When summer heat makes cooking indoors feel like punishment, take the skillet outside. This Tunisian-inspired shakshuka on the grill combines a spicy tomato and harissa sauce with seasoned ground meat and eggs cooked right in the pan. The grill adds a light smoky edge, while runny yolks and plenty of bread pull the whole thing together. It works just as well for brunch as it does for a relaxed dinner outdoors.
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What is shakshuka?
Shakshuka is a skillet dish of eggs cooked in a sauce built around tomatoes, onion, peppers, and spices. Its exact origin is debated, but the dish is strongly associated with North Africa and later became popular across the Middle East.
There is no single official formula. Some versions are vegetarian, while others include meat, extra vegetables, or a local spice blend. What they share is a deeply seasoned sauce with eggs gently cooked on top.
What makes this Tunisian-inspired shakshuka different?
The familiar base is still a rich tomato sauce with eggs cooked in it. This grill version adds a few elements that make it heartier and push the flavors toward Tunisia:
- Ground meat
This version uses ground beef, ground lamb, or a mix. I originally seasoned the meat with Barbecoa Holy Grail, a Belgian spice blend that adds a lamb-like savory note even when I use beef. If you cannot find it, do not chase an exact substitute: season the meat with salt and pepper and let the cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, and harissa in the sauce do the heavy lifting. If you like controlling the blend and texture yourself, start with my guide to making ground meat at home. - Harissa
This North African chile paste brings heat, but also earthy depth from spices such as caraway, coriander, and garlic. Start modestly because the heat level varies considerably between brands. If you can’t find Harissa in your local store, you can order the paste over here at Amazon. - Cumin, turmeric, and coriander
Cumin and coriander build warmth around the tomatoes. A little turmeric adds an earthy note and a deeper golden color without getting in the way of the harissa. - Clean grill smoke
The grill supplies the smoky layer. Use a smoke setting on a pellet grill or one small chunk of mild wood over charcoal. You want a background note, not a cloud that buries the tomatoes and spices.
The result is bolder and more filling than a simple vegetarian shakshuka: spicy tomato sauce, browned meat, softly cooked eggs, and just enough smoke to remind you why the skillet is sitting outside.
Why make shakshuka on the grill?
You do not need a grill to make good shakshuka. A stovetop works perfectly well. Cooking it outside earns its place by adding a restrained smoky note and letting you sear over direct heat before moving the skillet to a gentler indirect zone. Best of all, you get to cook outdoors while hanging out with family and friends.
A wide cast-iron skillet suits that approach. It holds heat, gives the meat room to brown, and helps the sauce reduce evenly. If you want to put the same pan to work in other ways, see my guide to using a cast-iron skillet on the grill.
How do you make Tunisian shakshuka on the grill?
Set up the grill with a direct and an indirect zone at about 355–390°F (180–200°C). Start the skillet over direct heat and brown the ground meat properly. Scoop it out, leave a little of the rendered fat behind, and build the sauce in the same pan with onion, bell pepper, garlic, spices, tomato paste, and harissa.
Add the peeled tomatoes, passata, and browned meat. Move the skillet to the indirect side and close the lid. Let the sauce simmer until it tastes rounded and is thick enough to hold four wells for the eggs. Scrape along the bottom now and then because cast iron keeps storing heat.
If that setup is new to you, my guide to direct and indirect grilling shows how to separate the hot zone from the gentler side of the grill.
Let the skillet get properly hot for the meat, then lower the heat or move the pan before the onion and garlic go in. That gives you real browning without scorching the aromatics.
Add a subtle smoky note
On a pellet grill, use its smoke mode while the sauce simmers; some models call this Super Smoke. Over charcoal, add one small chunk of apple or cherry wood when the skillet moves to the indirect zone. Wait for thin, nearly transparent smoke before closing the lid. Hickory can work, but use it lightly. This sauce needs seasoning, not a smoke screen. For more on managing a pellet cooker, see my pellet grill guide.
How do you cook the eggs without drying out the yolks?
Use the back of a spoon to make four wells in the reduced sauce. Crack each egg into a small bowl first, then slide it gently into a well. Keep the skillet over indirect heat, close the lid, and start checking after about 7 minutes. The whites should be set; the yolks can stay soft if that is how you like them.
Take the pan off a little earlier than your instinct tells you. Cast iron keeps throwing heat into the sauce, so the eggs continue to cook at the table. The handle will be fiercely hot, so use proper heat-resistant BBQ gloves. If you are serving anyone who needs to avoid undercooked eggs, use pasteurized eggs or cook the yolks until firm.
When and how should you serve shakshuka?
Shakshuka is often served for breakfast or brunch, but this meatier version is substantial enough for lunch or dinner. Put the skillet in the middle of the table with pita, naan, Turkish bread, or grilled sourdough. The bread is not decoration; it is how you scoop up the sauce and soft yolk.
