D3 — Turkish Menemen with Big Side Salad
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Menemen
- Eggs8 large
- Large ripe tomatoes, roughly diced (or 400 ml diced canned)3
- Green bell peppers or cubanelle, diced2
- Yellow onion, diced1 medium
- Garlic, minced3 cloves
- Olive oil3 tbsp
- Smoked paprika2 tsp
- Ground cumin1 tsp
- Baharat blend1 tsp
- Chili flakes½ tsp
- Fresh parsley, choppedlarge handful
- Crusty bread or pita (optional, for dipping)to serve
Big Side Salad
- Cucumbers, diced2 medium
- Cherry tomatoes, halved2 cups
- Red onion, thinly sliced½
- Flat-leaf parsley, choppedlarge handful
- Olive oil + lemon juice3 tbsp + 1½ lemons
- Dried oregano + salt + pepper1 tsp + to taste
Nutrition / serving
Calories
340 kcal
Protein
17 g
Carbs
16 g
Fat
24 g
Fiber
4 g
Cost Estimate
Total Ingredients
~$8.00
CAD
Per Serving
~$2.00 / serving
Instructions
Soften aromatics
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onion, cook 4–5 min until softened. Add garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, baharat, and chili flakes. Stir 1 min.
Add peppers
Add green peppers. Cook 4 min until softened.
Add tomatoes & reduce
Add diced tomatoes. Cook 8–10 min until most liquid evaporates and sauce concentrates. Season generously.
Scramble eggs in
Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk eggs lightly and pour into the tomato pan. Stir gently and continuously — cooking the eggs softly into the sauce like a very loose scramble. Remove from heat when eggs are just set and still slightly creamy.
Finish & make salad
Scatter fresh parsley over the top. Serve immediately from the pan. Make the side salad: combine all salad ingredients, toss with olive oil, lemon, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Chef's Cool Facts
Named after a District
Menemen is named after the district of Menemen near Izmir, Turkey. It is eaten at all hours — breakfast, lunch, dinner, or late-night — and is considered the ultimate Turkish comfort food.
Creamier Eggs in Tomato
Scrambling eggs directly into tomato sauce produces a softer, creamier curd than pan-scrambled eggs alone. The acids in the tomatoes slow coagulation slightly.
Sivri Biber Substitute
Green peppers in Turkish cooking typically refer to long, thin sivri biber. Regular green bell peppers or cubanelle peppers are the perfect substitute.