Turkish Menemen Breakfast

Name: Turkish Menemen Breakfast
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/2 Green Pointed Pepper; 1/2 Red Bell Pepper; Some Sucuk, optional; 1/2 Red Onion; 1 Garlic Clove; 1/2 can (14.5 oz) of Canned Chopped Tomatoes, in summer fresh tomatoes; 1/2 tsp Tomato Paste; 1/2 Chili Pepper; 1/2 tsp Paprika Powder; 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika Powder; 1/4 tsp Cumin; Some Salt; Some Pepper (Black); 2 Eggs; Some Parsley, for serving; Some Sheep's Cheese, optional

Turkish menemen is a warm, comforting egg dish built from softly cooked peppers, onion, garlic, and tomatoes simmered together with fragrant spices. The eggs are gently set in the sauce so the whites stay tender and the yolks remain soft, making it ideal for scooping up with bread. Finish with parsley and, if you like, a little sheep’s cheese or sautéed sucuk for extra richness.

Turkish menemen is a warm, comforting egg dish built from softly cooked peppers, onion, garlic, and tomatoes simmered together wit... Show more

By Tim brot.mit.ei · Original recipe

Health Grade

A+ · Excellent

Time

40 min

Price

1,23 €

Calories

309 kcal

low calorie

healthy

nutritious

quick

Method

Prep the vegetables

Peel and finely dice the Red Onion. Peel and mince the Garlic Clove. Halve and remove the seeds from the Green Pointed Pepper, Red Bell Pepper, and Chili Pepper, then dice them fairly small so they soften quickly and melt into the sauce.

Slice the sausage

If you are using Sucuk (optional), slice it into thin half-moons or bite-size pieces so it browns quickly and distributes evenly through the pan.

Heat the pan

Set a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat and add a generous drizzle of olive oil. Let the oil warm for about 1 minute, just until it looks loose and glossy across the surface of the pan.

Soften the aromatics

Add the diced red onion and minced garlic clove to the warm oil. Cook, stirring often, until the onion softens and the garlic smells fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. You want everything tender and lightly translucent, not browned.

Cook the peppers

Add the diced green pointed pepper, red bell pepper, and chili pepper. Stir well, then season with Salt and Black Pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every so often, until the peppers begin to soften and lose their raw edge but still hold a little shape.

Bloom the spices

Stir in the Paprika Powder, Smoked Paprika Powder, Cumin, and Tomato Paste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, so the tomato paste darkens slightly and the spices bloom in the oil. The pan should smell rich and toasty.

Simmer the sauce

Pour in the Canned Chopped Tomatoes (in summer fresh tomatoes) and stir until everything is evenly combined. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pan, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the mixture thickens and the peppers are completely tender. If you are using the sucuk, brown it in a separate small pan during this time, or push the sauce to one side of the skillet and cook it there until lightly crisp, then stir it back in.

Set the eggs

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed. Make a few shallow wells in the mixture, then crack in the Egg, keeping the yolks whole for a classic menemen look, or lightly swirl the eggs into the sauce if you prefer a softer, scrambled texture. Cover and cook over low heat for 4 to 6 minutes, just until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft.

Finish and serve

Scatter over chopped Parsley (for serving). If you like, add crumbled Sheep's Cheese (optional) and the cooked sucuk. Serve the menemen straight from the pan while it is hot and saucy, ideally with bread for scooping.