🏳️

Turkey Cuisine

Asia · Western Asia

61 recipes

Signature Turkey Dishes

🥗 Ingredient:

Turkey·Easy·1 hour 20 minutes (including chilling)

Cacık

A refreshing and cooling Turkish yogurt and cucumber side dish, perfect for hot summer days or as an accompaniment to rich meals like kebabs. It's a delightful blend of creamy yogurt, crisp cucumber, pungent garlic, and aromatic mint.

Turkey·Medium·1 hour 15 minutes

Çiğ Köfte

A flavorful and iconic Turkish dish, Çiğ Köfte is made from fine bulgur wheat that is meticulously kneaded with a rich blend of tomato and pepper pastes, and a generous amount of spices. The long kneading process, traditionally done by hand, 'cooks' the bulgur, transforming it into a smooth, pliable, and deeply aromatic mixture. It's typically served as a meze or snack, wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves and often accompanied by a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Turkey·Easy·25 minutes

Acılı Ezme

Acılı Ezme is a vibrant and intensely flavorful Turkish meze (appetizer) or side dish. It's a finely chopped salad made from ripe tomatoes, crisp peppers, and pungent onion, bound together with spicy pepper paste and aromatic herbs. Traditionally served with grilled meats (kebabs) and warm bread, it offers a refreshing yet zesty contrast.

Turkey·Medium·50-52 minutes

Adana Kebap

Adana Kebap is a flavorful and spicy grilled minced meat dish originating from the Adana region of Turkey. It features finely ground lamb, mixed with lamb tail fat and generous amounts of red pepper flakes, then hand-formed onto wide, flat skewers and grilled over charcoal. This specialty is known for its heat and juicy texture.

Turkey·Medium·1 hour 20 minutes

Ali Nazik

A classic Gaziantep dish featuring a smoky, mashed eggplant and garlic yogurt base topped with succulent, spiced ground lamb and finished with a fragrant paprika-infused butter. This Southern Turkish specialty is a delightful blend of textures and flavors.

Turkey·Medium·1 hour 20 minutes

Alinazik Kebap

A classic Gaziantep dish featuring tender, sautéed lamb cubes served atop a smoky, creamy purée of roasted eggplant mixed with yogurt and garlic. A rich and satisfying experience.

Turkey·Intermediate·12 hours 15 minutes (including soaking)

Aşure

Aşure, also known as Noah's Pudding, is a traditional Turkish dessert made from a delightful mix of grains, legumes, dried fruits, and nuts. It symbolizes abundance and is often shared with neighbors and loved ones, carrying a rich cultural and historical significance.

Turkey·Medium·50 minutes

Beyti Kebab

A modern Turkish classic, this Beyti Kebab features flavorful Adana-style ground lamb, seasoned and grilled, then wrapped in soft lavash bread and generously topped with a rich tomato-butter sauce and cooling garlic yogurt. It's an indulgent and satisfying dish.

Turkey·Medium·50 minutes

Beyti Kebap

Beyti Kebap is a classic Turkish dish featuring spiced ground meat, traditionally lamb or beef, wrapped in thin lavash bread and served with a rich garlic yogurt sauce and a warm tomato-butter sauce. It's a hearty and flavorful meal often found in Turkish restaurants.

Turkey·Easy·25 minutes

Çılbır

A classic Ottoman breakfast dish featuring perfectly poached eggs nestled on a bed of creamy garlic-infused yogurt, all drizzled with a fragrant, spiced chili butter. It's a delightful balance of cool, creamy, and warm, spicy flavors.

Turkey·Easy·20 minutes

Çoban Salatası

A quintessential Turkish shepherd's salad, featuring finely diced fresh vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and peppers, tossed in a simple lemon-olive oil dressing. It's a staple served alongside almost every Turkish meal.

Turkey·Medium·12 hours 30 minutes (including marinating)

Döner Kebab

Turkey's iconic rotating meat cone - seasoned lamb and beef shaved thin, served in bread with vegetables and sauces. This recipe simulates the flavor and texture without a vertical rotisserie.

