Yes, We Have Erin Lichy’s Famed Shakshuka Recipe — and It Sounds Incredible

The Real Housewives of New York City Season 14 may be one of the most food-oriented seasons across the franchise — and one of the most prominent meals mentioned was Erin Lichy’s famous shakshuka. Now, we have her shakshuka recipe.

RHONY fans were first introduced to Erin’s much-talked-about shakshuka during the Housewives’ three-day trip to Erin’s Hamptons home. While at Erin’s favorite restaurant, the hostess mentioned wanting to cook shakshuka the following morning (though Jenna Lyons voiced objections against eating before the group’s planned workout).

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Tensions stewed when Jenna snuck out late in the evening, forcing Erin to postpone her meal until the next day. However, after Jenna and Erin made peace, Erin’s two versions of shakshuka — one with cheese and one without cheese — were a sure crowd-pleaser on RHONY Season 14, Episode 4.

What is shakshuka?

For Erin, shakshuka is a traditional breakfast dish she wished to share with the other Housewives, including Brynn Whitfield and the ever-hungry Sai De Silva.

Erin Lichy Restaurant Drama in New York City on July 23rd, 2023. Photo: Bravo

“Shakshuka is an Israeli dish,” Erin told RHONY producers. “Growing up in an Israeli family, we cook a lot. That’s actually how we hang out, and I have not met one person who does not like my shakshuka.”

Whether they called it “shahshucka” or “shasciutto” or just “shh shh shh” (as Ubah Hassan had), the ladies pitched in to help Erin make a memorable meal. After all, shakshuka — which has different spellings depending on where it’s made — is a dish of community.

Shakshuka is a popular meal in northern Africa. Different countries, including Yemen and Tunisia, claim shakshuka as their own, though it became a staple food in Jewish culture following African immigration to Israel in the 1950s and 1960s, according to multiple online sources.

Traditionally, shakshuka — which, according to The New York Times, loosely translates in Arabic to “mixed up” or “shaken up” — is a sharing dish made of poached eggs atop a tomato-based sauce, typically in a cast-iron skillet. Bread is served on the side to sop up what’s left behind.

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In Jewish culture, shakshuka’s tomato base is commonly cooked for the Sabbath (Shabbat) and used as leftovers to make the next day’s breakfast, though other cultures enjoy it in the evening.  

Erin Lichy’s shakshuka recipe

Thankfully, Erin shared her shakshuka recipe with Bravo’s Style and Living, allowing RHONY fans to make the mouth-watering food at home. But since a lot of Erin's cooking is based on instinct and measured by eye, it might take a little trial and error to nail it down to "perfection," which is exactly what Jessel Taank called Erin's dish.

You will need: cloves of garlic; four yellow onions; five large tomatoes; parsley; olive oil; two cups of Rao’s sauce; eggs; a spice blend of garlic powder, cayenne pepper, Adobo powder, salt, and black pepper. Feta cheese crumble is an optional ingredient.

Erin's recipe, word-for-word is as follows:

• Cut garlic into thin slices; dice onions and cut tomatoes into small chunks.
• Use medium-to-low flame [to] heat pan with olive oil. Add garlic and cook until golden brown.
• Add in onions. Once cooked down, add in all spices.
• Once spices are fully mixed in, add tomatoes into the pan. Let it simmer while stirring constantly.
• When everything is cooked down, mix in Rao’s sauce. Cover pan and let sauce continue cooking.
• Add eggs into sauce one at a time, making sure to have enough space for each egg to spread out a little.
• Add parsley, cover with lid and turn heat to low. Cook eggs until desired firmness.
• Optional - add in feta crumble and cover up the pan once again until fully melted.
• Serve Shakshuka directly from the pan to keep warm, serve with pita, sourdough or baguette 

“Serve shakshuka directly from the pan to keep warm,” Erin suggests. “Serve with pita, sourdough, or baguette.”

Erin says her family prefers slices of baguette. Mazel tov!

Watch The Real Housewives of New York City Sundays at 9/8c on Bravo or the next day on Peacock.

----- Original reporting by Cydney Contreras