If you love shakshuka, you’re going to love these Salsa Poached Eggs! Just like shakshuka, these eggs are poached in a rich tomato-based sauce, but I’ve traded in the sweet bell pepper and paprika for a sort of cooked salsa made with onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, and green chiles, giving it a southwest spin. The result is a really tasty and filling dish that can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. And, as always, I’ve got multiple serving suggestions and optional add-ins for you below so you can make it your own!
How to Serve Salsa Poached Eggs
I originally posted this recipe as a bowl meal served over grits. The tomatoey sauce goes perfectly with a hot bowl of grits, or even better yet, cheese grits, but it’s great served other ways as well. These saucy eggs also go great with tortilla chips. You can either serve the eggs in a bowl with tortilla chips crushed over top, or scoop the chips right into the sauce. Or, if you’re a rice person, serve the eggs and plenty of the sauce from the skillet over a bowl of warm rice.
What Else Can I Add?
I love this recipe because it’s really flexible. There are so many things you can add if you have them on hand. Try adding the following ingredients to the sauce:
- Jalapeños
- Chipotle powder (for extra smoky-spicy flavor)
- Black beans
- Chorizo
- Fire-roasted corn
And you can also get creative with the toppings! Here are some extra topping ideas for your salsa poached eggs:
- Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Hot sauce
Make 4-6 Eggs
I cooked four eggs in my “salsa” but you could probably fit six if you wanted to try to stretch it a little further!
Salsa Poached Eggs
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 1 15oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes ($1.00)
- 1 4oz. can diced green chiles ($0.67)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.14)
- 1/2 tsp cumin ($0.05)
- 1/8 tsp cayenne ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 1/2 cup water ($0.00)
- 4 large eggs ($0.93)
- 2 green onions, sliced ($0.20)
- 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro (optional) ($0.10)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add both to a deep skillet with the olive oil and sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), green chiles (with juices), tomato paste, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, and water. Stir to combine.
- Allow the salsa to come up to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Let the salsa simmer for about ten minutes, or until it is slightly thickened.
- Use the back of a spoon to make four indentations in the sauce. Crack one egg into each indentation.
- Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the eggs simmer in the sauce for 7-10 minutes, or until they reach your desired doneness (less time for runny yolks, more time for solid yolks).
- Once the eggs are cooked, garnish with sliced green onion and chopped cilantro, then serve with tortilla chips or over a bowl of grits.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
How to Make Salsa Poached Eggs – Step By Step Photos
Start by dicing one yellow onion and mincing two cloves of garlic. Add the onion, garlic, and 2 Tbsp olive oil to a deep skillet. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft.
Add one 15oz. can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juices), one 4oz. can of diced green chiles (with juices), 2 Tbsp tomato paste, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, and ½ cup water. Stir to combine.
Allow the mixture to come up to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer the “salsa” for about 10 minutes. It should be a fairly thick sauce.
Use a spoon to make slight indentations in the sauce, then crack one egg into each indentation (four or six eggs total).
Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the eggs simmer in the sauce for 7-10 minutes, or until they’ve reached your desired doneness. Set whites with runny yolks will be about seven minutes while a fully cooked yolk will take about ten minutes.
Garnish with sliced green onions and chopped cilantro (optional).
Serve hot with tortilla chips or over a bowl of rice or grits.
Looks delicious! Will try it today :)
I made this last night and it was sooooo good! Thanks for the recipe!
I really liked how you put together an inexpensive version of a recipe. I’ve seen similar recipes which cost 3 times as much. I have a similar blog to yours in that I focus on cooking good food and devleoping good recipes on as cheap a budget as possible. Maybe someday you’ll visit my blog too.
Howdy. I’m from South Texas… ‘Nuff said. Planning to poach the eggs in a really good Huevos Ranchero Sauce and serve it up with some Refried Beans, Home Fries and Flour Tortillas (or corn tortillas will work too). It will be great! Just sayin’.
I have made this several times and love it! Great blog, can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Made this for dinner – it was fantastic!
Absolutely delicious!! I just used a jar of salsa that needed to get used up, and shredded some garlic marble cheddar cheese on top with some fresh chopped onions. Served it with hashbrowns and toast; the Hubs loved it!
This is a delicious meal! In the South were I grew up, these are called “Eggs in Purgatory”.
Made this the morning after a Weight Watchers meeting. Added 1/2 a green pepper and some fresh avocado after it was done cooking. I also used my stick blender and blended it a little for a smoother consistency. I had it with 2 eggs, didn’t bother with the grits and it was 8 WW points. Very tasty. Thanks, Beth!
Made this the morning after a Weight Watchers meeting. Added 1/2 a green pepper and some fresh avocado after it was done cooking. I also used my stick blender and blended it a little for a smoother consistency. I had it with 2 eggs, didn’t bother with the grits and it was 8 WW points. Very tasty. Thanks, Beth!
Made this the morning after a Weight Watchers meeting. Added 1/2 a green pepper and some fresh avocado after it was done cooking. I also used my stick blender and blended it a little for a smoother consistency. I had it with 2 eggs, didn’t bother with the grits and it was 8 WW points. Very tasty. Thanks, Beth!
Or, you can cook the scrambled eggs in a separate pan, plate them up and spoon the sauce over top. Or, you can just cook them as I did above but cook them longer so that the yolks cook through. Any way you slice it, the salsa mixture is delish with the eggs :)
Egg yolks totally creep me out so I have never had a poached egg. Do you think this will wok if I scramble the eggs in a bowl first and then our into the tomato sauce?
I am at awe on your blog. Im learning lots and your photography is quite enticing! Well done and congrats again.
Beth, this was absolutely amazing!!! My family devoured it. And it was so pretty when I dished it up that I took a picture. I’d love for you to see it. Thanks for what you do. My husband is unemployed and I have to feed six people. Your website has been a godsend.