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Menemen Recipe (Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Peppers)

Name: Menemen Recipe (Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Peppers)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil ((or use butter or ghee)); 1 small onion (optional - diced (white or yellow)); 1 cup chopped peppers; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon spicy chili flakes (Aleppo preferred, but paprika or cayenne are good subs); 1.5 cups grated or diced tomatoes (with their juices); 1/4 cup shredded melty cheese (optional - (use mozarella, Monterrey jack, or similar cheese)); 5 eggs; Salt and pepper to taste; FOR SERVING: Crusty bread or small tortillas, spicy chili flakes, crumbly feta cheese, fresh chopped parsley or basil

by Mike Hultquist · Sep 23, 2022 · 34 Comments · Jump to Recipe

This menemen recipe makes the best Turkish style scrambled eggs with peppers, tomatoes, and seasonings, the perfect breakfast or anytime meal, easy to make!

Menemen Recipe (Turkish Style Scrambled Eggs with Peppers)

Turkish Scrambled Eggs - Menemen

If you've ever enjoyed Shakshuka, I think you'll also enjoy this Turkish recipe that brings your scrambled eggs to a whole new level.

We're talking Menemen, and it will add a bit of rock and roll to your breakfast. Or dinner!

What is Menemen?

Menemen is a traditional Turkish dish that includes eggs, peppers, tomatoes and spices that are all cooked down in a pan with oil. It is sometimes called the "Turkish Omelet". Like Shakshuka or similar egg dishes, you can serve it as a Turkish breakfast, but it can be and is often served as the main course.

Menemen is different from shakshuka in how the eggs are cooked. With shakshuka, you crack the eggs into the sauce and let them set that way. With memenem, the eggs are scrambled.

It is usually served with some crusty bread for sopping up all the pan sauce, and I highly recommend doing so. You don't want any of that awesomeness going to waste.

Let's talk about how to make Menemen, shall we?

Menemen Ingredients

Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Memenen is traditionally made with olive oil, but use butter or ghee for more luxurious eggs.
Onion. Optional. The use of onion is debated in more traditional menemen, but I enjoy the added flavor.
Peppers. Use Aleppo or Urfa Biber if you can find them, or use red or green bell peppers for a more common variety. I also like to add in some spicier chilies for a bit of heat factor for myself.
Chili Flakes. Aleppo chili flakes are preferred, but paprika or cayenne are good subs.
Garlic.
Tomatoes. Use grated or chopped tomatoes with their juices.
Eggs.
Shredded Cheese. You can make menenem without cheese, but the addition of a good melty cheese like mozzarella or Monterrey jack makes this more like a great cheese omelet.
Salt and Black Pepper. To taste.
For Serving. Crusty bread or small tortillas, spicy chili flakes, crumbly feta cheese or queso fresco, fresh chopped herbs (parsley, basil, or chives).

How to Make Menemen - The Recipe Method

Heat the Oil or Butter. First, heat up a large pan to medium heat and add in your olive oil (or butter).

Onions and Peppers. Add the onion and peppers and cook them down about 5 minutes, until everything is nice and softened.

Cooking peppers and onions in a pan to make Menemen

From my understanding, there is debate on whether or not to include onion with traditional Menemen, so feel free to omit them. I included them because I love the flavor.

Garlic. Next, add the garlic and chili flakes and cook another minute until you can smell the gorgeous garlic. So good.

Tomatoes and Seasonings. Add in your tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and stir them up. Cover and cook them down until the tomatoes soften and lose some of their juices.

Simmering tomatoes and peppers to make Menemen

Don’t let the pan dry out. About 10 minutes or so.

Add Cheese. Sprinkle in half of the shredded cheese.

Add the Eggs. Next, beat the eggs in a bowl very lightly, then pour them into the pan with the pepper and tomato sauce.

Tilt the pan a bit to let the egg mixture drip into the many nooks and crannies of your tomato mixture. Do not mix it through.

Add More Cheese. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Cover and Cook. Cover the pan and cook the eggs for several minutes at medium low heat, or until the eggs are starting to set. Remove from heat and let the eggs finish cooking in the warm sauce, a few minutes more. If you prefer your eggs more set, just cook them longer as desired.

Garnish and Serve. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, crumbly feta cheese and spicy red pepper flakes. Serve with warmed bread or tortillas.