Finish with cilantro or flat-leaf parsley. Feta adds a salty, fresh contrast, but you can serve it on the side. That worked well at our table: feta, herbs, and extra heat for us, and a milder pan without feta for the kids. Both versions disappeared with pieces of bread straight from the skillet.
For another grill-fired version with tomato sauce, eggs, and meat, try my older smoked meatball shakshuka. If you have thickened sauce left over, use it as the base for my shakshuka pizza with quail eggs. For pizza, reduce the sauce further and let it cool before it touches the dough.
Can you make shakshuka ahead of time?
You can prepare the tomato sauce and fully cook the ground meat ahead of time. Cool the mixture promptly and refrigerate it in a covered container. Reheat the sauce thoroughly in the skillet, then add the eggs only when you are ready to serve. That keeps the eggs fresh and gives you control over the yolks.
Reheat leftovers gently until piping hot. The yolks will end up firmer than they were the first time. If we have a small amount left, I usually stir the remaining eggs into the sauce while reheating so they cook evenly. The better plan is still to store the sauce by itself and cook only as many eggs as you need.
How hot did you make yours?
Did you make this Tunisian-inspired shakshuka on the grill? Leave a comment and an honest star rating below. Tell me how much harissa you used. It helps other grillers and shows me which recipes deserve a deeper follow-up.
Share your result and tag @the_bbq_bastard.
Recipe: Tunisian shakshuka on the grill
Tunisian Shakshuka on the Grill with Ground Meat
Equipment
- Grill with lid
- Spatula
Ingredients
Shakshuka
- 30 ml Olive oil
- 800 g Ground beef or ground lamb or use a mixture of both; season lightly with salt and pepper
- 1 Large onion finely chopped
- 2-3 cloves Garlic finely chopped or pressed
- 2 Red bell peppers diced
- 1-2 Red chile peppers or 1 wiri wiri pepper; finely chopped
- 800 g Whole peeled tomatoes roughly chopped or crushed by hand
- 400 g Tomato passata strained tomatoes
- 30 ml Tomato paste
- 15 ml Harissa paste
- 5 ml Ground cumin
- 5 ml Ground coriander
- 5 ml Paprika
- 2.5 ml Ground turmeric
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 Large eggs pasteurized if preferred
To finish and serve
- 1 handful Fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
- 100 g Feta optional
- Pita, naan, Turkish bread, or crusty bread for dipping
- 1 small chunk Apple or cherry smoking wood optional; for charcoal grills only
Instructions
Set up the grill
- Prepare the grill with a direct and an indirect zone at 180–200°C (355–390°F). If you are cooking over charcoal and want a light smoky note, set aside one small chunk of apple or cherry wood for the simmering stage.
Brown the meat and build the sauce
- Preheat the Cast iron skillet over direct heat for about 10 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking it up with a Spatula, until browned with no raw spots remaining. Transfer the meat to a bowl and leave a little rendered fat in the skillet.
- Cook the onion for 5–7 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, and optional turmeric and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the garlic, chile peppers, and diced bell peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the peppers begin to soften and the garlic smells fragrant without browning too far.
- Stir in the tomato paste and harissa and cook for 1 minute. Add the peeled tomatoes, passata, and browned meat. Stir well and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
Simmer over indirect heat
- Move the Cast iron skillet to the indirect zone. If using charcoal, add the optional wood chunk and wait for thin, clean smoke. Close the lid and simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring along the bottom occasionally, until the sauce has thickened enough to hold wells for the eggs.
Cook the eggs and serve
- Make four wells in the thickened sauce. Crack each egg into a small bowl, then slide it carefully into a well.
- Close the lid and cook the eggs over indirect heat for 7–10 minutes. Start checking at 7 minutes: the whites should be set, while the yolks may remain soft if preferred. Remember that the eggs continue cooking in the hot cast iron.
- Use Heat-resistant BBQ gloves to remove the hot skillet. Finish with cilantro or parsley and optional feta. Serve immediately with bread for dipping.
Notes
Frequently asked questions about grilled shakshuka
Can I make this shakshuka vegetarian? −
Yes. Leave out the ground meat and add eggplant, zucchini, or chickpeas if you like. Let the sauce reduce properly before adding the eggs.
What pan should I use for shakshuka on the grill? +
A wide cast-iron skillet is ideal because the sauce reduces efficiently and there is enough room for the eggs. A shallow Dutch oven also works.
What grill temperature should I use for shakshuka? +
Work around 355–390°F (180–200°C). Brown the meat over direct heat, then move the sauce and eggs to indirect heat with the lid closed.
How do I know when the eggs are done? +
Start checking after about 7 minutes. The whites should be set, while the yolks may remain soft if preferred. Remember that the eggs continue cooking in the hot skillet.
Can I make the shakshuka sauce ahead? +
Yes. Prepare the sauce and ground meat ahead, cool them promptly, and refrigerate in a covered container. Reheat thoroughly and add the eggs just before serving.
A skillet, a well-spiced sauce, and enough bread to wipe it clean. Sometimes outdoor cooking does not need to be more complicated than that.