In Türkiye, şakşuka belongs to the vegetable-based meze table rather than the egg dish known by a similar name elsewhere. Turkish Ministry of Education culinary material groups it with fried-vegetable mezes made from eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and related vegetables, while GoTürkiye identifies fried eggplant with tomato sauce as an Aegean speciality. This home-style version keeps that foundation and adds zucchini and red pepper, a practical variation within the same method.
Şakşuka — Recipe Card
Turkish fried vegetables with tomato-garlic sauce
Makes 6 servingsUS cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Şakşuka
Salt the eggplant
Put the eggplant in a colander, toss with 5 g / about ¾ tsp of the salt and leave for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the zucchini and peppers. Rinse the eggplant briefly, then press it completely dry with a clean towel; surface moisture will make the oil spit and slow browning.
Make the tomato-garlic sauce
Warm the olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute without browning the garlic. Add the tomatoes, sugar, black pepper, optional pul biber and the remaining 3 g / about ½ tsp salt. Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick enough that a spoon drawn across the pan leaves a trail for a moment. Keep warm on very low heat.
Heat the frying oil
Pour the neutral oil into a wide, heavy frying pan; it should be about 1 cm / ⅜ in deep. Heat to 175°C / 350°F. Line a tray with a rack or a double layer of paper towel. Adjust the heat between batches to keep the oil close to 175°C / 350°F.
Fry the eggplant
Fry the eggplant in 2–3 uncrowded batches for 4–5 minutes per batch, turning once or twice, until tender with deep-golden edges. Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain well on the prepared tray and let the oil return to 175°C / 350°F before adding the next batch.
Fry the remaining vegetables
Fry the zucchini for 3–4 minutes until golden but not collapsing; drain. Fry the green and red peppers together for 2–3 minutes until blistered and just tender; drain. Let excess oil drip away before combining the vegetables.
Finish and rest
Fold the fried vegetables gently into the warm tomato sauce and cook over low heat for 2 minutes, just until evenly coated. Transfer to a shallow serving dish and leave for 20 minutes. Scatter with parsley and serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-fried-vegetables-saksuka. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
Make it work in your kitchen
Ingredient Substitutions
These swaps change flavor or texture as described. Keep the original ingredients for the closest version of the dish.
Pul biber
Use the same amount of mild paprika for color and a gentler flavor. For heat, add a small pinch of chili flakes, then taste; chili flakes can be much hotter.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Heat level
Mild. The base uses sweet peppers; optional pul biber adds gentle warmth. Omit it for the mildest version, or use 1 tsp hot pul biber for a noticeably hotter meze.
Dietary notes
This recipe is vegan and vegetarian. It contains no intentional gluten ingredients, but tomato paste and packaged pepper flakes can vary; if gluten avoidance is required, check every label and choose products marked gluten-free. This is not a cross-contact guarantee.
Frying control
Do not crowd the pan. A thermometer is useful: cooler oil makes eggplant absorb more oil, while oil much hotter than 175°C / 350°F can darken the outside before the centre softens.
Vegetable variation
Eggplant and tomato-garlic sauce define this version. Zucchini and sweet peppers reflect the broader Turkish practice of combining fried seasonal vegetables; keep the total vegetable weight similar if one is omitted.
How to store and reheat Şakşuka
Refrigerate şakşuka within 2 hours of cooking (within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C / 90°F) in a shallow airtight container at 4°C / 40°F or below. Keep for 3–4 days. Serve chilled or let a portion lose its refrigerator chill briefly; if reheating, heat once to 74°C / 165°F. Discard any portion left unrefrigerated beyond those limits.
Şakşuka: questions and answers
Is Turkish şakşuka the same as egg-based shakshuka?
No. Turkish şakşuka is a meze of fried vegetables, especially eggplant, with tomato-garlic sauce; this recipe contains no eggs.
Do I need to peel the eggplant?
No. The skin helps the cubes hold their shape. If the skin is especially tough, peel alternating strips before cutting.
Can I bake the vegetables instead of frying them?
Yes, though the texture will be lighter rather than traditionally fried. Toss the prepared vegetables with 45 ml / 3 tbsp oil, spread on two trays and roast at 220°C / 425°F for 25–30 minutes, rotating the trays and turning the vegetables halfway, then combine with the sauce.
How is şakşuka served?
Serve it as one plate in a meze spread, with bread for the sauce or beside grilled fish or meat. It is equally at home cool, at room temperature or gently warm.
