their colourful presentation and warmly spiced filling, shakshuka pepper cups offer a practical way to serve individual portions at brunch or breakfast.