Turkey·Hard·14-15 hours (including marinating)

Döner Kebap

Authentic Turkish Döner Kebap, featuring thinly sliced lamb layered with fat, marinated, and traditionally cooked on a vertical rotisserie. This is the 'yaprak' (leaf) style, emphasizing the layered meat itself. A world-famous and iconic street food.

Turkey·Easy·15-17 minutes

Dürüm Döner

A classic Turkish street food, this Dürüm Döner features thinly shaved, flavorful döner meat, fresh vegetables, and optional sauces, all wrapped tightly in a soft lavash bread. It's a quick, satisfying, and delicious meal.

Turkey·Easy·1 hour 50 minutes

Et Sote

A classic Turkish comfort food, Et Sote features tender cubes of beef sautéed with vibrant bell peppers and juicy tomatoes in a rich, savory tomato-based sauce. This dish is known for its simplicity and deeply satisfying flavors.

Turkey·Easy·1 hour 30 minutes - 1 hour 40 minutes

Etli Biber Dolması

A beloved Turkish home-cooking classic, this dish features tender bell peppers generously filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, rice, fresh herbs, and a hint of tomato. Baked in a light tomato sauce, it's a comforting and flavorful meal.

Turkey·Easy·20 minutes

Ezme

Ezme is a vibrant and refreshing Turkish meze, or appetizer, featuring finely chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, and fresh herbs, all brought together with a zesty dressing. It's known for its bright flavors and a pleasant kick of spice, making it an essential accompaniment to grilled meats, kebabs, or simply enjoyed with warm flatbread.

Turkey·Easy·55 minutes

Ezogelin Çorbası

Ezogelin Çorbası, often called 'Bride's Soup,' is a comforting and flavorful Turkish red lentil soup. It features a delightful blend of red lentils, bulgur, and rice, seasoned with mint and a hint of spice. This soup is named after Ezo, a bride whose exquisite soup recipe became legendary.

Turkey·Medium·1 hour 5 minutes

Gözleme

A traditional Turkish savory flatbread, Gözleme is made from a thin, unleavened dough filled with various ingredients like spinach and feta cheese, then cooked on a special griddle called a 'sac'. It's a popular and satisfying village breakfast or snack.

Turkey·Medium·1 hour 30 minutes

Hamsili Pilav

A classic Black Sea specialty, Hamsili Pilav is a flavorful baked rice dish enveloped in fresh anchovies. The savory fish complements the aromatic, herb-infused rice perfectly.

Turkey·Medium·3 hours

Hünkar Beğendi

An opulent Ottoman palace dish featuring tender, slow-cooked lamb stew served atop a luxuriously creamy and smoky eggplant purée. This 'Sultan's Delight' is a true taste of history.

Turkey·Hard·2 hours 30 minutes

İçli Köfte

İçli köfte, meaning 'stuffed meatballs' in Turkish, are exquisite torpedo-shaped dumplings made from a delicate bulgur and semolina dough, generously filled with a savory mixture of spiced ground meat, onions, and walnuts. Often considered a culinary art form, especially in the Gaziantep region, these are a labor of love that rewards with incredible flavor and texture.

Turkey·Medium·2 hours

İmam Bayıldı

A classic Turkish dish of eggplants stuffed with a savory mixture of onions, tomatoes, and garlic, then slow-braised in abundant olive oil until meltingly tender. The name, 'The Imam Fainted,' is said to refer to the dish's rich flavor, the amount of olive oil used, or perhaps its perceived expense.

Turkey·Medium·40 minutes

İskender Kebap

A classic Turkish dish from Bursa, featuring thinly sliced döner kebab layered over pieces of pide bread, generously topped with a rich tomato sauce, a dollop of cool yogurt, and finished with a sizzling, paprika-infused butter sauce. It's a hearty and flavorful experience.

Turkey·Easy·45-50 minutes

Kabak Mücver

Crispy, herb-flecked zucchini fritters, a quintessential summer mezze dish. These savory cakes are light yet satisfying, perfect as an appetizer or a light meal.

Turkey·Medium·1 hour 30 minutes

Karnıyarık

A classic Turkish dish featuring tender, fried eggplants that are "split open" and generously filled with a savory mixture of ground meat, onions, tomatoes, and peppers. It's a hearty and flavorful main course.

