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Turkish

Menemen (Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Tomato)

A soft Turkish egg skillet cooked with tomatoes, green pepper, onion, parsley, and gentle spices.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 7 September 2026Updated

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Menemen (Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Tomato)

25 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Twenty minutes. The tomatoes need long enough to break down and lose their liquid, and the eggs take two minutes at the end.

Method

  1. Warm the measured olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and green capsicum, then cook until softened but not browned.

  2. Add the tomato and Turkish pepper paste. Cook until the tomato breaks down into a loose sauce and the excess liquid reduces slightly.

  3. Season with salt, black pepper, and paprika. Keep the mixture gently bubbling, not dry.

  4. Lower the heat and pour in the beaten eggs. Stir slowly from the edges toward the center until the eggs are softly set and still moist.

  5. Turn off the heat before the eggs become dry. Finish with parsley and serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

The finished menemen should be saucy and soft, with tender eggs rather than firm curds.

Nutrition

Per serving, from 2 servings.

226kcal

Where the calories come from

  • Protein10.1 g18%
  • Carbohydrate9.8 g17%
  • Fat16.8 g65%
Sugars
5.4 g
Saturated fat
3.5 g
Fibre
2.8 g
Sodium
686 mg
Potassium
506 mg
Calcium
66 mg
Iron
2 mg

Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the eggs slightly loose when turning off the heat because they continue setting in the hot skillet.

What to serve it with

Serve directly from the skillet with bread, olives, cucumber, or a simple breakfast spread.

Common mistakes

The menemen is watery and the eggs will not set.
Cook the tomato down properly first. It should look like a loose sauce rather than chopped tomato in juice before the eggs go anywhere near it.
The eggs turn firm and grainy.
Low heat, slow stirring from the edges, and off the pan while they still look slightly wet. Menemen is meant to be soft and spoonable, not a set omelette.

Substitutions

  • Red capsicum may replace green capsicum for a sweeter version.
  • Chilli flakes can be added for a spicier skillet.
  • Use tomato puree only when fresh tomatoes are not ripe; cook it briefly to remove rawness.

Storing and reheating

Eat straight from the pan. The tomato and pepper base keeps three days in the fridge and freezes for a month, which is the part worth making ahead — add fresh eggs when you reheat it.