Menemen, deliciously soft-scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and spices is a classic Turkish brunch dish. This version adds decadent gratings of dark chocolate, which gives it a subtle depth of flavor.
Chef Ahu Hettema’s recipe for Menemen, is all about soft, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers, and grated dark chocolate. Yes you’ve read that right. It’s all cooked in just one pan in 20 minutes or less, making it the perfect easy meal regardless of time of day.
Let’s talk about about this dish, Menemen, it’s Turkish and will become your new favorite egg dish. The star of the show are soft, scrambled eggs mixed with tomatoes, green peppers, and onions. It’s delicately spiced and meant to be shared with your favorite people. What makes it more fun, you can get really creative with the toppings and flavors such as grated dark chocolate for a subtle depth of flavor. Meanwhile the addition of fresh herbs and red pepper flakes add a nice kick, or you can choose a spicy garnish of your liking.
Chef Hettema’s restaurant Istanbul Hawaii, one of the only Turkish and Mediterranean restaurants in the State of Hawaii that combines traditional flavors and heritages. The story of how the restaurant came to be is inspiring. After years of living in the U.S. away from her family, Ahu faced personal challenges and turned to her mother Nili for guidance. Nili then came to live with her, bringing Turkish ingredients and spices that Ahu couldn’t access for years. The mother-daughter bond brought Istanbul Hawaii to life, and the more they cooked together, the more Ahu healed.
How to Make Menemen – Turkish Scrambled Eggs
Sauté the Aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the sweet onion and green bell pepper, sautéing until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Develop the Sauce
- Introduce the chopped tomatoes and paprika or pepper paste to the skillet, stirring to combine.
- Optionally, grate the dark chocolate over the mixture, blending it into the sauce for a subtle depth of flavor.
- Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Reduce the heat and simmer gently, allowing the tomatoes to break down and the sauce to thicken, around 10 minutes.
Incorporate the Eggs
- Gently pour the beaten eggs over the simmering tomato mixture.
- Allow the eggs to set slightly before stirring gently, combining them with the sauce until they are softly set but still tender.
Garnish and Serve
- Garnish the dish with a liberal amount of fresh microgreens for a burst of color and texture.
- If desired, add a sprinkle of fresh parsley, crumbled feta, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for an extra layer of flavor.
- Serve immediately, ideally with crusty sourdough bread to soak up the rich, flavorful sauce, or with sliced of pita bread.
Menemen: Turkish Style Scrambled Eggs
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Menemen, deliciously soft-scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and spices is a classic Turkish brunch dish. This version adds decadent gratings of dark chocolate, which gives it a subtle depth of flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons fine extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 4 large fresh ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fine paprika or pepper paste
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon finely grated 100% dark chocolate (optional for a rich, complex umami flavor)
- 4 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten (preferably from a local farm)
- Fresh microgreens for garnish
- Optional: Fresh parsley, crumbled feta cheese, and red pepper flakes for additional garnish
Instructions
Sauté the Aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the sweet onion and green bell pepper, sautéing until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Develop the Sauce
- Introduce the chopped tomatoes and paprika or pepper paste to the skillet, stirring to combine.
- Optionally, grate the dark chocolate over the mixture, blending it into the sauce for a subtle depth of flavor.
- Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Reduce the heat and simmer gently, allowing the tomatoes to break down and the sauce to thicken, around 10 minutes.
Incorporate the Eggs
- Gently pour the beaten eggs over the simmering tomato mixture.
- Allow the eggs to set slightly before stirring gently, combining them with the sauce until they are softly set but still tender.
Garnish and Serve
- Garnish the dish with a liberal amount of fresh microgreens for a burst of color and texture.
- If desired, add a sprinkle of fresh parsley, crumbled feta, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for an extra layer of flavor.
- Serve immediately, ideally with crusty sourdough bread to soak up the rich, flavorful sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Turkish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 200g
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 180g
