One-Pan Turkish Menemen with Kashar Cheese & Simit

This one-pan Turkish menemen brings the vibrant flavors of a traditional breakfast to your table in about 25 minutes. Grated ripe tomatoes, sautéed green peppers, and soft egg curds are folded with melted kaşar cheese, then scooped up with a crusty sesame simit. It's a hearty, satisfying dish that feels both rustic and indulgent.

Menemen is a beloved Turkish breakfast staple, often cooked in a copper sahan and eaten straight from the pan with bread. This version highlights the classic combination of tomatoes and green peppers, enriched with butter and olive oil, and finished with a generous handful of kaşar cheese.

The eggs are gently swirled into the simmering sauce, creating creamy curds that contrast with the glossy tomato reduction. Served with a warm sesame simit, it's a complete meal that's perfect for a leisurely morning or a cozy brunch.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The method of sautéing the peppers first in butter and olive oil draws out their natural sweetness and softens their bite. This step builds a flavorful base that carries through the entire dish.

Grated tomatoes, rather than chopped, melt into a thick, uniform sauce quickly, so the menemen comes together in minutes without watery pockets.

Adding the eggs directly to the simmering sauce and swirling only the whites creates distinct, creamy curds while keeping the yolks tender. The kaşar cheese melts into the sauce, adding a mild, salty richness that binds everything together. Cooking everything in one pan means the flavors meld and the dish stays hot until the last bite.

Notes and substitutions

Use ripe, juicy tomatoes for the best sauce; if tomatoes are out of season, canned crushed tomatoes can be substituted. Green Turkish peppers, known as sivri biber, are long and mild with a slight heat.

If unavailable, Italian frying peppers or Anaheim chiles work well. Kaşar cheese is a semi-hard yellow cheese with excellent melting properties; low-moisture mozzarella or provolone are close alternatives.

A traditional copper sahan is ideal for even heat and a beautiful presentation, but any heavy skillet works. The key is to cook the tomatoes until they are thick and jammy before adding the eggs, so the final dish is not watery.

Simit, a sesame-crusted bread ring, is traditional, but a crusty baguette or sourdough will also be delicious for scooping.

• green Turkish peppers: Italian frying peppers or Anaheim chiles, sliced
• kaşar cheese: low-moisture mozzarella or provolone, grated
• pul biber: Aleppo pepper flakes or a pinch of crushed red pepper
• simit: crusty bagel or artisan bread, torn

Equipment

• Large copper sahan or heavy skillet
• Wooden spoon
• Box grater
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Measuring spoons