Boom! Done! Looks great, doesn't it? Grab a fork! Go to town!

A scoop of Menemen being taken from the serving pan

Recipe Notes & Tips for Success

The Oil. Oil or butter are key. It may sound like a lot of oil, but it is necessary for the final flavor of the dish, so don't skimp on the oil.
Cooking the Eggs. Beat the eggs very lightly for fluffier scrambled eggs. Also, just pour them in the pan to let the eggs run through the nooks and crannies of the sauce, but you can stir them in more thoroughly if you’d like. I enjoy the small islands of sauce that form up for a bit of variety with each bite.
Add Meats. Add meats, like crumbly sausage or chicken, to make it a fuller meal.

Serving Menemen

Don't forget the crusty bread so you can soak up all that wonderful pan sauce that remains. You can serve Menemen with tortillas for a nice breakfast taco.

Storage

Store any leftover menenem in shallow, airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can gently reheat them in a pan to enjoy again.

About the Chili Peppers

Menemen is best if you can use peppers from the Turkish region, such as Aleppo peppers or Urfa Bibers, but you can sub them for any local peppers grown or sold in your area.

Great choices are red bell peppers or any Italian sweet red peppers, like the Corno di Toro or Carmen Italians, or try it with New Mexican varieties, or easy to fine Anaheim peppers.

I feel it works best with thicker walled peppers that have a bit of heat to them for more substance, but in reality, most red or green peppers will do.

That's it, my friends! Let me know what you think about my Turkish Menemen recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Get the Ingredients

Aleppo Pepper (Amazon affiliate link, my friends!) - Makes this dish really stand out, but you can use it in many other recipes.

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

Mike taking a scoop of Menemen from the pan

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Menemen Recipe (Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Peppers)

This menemen recipe makes the best Turkish style scrambled eggs with peppers, tomatoes, and seasonings, the perfect breakfast or anytime meal, easy to make!

Save Recipe

Course: Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Middle Eastern

Keyword: Aleppo peppers, eggs, spicy

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Calories: 473kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings:

Tap or hover to scale

5 from 14 votes

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil (or use butter or ghee)
1 small onion optional - diced (white or yellow)
1 cup chopped peppers See comments above - use Aleppo or Urfa Biber if you can find them, or use red bell peppers for a common variety
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon spicy chili flakes Aleppo preferred, but paprika or cayenne are good subs
1.5 cups grated or diced tomatoes with their juices
1/4 cup shredded melty cheese optional - (use mozarella, Monterrey jack, or similar cheese)
5 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
FOR SERVING: Crusty bread or small tortillas, spicy chili flakes, crumbly feta cheese, fresh chopped parsley or basil

Instructions

Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the olive oil (or butter).
Add the onion and peppers and cook them down about 5 minutes, until softened.
Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook another minute.
Add the tomatoes with a bit of salt and pepper and stir them up. Cook them down until the tomatoes soften and lose some of their juices. Don’t let the pan dry out. About 10 minutes or so.
Sprinkle in half of the shredded cheese.
Beat the eggs in a bowl very lightly, then pour them into the pan. Tilt the pan a bit to let the egg mixture drip into the many nooks and crannies of your sauce. Do not mix it through too much. Top with remaining cheese.
Cover and cook them several minutes, or until the eggs are starting to set. Remove from heat and let the eggs finish cooking in the warm sauce, a few minutes more. If you prefer your eggs more set, just cook them longer as desired.
Sprinkle with fresh herbs, crumbly feta cheese and spicy chili flakes. Serve with warmed bread or tortillas.

Video

Notes

Heat Factor: Mild, though you can spice things up with extra spicy chili flakes or some chili powder, or toss in a hot pepper of your choice.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 473kcal Carbohydrates: 19g Protein: 20g Fat: 36g Saturated Fat: 9g Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g Monounsaturated Fat: 21g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 422mg Sodium: 281mg Potassium: 750mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 9g Vitamin A: 1487IU Vitamin C: 82mg Calcium: 255mg Iron: 5mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 9/23/22 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 11/5/18.

Menemen Recipe (Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Peppers)

Turkish Scrambled Eggs - Menemen

What is Menemen?

Menemen Ingredients

How to Make Menemen - The Recipe Method

Recipe Notes & Tips for Success

Serving Menemen

Storage

About the Chili Peppers

Get the Ingredients

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes