Menemen with Zucchini and Feta Recipe
Menemen with zucchini and feta is a breakfast that tastes like a little holiday on the Aegean Sea. Classic Turkish eggs with tomatoes are enriched here with delicate zucchini and salty cheese, making the dish more filling and vegetable-forward. In Turkey, this kind of breakfast often stretches into a long, lazy late morning with tea and fresh bread.
This menemen combines the comforting creaminess of Turkish scrambled eggs with the freshness of zucchini and the salty punch of feta, turning a simple egg dish into a colorful, vegetable-rich breakfast that feels like a leisurely holiday meal.
Chef's tips
Don’t overcook the eggs – menemen should stay slightly creamy, not dry. Keep the heat at medium and stir gently so the eggs set slowly in the tomato-vegetable sauce. If your tomatoes are very watery, let the sauce reduce a bit longer before adding the eggs so the final dish isn’t soupy.
How to serve
Serve straight from the pan placed in the middle of the table, with plenty of fresh bread for scooping. Add olives, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and a simple white cheese on the side for a Turkish-style breakfast spread.
Ingredients
- eggs - 4 pieces
- zucchini - 1 piece
- tomatoes - 3 pieces
- feta cheese - 80 g
- onion - 0.5 pieces
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- oil - 2 tablespoons
- butter - 1 tablespoon
- salt
- black pepper
- sweet paprika - 0.5 teaspoons
- parsley finely chopped - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, peel them and cut into small cubes, collecting the juice. Wash the zucchini, trim the ends and cut into small cubes. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and dice it. Peel the onion and finely chop.
- Heat the oil with the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent but not browned.
- Add the bell pepper and zucchini and fry for 5–7 minutes, until the vegetables soften and the zucchini is lightly browned on the edges.
- Add the chopped tomatoes along with their juice, season with salt, black pepper and sweet paprika. Cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until some of the liquid evaporates and you get a thick vegetable sauce.
- 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 and gently stir from the edges toward the center for 2–3 minutes, until they start to set but are still slightly creamy.
- Crumble the feta cheese with your hands into smaller pieces and scatter over the top. Cook for another 1–2 minutes, without vigorous stirring, until the cheese is warmed through and the eggs reach your preferred level of doneness.
- Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with bread.
Storage
Resztki przechowuj w szczelnym pojemniku i zjedz najpóźniej następnego dnia, najlepiej po delikatnym podgrzaniu na patelni na małym ogniu.
