How to Make Menemen
This is a breakfast built on patience. You are not just cooking eggs; you are coaxing the sweetness out of the peppers and reducing the tomato juices until the liquid is barely there.
The moisture is the enemy of a good scramble.
Keep the heat at medium-low to allow the vegetables to break down without charring. If the pan dries out before the eggs go in, add a small splash of water rather than more oil.
- 8-inch cast iron skillet or non-stick pan
- spatula
- chef's knife
What goes in.
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 1medium green pepper, such as cubanelle or bell, diced
- 3ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
- 3large eggs
- 1/2 tsppul biber or red pepper flakes
- to tastesea salt
Cook the base until dry
Your vegetables must transform into a thick, spreadable ragout. If you add the eggs while the tomato juices are still watery, you will end up with egg soup instead of a cohesive scramble.
The method.
Sauté the peppers
Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the peppers and cook until they soften and lose their vibrant raw color, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the tomatoes
Add the chopped tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Increase the heat slightly and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture looks like a thick, chunky sauce.
Add the eggs
Crack the eggs directly into the pan. Do not beat them in a bowl first; let the whites and yolks break naturally in the pan as you gently stir with a spatula.
Final scramble
Fold the eggs into the tomato base just until the whites set but still look glossy. Remove from the heat while the eggs are still slightly runny; the residual heat will finish them.
Other turns to take.
With Sucuk
Add 3 ounces of sliced spicy Turkish sausage to the pan when you start the peppers.
With Cheese
Fold in a handful of crumbled feta or grated kaşar cheese just before pulling the pan off the burner.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use vine-ripened tomatoes; the quality of your tomato base dictates the entire flavor of the dish.
If your tomatoes are out of season, use a high-quality canned crushed tomato, but be prepared to cook it down for an extra 5 minutes.
Serve directly from the skillet with thick slices of crusty bread for dipping.
The ones that keep coming up.
Should I whisk the eggs before adding them?
No. Adding them whole to the pan creates streaks of white and yellow, which is the hallmark texture of a proper menemen.
Can I use onion in my menemen?
Whether to use onion is a long-standing debate. If you choose to include it, sauté finely diced onion with the peppers until translucent before adding the tomatoes.
How real cooks make it.
No one’s shared their version yet. Be the first to put your kitchen on the map.
Cook this your way?
Share your version — your steps, your story. We’ll feature it right here.
Add your recipe