Home » Breakfast » Yemeni Lahsa Recipe: Shakshuka’s Cooler Cousin

Breakfast

Yemeni Lahsa Recipe: Shakshuka’s Cooler Cousin

ByLumina Liu November 29, 2025

Okay so here’s the thing about shakshuka – I thought I knew what it was.

You know, the Instagram-famous baked eggs in tomato sauce that every brunch place charges $16 for?

Yeah, that one.

But then I stumbled across this YouTube short of someone making Yemeni Lahsa at like 1am during a random scroll, and I literally sat up in bed like “wait, what is THAT?” It looked like shakshuka’s cooler, more interesting cousin who actually knows how to have a good time.

The video showed someone scrambling eggs directly into this fragrant tomato-onion situation, and I was immediately confused because isn’t shakshuka supposed to have whole poached eggs?

Turns out Yemeni Lahsa is its own thing entirely – the eggs get mixed in, creating this creamy, almost custardy texture that’s completely different from what I thought I knew.

And honestly?

After making this, I’m not sure I can go back to regular shakshuka.

This Yemeni Lahsa recipe is simpler, faster, and somehow tastes like it took way more effort than it actually did.

I tried making it the next morning because I had all the ingredients already (miracle of miracles in my tiny kitchen), and even though my first attempt was a little chaotic, it still tasted incredible.

That’s the beauty of this dish – it’s pretty forgiving, which is perfect for someone like me who’s still learning.

What Is Yemeni Lahsa? (And Why You Need to Try It)

So lahsa is a traditional Yemeni breakfast dish that’s popular across the Arabian Peninsula, and calling it “elite shakshuka” isn’t just me being dramatic.

While shakshuka keeps the eggs whole and poaches them in the sauce, lahsa scrambles everything together into this unified, creamy situation.

It’s comfort food that feels fancy but is actually super practical for busy mornings.

I learned about this from a Saudi Arabian food blogger’s video, and apparently it’s the kind of thing people make when they want something satisfying but don’t have tons of time.

The beauty is in the simplicity – you’re basically building flavor with onions and tomatoes, then folding in eggs until they’re just set.

The liquid cheese at the end (which I’ll explain because I was confused too) adds this richness that makes it feel indulgent without being heavy.

My mom makes something vaguely similar with tomatoes and eggs, but the spice blend here is completely different – that allspice does something magical that I can’t quite explain.

Yemeni Lahsa Recipe: Let’s Talk Ingredients (And Substitutions I’ve Actually Tried)

This is genuinely one of those recipes where the ingredient list is shorter than my grocery list for a normal week.

You need eggs, onion, tomato, olive oil, allspice, black pepper, and liquid cheese.

That’s it.

Seven ingredients for something that tastes this good feels like cheating.

Now, about that liquid cheese – I was also confused.

It’s basically processed cheese sauce, like the kind that comes in jars or squeeze bottles at Middle Eastern grocery stores.

Think of it as similar to Cheez Whiz but with a slightly different flavor profile.

I’ve used regular cream cheese thinned with a little milk, and honestly it worked fine.

Not exactly the same, but it still gave that creamy, melty situation.

If you can find Arabic processed cheese (brands like Puck or Kiri), that’s ideal, but don’t stress if you can’t.

The allspice is non-negotiable though.

I tried making this once without it because I ran out, and it was just…

sad.

Allspice has this warm, slightly sweet complexity that makes the whole dish feel more interesting.

You can find it at literally any grocery store in the spice aisle – it’s not exotic, just underused.

For the tomatoes, I’ve used both fresh and canned diced tomatoes when I was lazy, and both work.

Fresh tastes brighter, canned is more convenient.

Pick your struggle.

How to Make Yemeni Lahsa at Home

Here’s the thing about this recipe – it moves fast once you start, so have everything ready before you turn on the stove.

I learned this the hard way when I was frantically dicing tomatoes while my onions were turning brown.

Getting Your Base Right

Start by heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

Not medium-high, not low – actual medium.

This matters because you want the onions to soften and caramelize slightly without burning.

Add your diced onion (one medium onion, chopped however you want – I’m not judging your knife skills) and let it cook until it “withers,” as the original recipe says.

I love that description because it’s so accurate – the onion pieces get soft, translucent, and kind of collapse into themselves.

This takes about 5-6 minutes, and you should stir occasionally so nothing sticks.

Once your onions look sad and soft in the best way, add the diced tomato.

One medium tomato, chopped into small-ish pieces.

The tomato will release its juice and create this saucy situation with the onions.

Let this cook for another 4-5 minutes until the tomatoes break down and everything starts to smell really good.

You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture looks more like a chunky sauce than distinct pieces of vegetable.

Now add your spices: 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and salt to taste (I use about 1/2 teaspoon but start with less and adjust).

Stir everything together and let it cook for another minute so the spices bloom.

This is when your kitchen starts smelling amazing and you feel like a real cook.

