What is the difference between Menemen and Shakshuka?

Turkish Menemen and Israeli shakshuka are very similar but differ in the method and seasoning. Both are breakfast dishes where eggs are cooked in a tomato sauce. In menemen the eggs are virtually scrambled into the sauce, whereas shakshuka eggs are placed on the sauce and only slightly mixed. Menemen tends to have hot peppers whereas shakshuka uses a mix of paprika, turmeric, cumin, and black pepper. But there are countless versions of both dishes, with a variety of added ingredients.

Menemen and shakshuka basically have the same ingredients. The main difference is that shakshuka has eggs added at the end of the cooking process left whole, or slightly broken up. With menemen, eggs are mixed into the tomato sauce, like scrambled eggs. The spices used can also differ, and menemen is usually spicier.

Shakshuka contains a tomato sauce base and a combination of peppers and onions with baked eggs. With Menemen, however, the idea is different. It is mostly a soft scrambled egg with soft green peppers and fresh tomato. Both are typically paired with a generous slice of sourdough toast or flatbread.