Turkey·Medium·45 minutes

Kaşarlı Sucuklu Pide

A classic Turkish 'boat pizza' featuring a savory filling of melted kashar cheese and spicy sucuk sausage, baked to golden perfection. This comforting dish is a popular street food and a delightful meal.

Turkey·Medium·1 hour 15 minutes (plus cooling time for syrup)

Kataifi

Delicate nests of crispy shredded phyllo dough, filled with a fragrant mixture of chopped nuts and drenched in a sweet lemon-infused syrup. A traditional and beloved sweet, especially popular during Ramadan.

Turkey·Easy·2 hours 20 minutes (including chilling)

Keşkül

A rich and creamy Turkish almond pudding, traditionally served in the Ottoman palaces. This elegant dessert features ground almonds and a delicate sweetness, making it a light yet satisfying treat.

Turkey·Easy·35-40 minutes

Köfte

Authentic Turkish köfte, featuring a flavorful blend of ground beef and lamb, seasoned with aromatic spices and fresh herbs. These meatballs are traditionally grilled over charcoal, achieving a perfect char and juicy interior. Serve with warm pita bread, sliced onions, and fresh tomatoes for a complete and satisfying meal.

Turkey·Easy·50 minutes (including resting)

Köfte Izgara

Authentic Turkish köfte, these spiced beef meatballs are shaped into classic oval forms and grilled to perfection, offering a delightful char and savory flavor. A quintessential kebab experience, best served with sumac-infused onions.

Turkey·Easy·1 hour 15 minutes - 1 hour 30 minutes

Kumpir

Kumpir is a popular Turkish street food featuring a giant baked potato, mashed with butter and cheese, and loaded with a variety of delicious toppings. It's a hearty and customizable meal, perfect for any time of day.

Turkey·Medium·55 minutes

Künefe

A decadent Turkish cheese pastry from Hatay, featuring shredded phyllo dough (kadayıf) layered with a stretchy, mild cheese and drenched in a sweet lemon-infused syrup. It's a warm, gooey, and delightfully crispy dessert best served immediately.

Turkey·Medium·6 hours 25 minutes

Kuzu Tandır

Kuzu Tandır is a traditional Turkish dish from Central Anatolia, featuring lamb slow-cooked to perfection in an underground oven (tandı r). This method results in incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone meat infused with the flavors of simple aromatics. While traditionally cooked in a pit, this recipe adapts the technique for a standard oven.

Turkey·Medium·2 hours 15 minutes (including dough rising)

Lahmacun

Lahmacun, often called 'Turkish pizza', is a delightfully crispy, paper-thin flatbread generously topped with a spiced mixture of minced lamb, onions, tomatoes, and peppers. It's traditionally rolled up with fresh parsley, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkle of sumac before enjoying.

Turkey·Medium·2 hours 30 minutes (including rising and cooling)

Lokma

Lokma are delightful, bite-sized Turkish fried dough balls, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, generously soaked in a sweet lemon-infused syrup. A beloved street food and dessert.

Turkey·Medium·12 hours 30 minutes (including setting)

Lokum

Authentic Lokum, a classic Turkish delight made with fragrant rose water and crunchy pistachios, dusted with powdered sugar. A delightful chewy confection perfect for sharing or gifting.

Turkey·Hard·1 hour 45 minutes

Mantı

Traditional Turkish dumplings, known as Mantı, are small, delicate parcels of seasoned ground meat encased in a thin pasta dough. They are typically served generously topped with a creamy garlic yogurt sauce and finished with a fragrant, sizzling chili-infused butter.

Turkey·Easy·35 minutes

Menemen

Menemen is a classic Turkish breakfast dish featuring eggs gently scrambled with sautéed tomatoes, peppers, and onions. It's a flavorful and satisfying way to start the day, often enjoyed with crusty bread.

Turkey·Easy·45-50 minutes

Mercimek Çorbası

A velvety smooth and comforting Turkish red lentil soup, infused with the bright flavors of mint and lemon. This is an everyday staple, perfect for a light meal or starter.

