Menemen with Jalapeño and Olives Recipe
This is a breakfast menemen where classic Turkish eggs with tomatoes get a lightly spicy kick from jalapeño and a salty accent from black olives. In Turkish homes this kind of breakfast often stretches into late morning, because everyone lingers at the table, dipping bread into the sauce. The dish is a bit like shakshuka, but more like scrambled eggs and less saucy.
Menemen is a beloved classic of Turkish home breakfasts, and this version adds jalapeño and black olives for extra depth: gentle heat, a salty accent and a rich, aromatic tomato base. It’s quick to make, perfect for sharing straight from the pan and ideal for long, lazy mornings with plenty of bread for dipping.
Chef's tips
Use ripe, juicy tomatoes – they make the sauce naturally sweet and full of flavor, so you don’t need any sugar. Don’t overbeat the eggs; just combine whites and yolks so the texture stays creamy. Keep the heat low when the eggs go in to avoid rubbery curds. If your pan is very wide, the eggs will set faster, so watch them closely and remove from the heat while they are still slightly runny – they will continue to cook in the residual heat.
How to serve
Serve the menemen in the pan placed in the center of the table with plenty of fresh bread: Turkish-style flatbread, baguette or a simple wheat loaf. Add small plates of olives, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and some white cheese or feta for a full Turkish-style breakfast spread. Strong black tea in small glasses is the classic drink pairing.
Ingredients
- eggs - 4 pieces
- tomatoes ripe, medium - 3 pieces
- jalapeño pepper seeded, for a milder version - 1 piece
- bell pepper red or yellow - 1 piece
- onion small - 1 piece
- black olives pitted - 8 pieces
- vegetable oil or olive oil - 2 tablespoons
- butter - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- ground cumin - 0.5 teaspoons
- parsley chopped - 2 tablespoons
- wheat bread for serving - 4 slices
Preparation
- Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, peel off the skins and cut into a small dice, collecting the juices.
- Peel the onion and cut into a small dice. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and jalapeño and slice them into thin strips. Slice the olives.
- Heat the oil with the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent but not browned.
- Add the bell pepper and jalapeño and fry for another 4–5 minutes, until softened. If the vegetables start to catch, lower the heat and add 1–2 tablespoons of water.
- Add the tomatoes along with their juices, season with salt, pepper and cumin. Cook for 5–7 minutes over medium heat, until the tomatoes break down and you get a thick sauce that is no longer watery.
- Add the sliced olives and stir. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt if needed.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly beat with a fork, just until the whites and yolks are combined. Pour the eggs into the pan with the vegetables.
- Cook over low heat for 3–4 minutes, gently stirring from the edges toward the center, until the eggs are set but still slightly creamy, not completely dry.
- Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with warmed bread.
Storage
Najlepiej smakuje od razu po przygotowaniu; po wystudzeniu przechowuj pod przykryciem w lodówce i podgrzej krótko na patelni z odrobiną masła.
