Air Fryer Shakshuka Cups
Spiced tomato sauce and a soft egg, baked in individual ramekins.
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Before You Start
Proper shakshuka needs a pan and a watchful eye. This version splits it into ramekins, which means the whites set evenly and nobody ends up with a hard yolk. Warm the sauce before the egg goes in, otherwise the base is still cold when the top is done.
Instructions
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Soften the onion and pepper in the olive oil in a small pan for 6 minutes, then add the garlic, paprika and cumin and cook another minute.
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Pour in the tomatoes with the salt and simmer for 5 minutes until thick enough to hold a line when you drag a spoon through it.
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Divide the hot sauce between two ramekins that fit your basket, leaving a good 2 cm of headroom.
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Make two dips in each with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each dip. Season the tops.
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Air fry at 175°C / 350°F for 8 minutes, then check. You want set whites and a yolk that still moves when you nudge the dish, usually 9 to 11 minutes.
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Scatter over the feta and parsley and serve with something to mop it up with. The dishes are seriously hot, so use a towel.
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♨️ Air fryer notes
- Cook at 175°C / 350°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
- Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
- Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.
💡 Cook's tips
- Warm sauce is the whole trick. Cold sauce from the fridge needs so long to heat through that the eggs overcook first.
- If the whites are set but wobbly on top, give it 60 seconds more and no longer. Egg goes from soft to chalky very fast.
🔀 Make it your own
- Add a spoon of harissa to the sauce, or a handful of spinach stirred in at the end.
- Drop in some sliced merguez or chorizo with the onion for a heavier, meatier version.
📦 Storing & reheating
The sauce keeps for 4 days in the fridge and freezes for 3 months, so make a batch. Cooked eggs do not keep, so only bake what you'll eat.
❓ Frequently asked
Can you cook eggs in an air fryer?
Yes, as long as they're in a dish. A cracked egg straight into the basket runs through the holes, but in a ramekin it bakes evenly in around 10 minutes.
How many grams is a cup of tinned tomatoes?
About 240 g per US cup, so the 1 cup here is roughly half a standard 400 g tin.
Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.
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Kit that makes this foolproof
A few inexpensive bits that get you crispier results with less mess.
A roomy air fryer
A larger basket means fewer batches and crispier results.
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Perforated liners
Less sticking and mess, without blocking the airflow.
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Silicone tongs
Turn and lift without scratching the non-stick basket.
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