A warm, popular Saudi breakfast · ripe tomatoes slow-cooked with onion and garlic until thickened, then eggs cracked on top. A light, protein-rich dish that is very gentle on blood sugar, prepared in a single pan.
Hameess is a time-honoured breakfast from the homes of the Arabian Peninsula: tomatoes cooked slowly until they become a warm sauce, then eggs cracked on top to make a complete meal in a single pan.
It resembles Shakshuka (eggs poached in spiced tomato) but is simpler and closer to the flavours of a Saudi home kitchen, served with warm tamees bread. EEINA's version uses olive oil in a moderate amount, keeping the dish light and gentle on blood sugar.
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat, add the chopped onion and stir until it wilts and turns translucent, then add the crushed garlic and green chilli and stir for one minute until fragrant.
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, a pinch of cumin and coriander, and salt. Lower the heat and cover the pan, leaving the tomatoes to cook slowly for 10 to 12 minutes until they dissolve, the sauce thickens, and deepens in colour. Slow cooking is the secret to Hameess flavour.
Once the tomatoes form a firm sauce, use the back of a spoon to make four small, evenly spaced wells in the sauce. These wells hold the eggs in place and prevent them from spreading.
Crack one egg into each well and sprinkle a light pinch of salt over the eggs. Keep the heat gentle so the white does not clump before it is cooked.
Cover the pan and leave the eggs for 4 to 6 minutes until the whites set and the yolk remains soft as desired (or slightly longer for a set yolk). Covering cooks the surface of the eggs by steam without flipping.
Serve the Hameess hot in the same pan alongside warm tamees bread or wholemeal bread. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro if desired. Scoop directly with the bread in the traditional way.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Tomato Hameess with Eggs, and how to fix them:
Cooked uncovered for too short a time. Leave the tomatoes to cook uncovered for a few extra minutes to let the water evaporate before adding the eggs, and tomato paste helps with thickening.
Heat too high. Lower it and cover the pan so the steam gently cooks the surface of the egg until the white sets while leaving the yolk as desired.
No wells were made. Make a well with the back of a spoon for each egg before cracking it to hold it in place.
Unripe tomatoes or too much paste. Choose ripe red tomatoes, reduce the paste, and a small amount of sautéed mashed onion softens the acidity.
Too little oil or strong heat. Use a good pan over gentle heat, and stir the tomatoes at the start of cooking before making the wells.
The tomato sauce alone keeps for two days in an airtight container. It is best to cook the eggs fresh at serving time, as cooked eggs change in texture when stored.
The tomato sauce freezes for one month without the eggs. Thaw and heat it then add fresh eggs.
Prepare the tomato sauce in advance and store it; at breakfast time, heat it and crack the eggs on top in just a few minutes.
Over gentle heat until hot. Do not leave the dish out of the refrigerator for more than two hours [2].
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs | Firm tofu, crumbled and seasoned with turmeric | 150 g | A plant-based, egg-free version with a similar colour and flavour |
| Fresh tomatoes | Canned peeled tomatoes | One medium tin | A practical substitute out of tomato season — drain any excess liquid |
| Olive oil | ghee | Same quantity | Authentic Gulf flavour, but its fat is higher in saturates |
| Green chilli pepper | Chopped sweet pepper | A quarter piece | Mild flavour with no heat for those who do not like spice |
| Tamees bread | Wholemeal bread | As needed | Higher fibre and lower glycaemic load |
| Servings | Tomatoes | Eggs | Onion | Pan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (single) | 2 pieces | 2 eggs | 1/3 piece | small pan |
| 3 (base) | 5 pieces | 4 eggs | 1 piece | medium pan |
| 6 (family) | 10 pieces | 8 eggs | 2 pieces | large pan |
| 8 (hosting) | 13 pieces | 10 eggs | 2 1/2 pieces | 2 pans |
This is one of the best breakfast choices for people with diabetes and those watching their weight: rich in egg protein that provides lasting fullness, low in carbohydrates, and with a very low glycaemic index. To make it even more filling without raising calories much, serve it with wholemeal bread instead of white tamees and add a side vegetable dish.
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