Is your breakfast game ready to begin? What are you waiting for? You might want to try the Turkish version of scrambled eggs, also known as Menemen in Turkish.
Veggie omelets are a healthy, filling and easy-to-prepare breakfast or lunch item that is ready in about 20 minutes after you start cooking, hey are also healthy and filling.
This dish is extremely easy to make and easy to prepare. And it will help you get bored with greasy dishes every day.
What are you waiting for, let’s get to work.
What Is Menemen?
There is a traditional Turkish breakfast recipe known as menemen which is composed of eggs, onions, peppers, and tomatoes, all cooked together with a hint of spice to give it a distinct flavor.
As the name suggests, it is named after the Turkish town of Menemen, which is located in the Izmir region of Turkey.
What Should be Served With Menemen?
In traditional food preparation, menemen is served hot and bubbly in the skillet in which it is cooked. The soft scrambled eggs and vegetables are dipped into a crusty bread for a satisfying bite, which is usually served with crusty bread on the side.
In that regard, I would recommend a few must-haves on the side if you want to serve it as Turks do:
- Cheese & olives: It is impossible to talk about Turkish breakfast without mentioning cheese and olives. The type of cheese you can use depends on your preference. Feta cheese, fresh mozzarella cheese, or cheddar cheese can all be used. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of dried oregano to the olives and salad with Kalamata olives, green olives, or a mixture of both.
- Simit: Turkish simit is a sesame-crusted circular bread with a crustier exterior and a softer interior, similar to an American bagel. This is a great pairing with menemen, and it can also be enjoyed with cheese and olives depending on your preferences.
- Turkish Borek: In borek, phyllo dough is layered with cheese and sauteed vegetables and covered with phyllo dough. These scrambled eggs pair perfectly with spinach and feta fillings, two of the most popular fillings.
Substitutions and Variations for Ingredients:
A great thing about this Turkish soft scramble recipe is that you can easily change up the ingredients based on what you have on hand. Listed below are a few ideas:
- Make it without onions: Menemen fans are constantly debating whether it should be made with onions or without. The good news is that it can be made either with it or without it, and it tastes just as good either way. By omitting onions from the recipe, you will be able to saute peppers and spices on their own instead of using onions.
- Peppers: Turkish peppers, called sivribiber, are used in the traditional menemen recipe, but they may be hard to find. Obviously, I used bell peppers in my version here, but feel free to use whatever pepper you have in your kitchen at the moment. It would be perfect to use seeds and chopped jalapenos, Anaheim peppers, and even Hungarian wax peppers in this recipe.
- Tomatoes: In order to make it as easy and convenient as possible, I used a canned tomato. I prefer, however, to use two or three medium-sized fresh tomatoes, when in season, during the summer months, instead of using canned ones, as they are usually cheaper.
- Cheese:In addition to crumbled feta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese can also be added on top at the last minute, and the cheese will melt on the top before you serve it, which is one of the most popular toppings.
Is There Anything Else I Can Add?
Adapt the recipe as written or add a few additions to it to make it your own.
- Lamb or Italian Sausage: Sauteeing ½ lbs of sausage when sauteeing onions and peppers is an option if you are a meat-eater.
- Spices: Depending on how hot you don’t mind it, you can add a little bit of Aleppo pepper, Urfa chili pepper, or even red pepper flakes to the vegetable.
Recipe for Menemen
It is possible to make Turkish scrambled eggs in about 20 minutes when using menemen, or Turkish scrambled eggs. This dish is easy to make, healthy, and customizable.
Author: Aysegul Sanford
Prep Time: 10 mins/ Cook Time: 10 mins/ Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten ($0.78)
- 1 cup crumbled feta (optional) ($1.64)
- 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.79)
- 1 bell pepper (any color) ($0.98)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.37)
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley ($0.40)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (or Aleppo pepper) ($0.03)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.25)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
Instructions
- An olive oil skillet with a 10-inch diameter over medium heat should be heated. Red pepper flakes, dried oregano, onion, and pepper should also be added. About 7-8 minutes should be enough to soften the vegetables and stir frequently.
- Adding the salt, pepper, and tomatoes will make the sauce more flavorful. Heat tomatoes for 2-3 minutes or until they soften.
- After softly beating the eggs lightly, pour them into the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for a couple of minutes, or until they are just barely set but still very soft, about 2-3 minutes.
- In a pinch, you can also add crumbled feta cheese and chopped parsley, if you prefer. On the side, serve the it with crusty bread.
Nutritional
Serving: 1 serving ・ Calories: 255 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 7 g ・ Protein: 12 g ・ Fat: 20 g ・ Sodium: 1086 mg ・ Fiber: 1 g
The nutritional values shown here are only estimates. Please see our nutrition disclaimer.
Menemen Making Guide – Step by Step Photos
As a beginning step, choose a variety of colors for your bell pepper and onion and dice them up.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. To the hot oil, add the diced onion and bell pepper, along with ½ tablespoons dried oregano and ¼ tablespoons red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper. The vegetables should be sautéed until soft.
Add one 15oz. can of diced tomatoes (with the juices), ¼ tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Add all ingredients and stir well.
You will have to continue on the sauté for another two to three minutes, or until all the ingredients are heated through well.
Fill the skillet with four large eggs that have been lightly beaten.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the eggs, stirring frequently, until just barely set yet still soft (about 2-3 minutes).
The eggs should be sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley.
You can top it with crumbled feta and extra black pepper, if you like.
Served with crusty bread for dipping, this dish is sure to please.
If you’re bored with a regular egg dish, you can try making this for the whole family. Quick and simple, full of substance and not too greasy.