The Egg Situation

This is where lahsa diverges from shakshuka and becomes its own thing.

Crack 5 eggs directly into the pan with your tomato-onion mixture.

Don’t worry about being neat – just get them in there.

Now here’s the key: you’re going to scramble them directly in the pan with the vegetables.

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix everything together thoroughly for about 2 minutes.

You want to break up the yolks and incorporate them into the tomato mixture, creating these creamy curds.

It should look like scrambled eggs but with chunks of tomato and onion throughout.

Keep the heat at medium and keep stirring – you don’t want the eggs to set too quickly or stick to the bottom.

After 2 minutes of mixing, stop stirring and cover the pan.

Let it cook for 5-6 minutes until the top is solidified.

You’re basically steaming the eggs at this point, which gives them that custardy texture.

Don’t peek too much or you’ll let out the steam.

I set a timer because otherwise I get distracted and either check too early or forget entirely.

The Cheese Finale

Once the eggs are set on top (they should look cooked but still slightly glossy), spread 3 tablespoons of liquid cheese over the surface.

If you’re using cream cheese thinned with milk, just drizzle it over as evenly as you can.

Cover the pan again for one more minute to let the cheese melt into the eggs.

That’s it.

That’s the whole recipe.

I know it seems almost too simple, but that’s the point – this is breakfast food that doesn’t require you to be fully awake yet.

How I Actually Serve This

The original recipe suggests going full Mediterranean breakfast spread, and honestly?

It’s worth it if you have the energy.

The creator served theirs with hash browns, Egyptian fava beans (ful medames), Turkish salami, olives, cheese wedges, and Greek feta.

It’s basically a mezze situation but for breakfast.

I’ve done the full spread exactly once, for a weekend brunch when I was trying to impress my roommates.

It was incredible but also took forever.

Most mornings, I just eat the Yemeni Lahsa straight from the pan with pita bread or toast.

Sometimes I’ll add some feta on the side or throw in whatever vegetables I have lying around.

Cherry tomatoes, spinach, and bell peppers all work great if you want to bulk it up.

The texture is what gets me every time – it’s creamy and rich from the eggs and cheese, but the tomatoes and onions keep it from feeling heavy.

It’s satisfying without making you want to immediately take a nap, which is crucial for a breakfast dish.

Tips I Learned the Hard Way

Don’t rush the onions.

I know 5-6 minutes feels like forever when you’re hungry, but if you try to speed it up with higher heat, they’ll burn on the outside and stay crunchy inside.

Medium heat is your friend here.

The pan size matters.

I use a 10-inch skillet, which is perfect for 5 eggs.

If you use something too big, the eggs will spread too thin and overcook.

Too small, and you’ll have a weird thick egg cake situation.

Medium skillet = medium success.

You can make this spicier.

The original recipe doesn’t include chili, but I’ve added red pepper flakes or diced jalapeño with the tomatoes, and it’s excellent.

Start with a little because you can’t un-spice it.

The liquid cheese is easier to spread if it’s room temperature.

I learned this after trying to dollop cold cream cheese onto hot eggs and creating weird clumps.

Just take it out of the fridge while your onions are cooking.

This doesn’t really reheat well.

The eggs get rubbery and sad.

Make what you’ll eat, or be prepared to eat leftovers cold (which is actually not terrible if you’re desperate).

Real Talk About This Recipe

Look, this isn’t going to change your life or whatever food bloggers say about every recipe.

But it is going to give you a really solid breakfast option that’s more interesting than regular scrambled eggs and faster than traditional shakshuka.

The first time I made Yemeni Lahsa, I definitely overcooked the eggs a little because I wasn’t sure what “solidified on top” meant.

They were still good, just a bit more done than ideal.

The learning curve is minimal – by the second time, you’ll have the timing down.

By the third time, you’ll be making it without looking at the recipe.

It’s that straightforward.

What makes it special is the combination of flavors and that creamy texture from mixing the eggs directly into the vegetables.

It feels more cohesive than regular scrambled eggs with stuff mixed in.

If you’re someone who meal preps, you could prep the tomato-onion base ahead of time and just add the eggs in the morning.

I’ve done this on Sunday nights when I’m feeling organized (rare, but it happens).

The base keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days, and then breakfast is literally a 7-minute situation.

Honestly, the hardest part about making Yemeni Lahsa is remembering to buy liquid cheese.

Everything else you probably already have.

And if you’re like me and discover you’re out of allspice at 7am, just add it to your grocery list for next time and make regular scrambled eggs with tomatoes.

It won’t be the same, but you’ll survive.

This is the kind of recipe I make when I want something that feels special but don’t have the energy for anything complicated.

It’s impressive enough to serve to friends but easy enough to make half-asleep on a Tuesday.

That’s the sweet spot, honestly.

Try it once, and I’m betting it becomes part of your regular rotation.

Just maybe don’t try to make it at 1am like I did the first time – save it for actual breakfast hours when you can properly appreciate it.