Vegan Menemen: without eggs but with the same taste and look

Posted by

Başak

September 30, 2025

On September 27, 2025

Preparation: 15 mins

Cooking: 15 mins

Difficulty: easy

Yields: 2 portions

Cost: low

If you want to go straight to the recipe click here

Introduction to Vegan Menemen

Vegan menemen (Turkish style eggless scrambled eggs) is just as good as the original! You can trust me because I’m not even 100% vegan myself! What’s more, it looks the same, has the similar rich nutrient profile, and is as irresistibly creamy as the original — perfect for starting the day with a great breakfast.

But why Vegan Menemen?

Because I can!
I only buy eggs from farmer’s markets. It’s normal for hens to reduce or even stop laying eggs when it’s very cold or hot. In these cases, I don’t buy eggs from the supermarket — I simply go without, just like people who have stopped eating them for ethical or health reasons. However, I won’t give up my menemen, as it reminds me of Sunday mornings with my family. So, I invented the best vegan menemen recipe using common ingredients like chickpea flour and tofu. Discover here other egg alternatives

How to do Vegan Menemen

It’s very simple. Either use the original menemen recipe and reduce the tofu to a cream, or use chickpea flour and cook everything together, which is what I prefer to do. If you want an even quicker solution, you are free to use vegan ‘eggs’, but I warn you that it won’t be as cheap.
I will provide quantities and step-by-step instructions for the first two, ‘more authentic’ versions.

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Ingredients for a perfect vegan menemen (chickpea flour version)

1 small green bell pepper (or 3 Turkish peppers)
3 large and mature tomatoes
3 tablespoons of chickpea flour
About 200ml (0,8 cup) water
2–3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
A pinch of turmeric for colour (optional)
A pinch of Kala Namak salt for aroma (optional)

Directions for a delicious vegan menemen (chickpea flour version)

Step 1. First, soak the chickpea flour in 100ml of water for at least 6 hours to improve digestibility and increase the bioavailability of nutrients.

Step 2. When you are ready to make the egg-free menemen, cook the chickpea flour with the remaining half a cup of water in a small pot for about 10 minutes.

Step 3. Meanwhile, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan over a low heat. Cut the bell pepper into slices no more than 1 cm wide and brown them in the pan for 1–2 minutes, then cover with a lid.

Step 4. Dice the tomatoes and add them to the pan once you have finished. Cook for about 5 minutes with the lid on.

Step 5. If you wish, add turmeric to the chickpea flour to give it a yellow colour reminiscent of egg yolk and kala namak salt to give it a sulfurous smell that perfectly resembles that of eggs. If necessary, add a little more water to make the chickpea mixture runny enough to resemble egg consistency. When well mixed, pour the ‘chickpea eggs’ over the tomatoes and peppers, then close the lid.

Step 6. Cook for another 4–5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve hot with fresh bread for dipping.

Ingredients for a tasty vegan menemen (tofu version)

1 small green bell pepper (or 3 Turkish peppers)
3 large tomatoes for the sauce
200g (or 1 cup) tofu
2–3 tablespoons of water or more
2–3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
A pinch of turmeric for colour (optional)
A pinch of Kala Namak salt for aroma (optional)
1 tablespoon of low-salt soy sauce

Directions for an easy vegan menemen (version with tofu)

Step 1. First, blend half of the tofu with enough water to make it as creamy as eggs. Crumble the other half with your hands, then set both aside.

Step 2. Meanwhile, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan over a low heat. Cut the bell pepper into slices no more than 1 cm wide and brown them in the pan for 1–2 minutes, then cover with a lid.

Step 3. Dice the tomatoes and add them to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes with the lid on.

Step 4. If you like, add a little turmeric and kala namak salt to the tofu mixture for the same reasons as before and some soy sauce to enhance the umami flavour. Once well mixed, pour the ‘tofu eggs’ over the tomatoes and peppers, then close the lid again.

Step 6. Cook for a further 4–5 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve hot with fresh bread for dipping.

Smart combos

A classic and ethical Turkish breakfast includes vegan menemen, black and green olives, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, plenty of fresh herbs with lemon juice, vegan feta cheese, simit (typical sesame bread) and, of course, black tea served in tulip-shaped glasses. (ince belli).
This rich and healthy breakfast fits perfectly with the saying, ‘Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper‘. To learn more about the importance of breakfast and what the ideal breakfast should look like, read this highly ranked article.

Bon appétit and happy revolution to all!