Turkish Menemen with Eggs and Peppers
Menemen uses stirred eggs, not whole ones — they go over the vegetables and are folded gently over low heat until barely set. Pull the pan while the eggs still look glossy and wet, because the residual heat finishes them on the way to the plate.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 23 min
- Calories
- 270
Menemen is an everyday Turkish breakfast, and it differs from shakshuka in two ways: sweet Turkish green peppers are the base rather than tomatoes, and the eggs are stirred instead of left whole. The result is a completely different, creamier texture.
Method
-
1
The peppers
Slice the peppers into rings and sweat them in butter over medium heat for 7 minutes until they soften and sweeten. The peppers are the backbone of this dish, not the tomatoes.
⏱ 8 min -
2
The tomatoes
Add the peeled tomatoes and salt and cook for 5 minutes until they collapse and lose some liquid — but not all of it. Menemen is meant to stay slightly saucy.
⏱ 6 min -
3
The spices
Stir in the pul biber, black pepper and oregano.
⏱ 1 min -
4
Stirring the eggs
Turn the heat to its lowest setting, crack the eggs straight into the pan, and fold gently with slow, wide strokes — never whisk. Leave visible ribbons of white.
⏱ 3 min -
5
Pulling it early
Take the pan off the heat while the eggs are still glossy and wet. Residual pan heat finishes the cooking on the way to the plate.
⏱ 1 min -
6
Serving
Scatter the white cheese and parsley over the top and serve immediately with Turkish bread or flatbread.
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Tips that actually matter
- Pull it while the eggs still look glossy — leaving it on the heat turns menemen dry and crumbly.
- Green peppers are the foundation. Without them you have ordinary eggs with tomato.
- Fold with slow, wide strokes rather than whisking — whisking gives you an omelette texture.
- Menemen should stay a little saucy; you do not need every drop of tomato liquid to evaporate.
People also ask
What is the difference between menemen and shakshuka?
Shakshuka has a thick sauce and the eggs stay whole in wells. In menemen peppers are the base and the eggs are stirred through the vegetables, which gives a soft, creamy texture rather than distinct yolks.
With onion or without?
It is a long-running argument in Turkey. The classic version has no onion, though plenty of cooks add it. Both are accepted — try each and pick your side.
What is pul biber?
A coarsely ground dried Turkish chilli with mild heat and a sweet, smoky flavour. Substitute sweet paprika with a pinch of chilli flakes.
Cook mode
Turkish Menemen with Eggs and Peppers
-
1
The peppers
Slice the peppers into rings and sweat them in butter over medium heat for 7 minutes until they soften and sweeten. The peppers are the backbone of this dish, not the tomatoes.
-
2
The tomatoes
Add the peeled tomatoes and salt and cook for 5 minutes until they collapse and lose some liquid — but not all of it. Menemen is meant to stay slightly saucy.
-
3
The spices
Stir in the pul biber, black pepper and oregano.
-
4
Stirring the eggs
Turn the heat to its lowest setting, crack the eggs straight into the pan, and fold gently with slow, wide strokes — never whisk. Leave visible ribbons of white.
-
5
Pulling it early
Take the pan off the heat while the eggs are still glossy and wet. Residual pan heat finishes the cooking on the way to the plate.
-
6
Serving
Scatter the white cheese and parsley over the top and serve immediately with Turkish bread or flatbread.
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