Vegan Menemen (Turkish Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes)

Breakfast is one of those things. Some people swear by sweet, others want something savory first thing in the morning. And then there's the group that just can't get anything down at all. But if you're part of the savory breakfast gang or you're sick of jam rolls and cereal, we've got a recipe for you today that's not only super delicious but also super easy to make: vegan menemen!

Menemen is THE Turkish breakfast classic – a kind of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers, and onions that gets braised together in the pan. Traditionally, it's eaten straight from the pan with fresh flatbread, and that's exactly what makes it so wonderfully uncomplicated. No fancy plating, no fuss – just pan on the table, bread on the side, done.

From the original to the vegan version
We snagged this recipe from a friend who learned it from her mom. Along with the essential tips. For example: lots of fat is simply indispensable with menemen! We then just veganized the recipe and adapted it a bit: instead of egg, we use tofu in the pan – which not only makes it plant-based but also super quick.

Which tofu works best?
We used silken tofu when testing this recipe. It's very soft and blends beautifully into the tomato sauce – but it has hardly any bite. If that doesn't bother you, go for it! Our recommendation is soft natural tofu, ideally from an Asian market. It has more structure and reminds you more of scrambled eggs in terms of consistency. If you don't have any on hand, any other (soft) natural tofu that you simply crumble into the pan will work too.

Kala namak: nice to have, but not a must
Kala namak is listed as an optional ingredient in the recipe. It's a sulfur salt that gives plant-based egg dishes that typical egg flavor – you might already know it from vegan scrambled tofu. Important: kala namak dissipates when heated, so only sprinkle it over the tofu after you've taken the pan off the heat. But honestly: if you don't have any at home, just leave it out. The menemen tastes really good without it too, because the tomato-pepper combo already brings so much flavor.

Watch out for spicy peppers!
A little warning upfront: the Turkish green pointed peppers (Sivri biber) can sometimes be surprisingly spicy. During recipe testing, we once got a batch that burned our lips for quite a while. So our tip: taste the tomato-pepper mixture first before adding extra chili powder.

Why menemen will become your new favorite breakfast
First: it's quick. Everything's on the table in 30 minutes without wearing yourself out. Second: it's really filling and wonderfully communal. And third: it's incredibly delicious. If you're now craving more savory breakfast ideas with tofu, check out our vegan scrambled eggs without tofu, our vegan omelet with asparagus, or our vegan Eggs Benedict.