Menemen (Turkish Tomato, Pepper and Egg Skillet)
In short: Soft-scrambled eggs cooked into a sauce of ripe tomatoes and green peppers, served in the pan with bread for scooping. It takes about 28 min in total and makes 3 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Total
- 28 min
- Servings
- 3
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 270 kcal
Menemen is the breakfast Turks argue about: with onion or without? Whatever the answer, the method is the same. Green peppers and ripe tomatoes cook down in butter until jammy, then the eggs go in and are stirred only briefly, so they stay soft and loose. It arrives at the table in the pan and everyone dips in with bread. It also makes a fast dinner on a busy night.
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a wide, shallow skillet over medium heat.
- Add the peppers, and the onion if using, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until soft but not browned.
- Add the tomatoes with a pinch of salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, pressing down with the spoon, until the juices have thickened and the mixture looks like a loose jam.
- Season with the salt, pepper flakes and black pepper. Taste now, because the eggs will dilute the sauce.
- Turn the heat to low. Crack the eggs into the pan, break the yolks with a spatula and stir gently for 1 to 2 minutes, just until set but still creamy. The eggs keep cooking in the hot pan, so stop early.
- Scatter with parsley and a pinch of pepper flakes and serve at once in the pan, with bread for scooping.
Tips
- Use ripe tomatoes in summer. In winter, swap in a 400 g (14 oz) can of whole tomatoes, drained and chopped, plus 1 tsp tomato paste for color.
- For a richer menemen, stir in 100 g (3.5 oz) crumbled white cheese with the eggs.
Questions and answers
Menemen with onion or without onion?
It is a famous debate in Türkiye. Onion adds sweetness and body, while the version without it tastes fresher and lets the tomato and pepper lead. Both are correct, so cook it your way.
How is menemen different from shakshuka?
In menemen the eggs are stirred through the vegetables for a soft, scrambled texture. Shakshuka usually has whole eggs poached on top of a spiced tomato sauce.
What do you serve with menemen?
Crusty bread for scooping, olives, cucumber, white cheese and plenty of tea. It is a classic weekend breakfast and also a quick dinner.
How long does it take to make Menemen (Turkish Tomato, Pepper and Egg Skillet)?
About 28 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 18 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Menemen (Turkish Tomato, Pepper and Egg Skillet)?
About 270 kcal per serving, with 14 g of protein, 11 g of carbohydrates and 19 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 270 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 11 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 620 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
