I am here with the menemen recipe, which is indispensable for the breakfast table, especially the star of the crowded Sunday breakfasts. Menemen, which occupies an important place in Turkish cuisine and is suitable for all tastes, appears on the table in different regions with different recipes. Although it is known as a single or student meal, it is a meal that can be easily prepared and eaten at any meal of the day due to its high nutritional value such as tomatoes, peppers, onions and eggs.
Menemen has a distinctive taste when it is prepared in summer when there are good tomatoes and peppers. If you complain about not finding delicious tomatoes and peppers in winter, you can solve this problem by preparing menemen in jars at the end of the summer season.
If you like menemen in a thicker form, you can increase the amount of eggs or decrease the amount of tomatoes. Be careful not to use margarine, especially when preparing the menemen recipe. I made this recipe with butter, but if you don’t have butter at home, you can use olive oil.

Table of Contents
How Do You Make A Menemen?
At the beginning of the menemen recipe we roast the onions. Add the paprika paste and diced tomatoes to the roasted onions. Cook for 5-10 minutes. Add black pepper, red pepper, salt and cumin. After turning a few times, add the grated garlic and add the eggs. You can add basil or parsley.

Who Invented Menemen?
It says that the first place where the Menemen recipe was made was Menemen, the famous district of Izmir. Proof of this is that one of the first tomato growing places in Turkey is the district of Menemen. In Turkey, official records state that tomatoes were first planted in the Adana region in the early 1900s.
Although the exact date of arrival in İzmir is not known, it can be concluded from the records of the Commodity and Grain Exchange that the cultivation of tomatoes in and around İzmir began in the 1920s. The history of tomatoes in Menemen recipe, a district of Izmir, falls in the same years as that of Izmir. In the service newspaper published in Izmir in 1927, tomato cultivation was announced with the headline The first harvest in Menemen.
The Menemen recipe was developed by the Cretan Turks who came to the Menemen district as part of the population exchange. In the early years of the Republic, the economy of Menemen was largely based on agriculture. In particular, the fertile and empty lands left behind by the Greeks who were forcibly resettled were shared with the Turks who migrated to the Menemen district as part of the population exchange. These included mainly the Cretan Turks. Through the neighborhood with the Cretan immigrants, the Menemen gradually learned their culture and Cretan cuisine.
The Cretan Turks mainly used the herbs they gathered in the mountains for their meals. They ate these herbs after boiling them in water, pouring olive oil over them or breaking eggs. The Cretan Turks, who taught the Menemen recipe the herbal dishes, learned from the Menemen the stew Meaty Tomato with many tomatoes, some potatoes and meat. The Cretan Turks changed the ingredients of this dish due to the economic conditions.
They created the dish Tomato with Egg by replacing the meat with eggs and the potatoes with onions. Over time, this dish has become the most popular dish in the district. Since the 1930s, it has made its way from the restaurants of the Menemen district and over time has become one of the most popular dishes in our country.

