Menemen is a traditional Turkish breakfast made with eggs, tomatoes and green peppers, gently cooked together in one pan. It’s an easy, budget-friendly dish to recreate at home when you feel like bringing a taste of Türkiye into your kitchen.
I first discovered the pleasure of enjoying different breakfasts while travelling, and Menemen is a lovely reminder of how simple ingredients can make a memorable meal. My version also includes a South African twist, using chutney and small beef sausages when traditional Turkish sucuk isn’t available.
Menemen is a traditional Turkish dish made with eggs, tomatoes, green peppers and spices, gently cooked in olive oil or sunflower oil. Some versions include white cheese or Turkish cured meats such as sucuk (spicy sausage) or pastirma (cured beef). You can also adapt the ingredients to suit your taste and what is available in your country.
One interesting detail is that adding onions to Menemen is a subject of debate in Türkiye. Some cooks include them, while others believe a traditional Menemen should be made without onions.
Usually served hot with fresh bread for dipping into the soft, flavourful eggs, Menemen is an easy way to bring a taste of Türkiye into your own kitchen.
As you prepare it, you might even find yourself thinking back to your favourite travel memories of this beautiful country.
2 tablespoons olive oil or sunflower oil
2 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
2 green peppers, finely chopped
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika or pul biber (Turkish red pepper flakes), optional
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
To serve: Fresh Turkish bread or crusty bread.
Optional additions: Crumbled white cheese, sucuk (Turkish spicy sausage) or pastirma (cured beef).
Traditional Menemen can be adapted to suit local ingredients and personal taste. In my kitchen, I’ve made a few changes to the original recipe, using ingredients that are readily available in South Africa. Here’s what I use to bring this delicious Turkish breakfast to my own table.
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 green peppers, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
6 tbsp chutney
Small beef sausages, quantity to your preference
My version uses chutney and optional beef sausages to adapt this traditional Turkish breakfast to ingredients readily available in South Africa. The chutney adds a touch of sweetness, while the sausages make the dish more substantial.
Prepare the sausages. Cook the small beef sausages in a deep frying pan until done. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
Cook the vegetables slowly. Add the olive oil, chopped green peppers, tomatoes, sugar and garlic (if using) to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the flavours have blended.
This is the most important step in the recipe. Take your time and allow the vegetables to cook properly for the best flavour.
Add the sausages and eggs. Return the cooked sausages to the pan. Add the four eggs, spacing them around the pan, and allow them to cook gently with the vegetables.
Keep the eggs slightly intact. As the eggs begin to set, stir gently to combine them with the vegetables without scrambling them completely. You want some soft pieces of egg to remain visible in the finished dish.
Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot with homemade bread for dipping into the delicious tomato and pepper sauce.
A small but important tip: Keep the heat low when adding the eggs. Menemen is at its best when the eggs are tender and soft, rather than dry or overcooked.
PREP TIME: 5 mins
COOK TIME: 25 mins
COURSE: Breakfast
CUISINE: Turkish
In Türkiye, Menemen is traditionally enjoyed hot with fresh bread, perfect for scooping up the soft eggs and flavourful tomato sauce. At home, serve it straight from the pan for a relaxed breakfast or brunch, with extra bread on the side. My South African version, with its optional beef sausages and chutney, also makes a satisfying light supper. It’s a lovely reminder that some of the best holiday memories begin around a table, sharing simple, delicious food.
Play around and make this recipe your own. You can top it with cheese, or add extra pepper or chili flakes… Anything you like…
Read and discover more:
I’m not usually much of a breakfast person. I know, it’s not the healthiest habit, and I’m working on changing it. But when I travel, that’s a different story! I suddenly have no trouble enjoying a hearty breakfast. Perhaps it’s because I have the time to savour it, or perhaps it’s because I love discovering how different countries start their day.
Turkish breakfast is one of the most varied I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying. It’s often a generous spread of fresh bread, cheeses, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, honey and homemade jams, with plenty of little dishes to sample along the way.
Soup for breakfast? Yes, it’s enjoyed in parts of Türkiye, too. The first time I encountered soup on a breakfast menu was in Mexico. I couldn’t believe the size of the portion so early in the morning! In Türkiye, traditional breakfast soups are particularly associated with certain regions and local customs.
Fresh bread is an important part of the Turkish breakfast table. You might find two or three varieties in the breadbasket, ready to accompany the cheeses, olives and other dishes.
Then there’s kaymak, a thick, creamy dairy product often compared to clotted cream. If you get the chance, spread some on a slice of fresh bread and drizzle it with honey. It’s a simple combination, but absolutely delicious!
A cheese platter might include beyaz peynir, a white cheese, and kaşar, a firmer yellow cheese. Add olives, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, boiled eggs, homemade jams and honey, and you already have a wonderful breakfast. Sometimes, you’ll also find a refreshing cucumber, yoghurt and dill dip. I could happily eat that by the spoonful!
And just when you think you’ve had enough, there’s Menemen: eggs gently cooked with tomatoes and green peppers, sometimes with other additions depending on the cook and region. It’s a satisfying dish to share with fresh bread, and one of the Turkish breakfast favourites you can easily recreate at home with today’s recipe.
After breakfast, a glass of Turkish tea, usually served in a small tulip-shaped glass, is a familiar part of the experience. Take your time, enjoy another sip, and savour the pleasure of starting the day around a table filled with good food.
Pork is rarely found on menus in Türkiye because the country’s population is predominantly Muslim, and Islam prohibits pork. Most traditional Turkish meat dishes use beef, lamb or chicken instead.
This is useful to know when exploring Turkish food. Traditional Menemen can be served with sucuk, a spiced Turkish sausage, or pastirma, a seasoned and air-dried cured beef.
If these ingredients aren’t available where you live, you can adapt the recipe to suit local ingredients, as I have done with my South African version.
You can also try making Elma Dolmasi at home. Read more >>>
Turkish cuisine offers plenty of delicious dishes beyond breakfast. Here are a few worth discovering:
Köfte: Seasoned meatballs, usually made with beef or lamb.
Çorba: The Turkish word for soup. There are many varieties, including comforting lentil soup.
İskender kebab: Thinly sliced döner meat served over pieces of bread, with tomato sauce, yoghurt and melted butter.
Su böreği: A layered savoury pastry made with thin sheets of dough and a cheese filling.
Mantı: Small dumplings traditionally filled with seasoned minced meat and served with garlic yoghurt, often finished with melted butter and spices.
