Heat up 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add 1 onion (thinly sliced), 1 bell pepper (thinly sliced), and 1 hot chili pepper (thinly sliced without seeds). Sauté over medium-high heat.Minimize stirring to allow vegetables to char (should take 8-10 minutes).If making a double or triple portion: Sauté the onions separately from the peppers so that you do not overcrowd the pan or pot. Then once the vegetables are cooked, add together in the pan or pot.

Lower heat to medium. Add 3-4 cloves garlic (minced), 1 teaspoon dried cumin, and 1-2 tablespoons paprika, and tomato paste to the sautéed onions and stir until fragrant (about 1 minute).Then add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the mixture and stir together. Cook for about a minute. It’s okay if the bottom of the pot begins to brown.

Add 28-oz can and 15-oz can crushed or diced tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of sugar to the sauce and stir.If using fresh tomatoes, add 2.5-3lbs of fresh chopped tomatoes. You can leave the skin on the tomatoes.If using stovetop method: bring to a boil, then reduce to a light simmer and cook for 20+ minutes. Season with salt and pepper.If using oven: cook in a 325F oven for 90+ minutes with lid on. Season with salt and pepper.

If making a single portion of shakshuka, ladle one-cup of red sauce into a small egg pan. Using a spoon, make two craters in the sauce. Crack an egg into each crater, then cover with lid for 6-8 minutes. Whites should be set. Cook yolks to preference.If making a full portion, use a spoon and make a crater for each egg you want to cook. Be careful not to overly crowd the pot or pan so there’s enough shakshuka sauce for each egg to cook in. Cover with lid and cook until whites are set, and yolks are cooked to preference.Serve immediately with optional ingredients (toasted bread, feta cheese, parsley)

Ladle leftover shakshuka sauce (without eggs) into Souper Cubes trays. One cup of shakshuka sauce is enough for 1-2 eggs, two cups for 3-4 eggs. Place lid on the tray and freeze.When you’re ready to reheat the shakshuka, place the frozen cube in a pan and cook over a low-heat flame until it the sauce starts to melt. Then raise heat to medium and add eggs into the sauce. Cook for 6-8 minutes with lid on.