Turkish Menemen-Style Savory Oatmeal

Name: Turkish Menemen-Style Savory Oatmeal
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 34 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1 cup (90 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; 2 cups (480 ml) water; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter; 3½ oz (100 g) Turkish long green peppers (or 1 small green bell pepper), stemmed, seeded and diced into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces; 1 clove (4 g) garlic, minced; 2 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) ripe medium tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch (1.2 cm) dice, juices kept; 1 tsp (5 g) tomato paste (optional); 1 tsp (2 g) Aleppo pepper (pul biber), plus extra for serving; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt, divided use: add a pinch to the eggs and the rest to the tomatoes; 4 large (200 g) large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten with a fork; 1 oz (30 g) feta cheese, crumbled (optional); 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Creamy salted oats topped with menemen, the classic Turkish skillet of sweet green peppers, jammy tomatoes and softly scrambled eggs, finished with fragrant Aleppo pepper. A cozy, protein-rich breakfast in about 35 minutes.

Prep: 12 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 3 min
Total: 37 min
Makes: 2 generous bowls

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Ingredients

2 servings

For the oats
1 cup (90 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups (480 ml) water
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
For the menemen
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
3½ oz (100 g) Turkish long green peppers (or 1 small green bell pepper), stemmed, seeded and diced into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces
1 clove (4 g) garlic, minced
2 medium (about 10 oz) (300 g) ripe medium tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch (1.2 cm) dice, juices kept
1 tsp (5 g) tomato paste (optional)
1 tsp (2 g) Aleppo pepper (pul biber), plus extra for serving
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt, divided use: add a pinch to the eggs and the rest to the tomatoes
4 large (200 g) large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten with a fork
To finish
1 oz (30 g) feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Equipment (6)

Medium (2-quart / 2-liter) saucepan with lid
10-inch (25 cm) nonstick or well-seasoned skillet with lid
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
Small bowl and fork for beating eggs
Cutting board and knife
2 serving bowls

Steps

Before you start

Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant or steel-cut. Instant turns pasty and steel-cut needs far longer.
Chop all the vegetables before you turn on any heat. The oats and the menemen are cooked back to back.
Ripe, juicy tomatoes matter here. If yours are pale or firm, add the optional tomato paste.
Aleppo pepper (pul biber) is mild and fruity. If you substitute another chile, use about half as much.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the green peppers into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces, mince the garlic, and dice the tomatoes into ½-inch (1.2 cm) pieces, saving any juice on the board.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl, add a pinch of the menemen salt and beat lightly with a fork just until the yolks and whites are combined.
- Chop the parsley and crumble the feta if using.
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Ready when: Everything is chopped and within reach of the stove.
Tip: Don't over-beat the eggs. A few streaks of white and yolk give menemen its soft, rustic texture.
2
Cook the oats
- In the saucepan, bring the water and ¼ tsp oat salt to a boil over high heat.
- Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
- Remove from the heat, cover and let stand while you make the menemen.
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Ready when: Oats are tender, creamy and slightly loose; they will thicken as they stand.
Tip: If the oats become too thick before serving, stir in a splash of hot water.
3
Soften the peppers
- Heat the olive oil and butter in the 10-inch skillet over medium heat until the butter foams.
- Add the diced green peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
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Ready when: Peppers are bright green, softened and slightly glossy; garlic smells fragrant but is not browned.
Tip: If the garlic starts to brown, lower the heat right away. Browned garlic tastes bitter.
4
Simmer the tomatoes
- Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, the tomato paste if using, the Aleppo pepper and the remaining menemen salt.
- Cook at a steady simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally and pressing down on large pieces with the spoon, for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Ready when: The tomatoes are soft and jammy, most of the watery liquid has cooked off, and red-tinted oil shimmers at the edges.
Tip: Don't add the eggs while the sauce is watery. Excess liquid makes the eggs soupy instead of creamy.
5
Scramble in the eggs
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Pour the beaten eggs evenly over the tomato mixture.
- Let them sit for 20 seconds, then gently stir and fold with a spatula for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat while the eggs still look slightly wet and glossy; they will finish setting from the residual heat.
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Ready when: Soft, large curds have formed and are barely set but no longer runny; the eggs reach 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Overcooked eggs turn dry and rubbery, so pull the pan off the heat a little early.
6
Assemble and serve
- Give the oats a good stir and divide between two warm bowls.
- Spoon the menemen over the oats, scatter with feta and parsley, and finish with a pinch of extra Aleppo pepper.
- Serve immediately while hot.
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Ready when: Oats are hot and creamy, with the eggs and tomatoes spooned on top.
Tip: Serve with crusty bread for scooping if you like.

Good to know

Tips

Season the oats lightly. The tomatoes, eggs and feta add salt, so taste the finished bowl before adding more.
Fresh, ripe tomatoes give the best flavor; if using canned, choose 1 cup (about 240 g) of drained, diced tomatoes and shorten the simmer by a few minutes.
Stir the eggs gently and keep the heat low for creamy curds rather than dry scramble.
For extra richness, drizzle a little Aleppo-infused melted butter over the top just before serving.

Make ahead

"Cook the oats up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Make the tomato-pepper base (through step 4) up to 2 days ahead, then reheat it in the skillet and add the eggs fresh just before serving."

Storage & reheating

Best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days; the oats can be kept separately for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave over low power with a splash of water, stirring often, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C). Not recommended for freezing because the eggs turn watery.

Substitutions

Turkish long green peppers (or 1 small green bell pepper) → green bell pepper or Anaheim pepper. Use the same weight. Anaheim gives a mild heat similar to Turkish peppers.
Aleppo pepper (pul biber) → ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes plus ½ tsp sweet paprika. Approximates the mild heat and fruitiness of Aleppo.
feta cheese → crumbled white cheese such as queso fresco or goat cheese. Adds the same salty, tangy contrast.
unsalted butter → extra olive oil. Use 1 extra tablespoon for a dairy-free version, and omit the feta.