How Many Calories Are In Menemen Recipe?
Menemen has been one of the most popular dishes on Turkish breakfast tables for many years. Since the ingredients for this dish, which is one of the light and rich dishes, are affordable, it can be eaten with pleasure by all segments of the population. 100 grams of Menemen recipe contains 71 calories and is also used by those who want to diet. 1 serving (250 g) Menemen 177 calories.
What Are The Benefits Of Menemen?
Menemen recipe uses many ingredients rich in vitamins, such as peppers, tomatoes, eggs and onions.
Green bell pepper : It is very effective against cancer and beneficial for eye health, because it contains abundant vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin A, E, B1, B2 and K. Due to its antioxidant effect, it delays the effects of aging, protects the body from infections and helps cleanse the body of toxins.
Onion : It is very rich in B and C vitamins, sulfur, fiber, iron and thiamine. The acids it contains have a protective effect against intestinal and stomach disorders. Onion, which is considered a natural antibiotic, is good for cardiovascular diseases.
Tomatoes : In turn, are particularly rich in vitamins A and C. In addition, thanks to substances such as lycopene, folic acid, beta-carotene and lutein, they have a preventive effect against learning and memory problems, sleep disorders and obesity. It also helps to keep the skin smooth and healthy looking.
Finally, the highest nutritional value in menemen is eggs. With its content of B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, choline, selenium and vitamin D, it has a positive effect on growth and development. It supports regular work of muscles and hormones, reduces the risk of cancer and chronic diseases and protects against heart disease.
For more information, check out my other Turkish cuisine recipes that might interest you.
Yes, now we go to our kitchen to prepare our ingredients without wasting time and prepare the simple menemen recipe that you can not get enough of.
Menemen Recipe
Course: BreakfastCuisine: TurkishDifficulty: Easy2
servings10
minutes15
minutes276
kcalPractical menemen recipe that you can not get enough of.
Ingredients
2 tomatoes
2 green pepper
4 eggs
1 small onion
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Peel the skin from the tomatoes and cut into cubes.
- Remove the seeds from the black pepper and cut into rings.
- Chop the onion.
- Crack the eggs in a separate bowl.
- Melt the butter in the pan. Add the onion and fry on low heat. Then add the peppers and lightly fry again.
- Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and stir. Close the lid. Cook on low heat until the tomatoes lose their freshness.
- Add the beaten egg and stir
- Serve hot when the egg is cooked.
- Parsley or basil can be added to taste.
Tips For Menemen
- It is entirely up to your taste whether you add onions to the menemen recipe or not. If you don’t like them, you can leave them out.
- You can make the menemen recipe even tastier by adding sausage and cheddar.
- If you chop the peppers you put in the menemen very finely, they may melt all over while cooking.
- If you use a lid when cooking the menemen, the tomatoes, onions and peppers will become soft and watery in a short time.
- The butter you add to the menemen will give them a delicious flavor.
- Also, don’t remove the insides of the peppers if you don’t mind, as this will give the menemen a different flavor.
- If you add the beaten eggs to the menemen after whisking them in another bowl, the food will be less scrambled.









How To Store Menemen?
It is possible to store menemen in jars for the winter season. To do this, wash and peel the tomatoes, which you buy in large quantities. Fry the peppers in a little oil. Add the grated tomatoes and add a pinch of salt. Meanwhile, put the jars on the other side in hot water. Put the ingredients in the jars with the help of a ladle and close the lids tightly.
Turn the lid over, wrap it in a blanket and keep it out of the sun the next day. With these jars stored, you can add menemen to your breakfast whenever you feel like it. In the freezer, you can keep tomatoes in the bottom of the freezer bag and peppers in the top. This way, tomatoes and peppers will stay fresh the first day they are purchased and stored in season.
What Is Difference Between Menemen And Shakshuka?
Shakshouka is a North African dish. There are minor changes in Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt. In Morocco, for example, artichoke hearts are prepared with potatoes and broad beans. But it is not limited to these countries. In Israel, for example, it is very popular. Since it is an egg dish, it is an essential breakfast dish in Israel, but it can also be preferred as a dinner.
It is considered the biggest competitor to hummus and falafel. It is believed to have come here with the Tunisian and Moorish Jews during the mass immigration wave to Israel in the 1950s. It is a typical and impeccable example of cultural interaction. Shakshouka means “mixture” in Tunisian Arabic and other Moorish dialects. It is believed to derive from the Berber word chakchouka, meaning vegetable stew or vegetable stew.
If you have any other questions about the menemen recipe, don’t hesitate to stop by, I’m always willing to help! Also, don’t forget to follow me on my Instagram page. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy, and have a great day!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does menemen mean in Turkish?
The word Menemen in Turkish means a town near Izmir. Menemen may have been derived from the particular name of a town near İzmir; however, this is not certain. The word Menemen recipe is also known as a dish prepared with eggs for the first time in history.
What nationality is shakshuka?
The word shakshuka, which means mixture in Berber, first spread in North Africa and originated in Morocco. It is known as a popular dish of the ancient Jews in Libya and is in demand in all Arab countries. In Israel, it remains one of the most popular dishes.
What is menemen in English?
In an English menu, Menemen can be seen as a Turkish omelet.