Pillowy scrambled eggs with hearty toast to soak up a flavorful sauce—this is Menemen.
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Menemen is a popular traditional Turkish dish that includes eggs, tomatoes, green peppers, and spices. While often enjoyed for breakfast, it’s also a satisfying choice for lunch or dinner. The dish is believed to be named after the town of Menemen in western Turkey. The area’s cuisine was influenced by Greek farmers who cooked using herbs like oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme.
This quick and versatile dish can be prepared in no time! For best results, use quality ingredients and make sure not to overcook your eggs. I also recommend serving the Menemen with thick slices of bread for dipping. It’s hard to go wrong with this dish.
Is Menemen Recipe Healthy?
This recipe uses fresh vegetables and simple ingredients like eggs, green peppers, and fresh tomatoes, which are all nutrient-dense foods. Eggs provide protein and vitamins, while bell peppers and tomatoes add fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Preparing Menemen for breakfast or brunch is a nutritious way to start the day and makes for a hearty breakfast. You can also tweak the recipe as you see fit. For example, I’m not a huge fan of egg yolks and prefer cooking with just the egg whites since they’re low in fat and cholesterol.
Variations
There are multiple ways to create this dish; you don’t have to follow the recipe to the T. Try adding garlic and some dried oregano or chopped fresh parsley. For a richer take, add cheese. A Mediterranean cheese like feta works great here and can be stirred in with the eggs at the end. To elevate this dish even more, add sausage. The sausage can be sautéed with the onions at the beginning for a rich, more robust flavor. I also love to sneak in more greens whenever I can. Mix in a handful or two of spinach once the eggs have been cooked through.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 large eggs, beaten
INSTRUCTIONS
Sauté
Cook onions and bell peppers.
Add Tomatoes
Mix in tomatoes and season.
Scramble Eggs
Combine eggs with the mixture and cook.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
Sauté the onions and peppers in olive oil until softened, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can also prepare the tomato mixture by adding tomatoes, salt, and black pepper to the sautéed veggies. Cook until the tomatoes are hot, then let the mixture cool and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the tomato mixture in a skillet and add eggs. I do not suggest saving leftovers, as the liquid from the tomatoes will make the eggs too soggy. It is best to prepare and enjoy the same day you make.
Prepare this dish in a cast iron pan for even cooking. It holds heat well and stays warmer for longer, which helps keep your eggs at the right temperature without having to keep cooking them.
For extra creamy yolks, separate the whites from the yolks then scramble the whites and add, then gently mix in the yolks to the top.
Serving Suggestions
This is the ultimate breakfast and brunch recipe for those seeking an alternative to scrambled eggs. Traditionally, Menemen is served with crusty toasted bread for sopping up the sauce, but you can also use small tortillas. Optional—top your dish with chili flakes, crumbly feta cheese, or freshly chopped herbs like parsley, basil, or chives. This is a wonderful brunch dish, and depending on how hungry you are and how many mouths you wish to feed, pair it with scallion potato pancakes and other traditional breakfast foods like these Blueberry Greek Yogurt Waffles, skillet-style Fried Potatoes and yummy Baked Brown-Sugar Bacon.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 2 large tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 large eggs beaten
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers, sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Pour the beaten eggs over the vegetable mixture. Stir gently and cook until the eggs are just set, about 5 minutes.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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