Shakshuka has been my go-to lazy dinner for years. The usual stovetop version is great, but it requires standing over the pan and babysitting the sauce — not my favorite on a Tuesday night. A few months ago I started making it in my toaster oven instead, and honestly? It’s better. The dry oven heat caramelizes the tomatoes in a way a covered skillet never quite does, and you can walk away from it.
This version uses cherry tomatoes instead of canned crushed tomatoes, which I think is underrated. When you roast cherry tomatoes at high heat they get jammy and a little sweet and slightly blistered at the edges. Way more interesting than dumping in a can. The sumac and smoked paprika go in with the tomatoes from the start, so the spices toast right into the olive oil as everything roasts. You get this deeply savory, slightly tangy base before the eggs even go in.
For this recipe you’ll need a small oven-safe baking dish or skillet — a 6-inch or 8-inch round is perfect. If you don’t already have one, a small cast iron skillet is probably my most-used piece of kitchen equipment for toaster oven cooking. And if your toaster oven’s rack tray is too warped to lay flat anymore (mine lasted about three years before that happened), grabbing a replacement toaster oven baking pan makes a real difference for stuff like the pita chips here.
The pita toasts in the same toaster oven while the tomatoes do their thing. Dinner’s on the table in about 35 minutes, most of which is hands-off. It feeds two generously — four eggs, lots of sauce, plenty of pita. Scale it up if your toaster oven can fit a bigger dish, though I’d do two batches before trying to cram everything into one small oven.
Toaster Oven Crispy Sumac and Olive Oil Roasted Cherry Tomato Shakshuka with Toasted Pita
Eggs baked right in a spiced, jammy tomato sauce, finished under the toaster oven broiler for just-set whites and runny yolks. Toasted pita strips on the side for scooping.
Ingredients
Tomato Base
Eggs and Toppings
Pita Chips
Instructions
Roast the Tomatoes
-
Preheat your toaster oven to 425°F on the bake setting. If your toaster oven runs small, a 6-inch or 8-inch round baking dish or a small cast iron skillet works perfectly here — you want the tomatoes snug, not spread out thin.
-
Toss the halved cherry tomatoes and sliced garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the sumac, smoked paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper directly in your baking dish. Give it a stir, then spread into a mostly even layer.
-
Roast for 15 minutes. The tomatoes should be collapsed, slightly caramelized at the edges, and jammy. Don't rush this part — it's where most of the flavor comes from.
Toast the Pita
-
While the tomatoes roast, toss your torn pita pieces with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of flaky salt on a small sheet pan or the toaster oven rack tray.
-
Slide them in alongside the tomatoes (or on the rack above if there's room) for the last 8 minutes of the tomato roasting time, until golden and crisp. Pull them out and set aside — they firm up more as they cool.
Add the Eggs and Finish
-
Pull the tomato dish out carefully. Use a spoon to create 4 small wells in the tomato mixture. Crack one egg into each well. Season the eggs lightly with salt and pepper.
-
Return the dish to the toaster oven and bake at 425°F for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on how you like your yolks. Check at 5 minutes — the whites should be just opaque and the yolks should still have some wobble. Pull early if you're unsure; they carry over a bit.
-
Scatter the crumbled feta over the top while everything is still hot, then add the parsley and mint. Serve straight from the dish with the pita strips for scooping.
Notes
Pan size matters a lot here. Too large and the tomatoes spread thin and burn instead of jamming up. A 6-inch cast iron or a small 1-quart baking dish is ideal. If you only have a bigger pan, just reduce the initial roasting time by a few minutes and watch carefully.
The sumac is doing real work in this recipe — it adds a fruity, lemony tang that you can't quite replicate. I'd track it down rather than skip it. Most grocery stores carry it in the spice aisle now.
Leftovers: the tomato base reheats fine in the toaster oven at 375°F for about 5 minutes. The eggs, honestly, are best fresh. I just reheat the sauce and fry new eggs separately if I'm eating it the next day.
To make it vegan, skip the eggs and feta and serve the roasted tomato situation over hummus with the pita. Still really good.
Nutrition
Rate this recipe
Made it? Tap a star to rate.
Written by
Emma is a home cook who loves coaxing big flavor out of a toaster oven — from crispy roasted vegetables to easy weeknight dinners and sweet treats. She develops and tests Toastera's recipes for small-appliance kitchens.
Free: the Toaster Oven Cheat Sheet
Get the printable cheat sheet (temps, cook times & safety tips) plus new recipes. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
