Menemen with White Cheese – Turkish Eggs with Vegetables Recipe
This version of menemen is a Turkish-style breakfast egg dish with salty white cheese that gently melts and thickens the tomato and pepper sauce. In Turkey, this kind of breakfast is eaten lazily, with plenty of bread and tea, often sharing one pan placed in the middle of the table. The flavors are a bit reminiscent of shakshuka, but milder and creamier.
Menemen with white cheese combines the creaminess of softly set eggs with a rich, slightly salty tomato and pepper sauce. The addition of crumbled cheese gives the dish more body and a delicate tang, making it a satisfying, one-pan breakfast that is perfect for sharing at the table.
Chef's tips
Use ripe, flavorful tomatoes – they are the base of the sauce, so their taste really matters. Keep the heat low once the eggs go in; slow, gentle cooking is the key to a creamy texture. If your cheese is very salty, season the sauce lightly at first and adjust the salt at the end.
How to serve
Serve the menemen directly in the pan, placed in the center of the table, with plenty of fresh bread for scooping. Add olives, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and a simple salad for a full Turkish-style breakfast spread. It also works well as a light lunch with a side of green salad.
Ingredients
- egg - 4 pieces
- tomato medium, ripe - 3 pieces
- green bell pepper can be regular or pepperoni-type - 1 piece
- onion finely chopped - 0.5 pieces
- feta-type cheese or Turkish white cheese, crumbled - 80 g
- butter - 1 tablespoon
- olive oil - 1 tablespoon
- sweet paprika - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt careful, the cheese is salty - 0.25 teaspoons
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
- parsley chopped, for sprinkling - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- Score the tomato skins with a cross, pour boiling water over them for 1 minute, then rinse with cold water and peel. Cut into small cubes, removing the hard cores.
- Remove the seeds from the pepper and cut it into thin strips, finely chop the onion.
- Heat the butter with the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes, until softened and slightly translucent, without browning.
- Add the pepper and fry for another 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it softens.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5–6 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and you get a thicker sauce that is no longer watery.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly beat with a fork, just until the whites and yolks are combined.
- Reduce the heat to low, pour the eggs into the pan, and gently stir from the edges toward the center for 1–2 minutes, until they begin to set but are still slightly creamy.
- Sprinkle the top with crumbled cheese and cook for another 1–2 minutes, just until the cheese starts to melt. Do not overcook the eggs – they should remain moist.
- Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately straight from the pan with bread.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This menemen is ideal for lazy weekend mornings when you want something warm and comforting but still quick and easy. The melting white cheese makes the eggs extra creamy and turns a simple pan of vegetables and eggs into a dish that feels special without any fuss.