Turkey·Easy·1 hour 15 minutes (including cooling)

Mercimek Köftesi

Mercimek Köftesi are delicious, savory patties made from red lentils and fine bulgur, infused with aromatic herbs and spices. Traditionally served as a vegan mezze or appetizer, they are flavorful, satisfying, and surprisingly easy to make.

Turkey·Hard·2 hours

Midye Dolma

A classic Turkish street food, Midye Dolma are mussels stuffed with a fragrant, spiced rice pilaf. They are typically served chilled with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Turkey·Medium·2 hours

Patlıcan Musakka

A hearty and flavorful Turkish Moussaka, featuring layers of pan-fried eggplant, a spiced ground meat and tomato filling, and baked until tender. Unlike Greek moussaka, this version omits the béchamel sauce, allowing the rich flavors of the eggplant and meat to shine.

Turkey·Medium·2 hours 15 minutes (plus chilling time)

Patlıcanlı Musakka

A refreshing Turkish take on moussaka, this dish features layers of tender fried eggplant and a savory tomato-meat sauce, served chilled. Unlike its Greek counterpart, this version is lighter and omits béchamel sauce.

Turkey·Easy·1 hour 10 minutes

Patlıcanlı Pilav

A flavorful and satisfying Turkish rice pilaf studded with cubes of tender, fried eggplant. This dish is a classic summer side, perfect for complementing grilled meats or as a light main course.

Turkey·Medium·2 hours 30 minutes (including dough rising)

Pide

A delicious boat-shaped Turkish flatbread, often called 'Turkish pizza,' generously topped with savory ingredients and baked to golden perfection. This recipe features a classic ground lamb filling.

Turkey·Easy·1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes (plus soaking time for dried beans)

Piyaz

A refreshing and flavorful Turkish white bean salad, a specialty from Antalya. This dish features tender white beans tossed with a creamy tahini-lemon dressing, thinly sliced red onion, fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of tangy sumac. Hard-boiled eggs add richness. Best served at room temperature.

Turkey·Easy·55 minutes - 1 hour

Şekerpare

Delicate Turkish semolina cookies, topped with an almond and generously soaked in a sweet lemon-infused syrup. Perfect for afternoon tea or as a sweet ending to a meal.

Turkey·Easy·45-50 minutes

Sigara Böreği

Crispy, golden-brown rolls made from layers of delicate phyllo dough, filled with a savory mixture of crumbled feta cheese and fresh parsley, then fried to perfection. These 'cigar' shaped böreks are a beloved staple for breakfast, as a meze (appetizer), or a snack.

Turkey·Medium·2 hours 30 minutes (including rising and resting)

Simit

A classic Turkish sesame bread ring, known for its crunchy, sesame-seed-coated exterior and soft, chewy interior. It's a beloved breakfast staple, especially in Istanbul.

Turkey·Challenging·2 hours

Su Böreği

Su Böreği is a classic Turkish layered pastry made with boiled yufka (thin dough sheets) filled with cheese and herbs, then baked until golden and crisp. Its unique texture, achieved by boiling the dough, makes it a beloved dish, often enjoyed for breakfast or as a savory snack.

Turkey·Easy·2 hours 55 minutes

Tas Kebap

A comforting and rustic Turkish lamb stew, slow-braised with tomatoes, peppers, and onions until incredibly tender. Perfect for a hearty everyday meal.

Turkey·Medium·4 hours 15 minutes (including chilling)

Tavuk Göğsü

A surprisingly delicious and creamy Ottoman dessert made from milk, sugar, and finely shredded chicken breast. The subtle savory notes from the chicken are masked by the sweetness and creamy texture, creating a unique and delightful pudding.

Turkey·Easy·55 minutes

Tavuk Sote

A quick and flavorful Turkish chicken sauté featuring tender chicken pieces simmered with vibrant bell peppers, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic onions and garlic. Perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal.

Turkey·Medium·1 hour 5 minutes

Tel Kadayıf

Tel Kadayıf is a classic Turkish dessert made from fine, shredded wheat dough (kadaif) layered with rich clotted cream (kaymak) and baked until golden and crispy, then drenched in a sweet sugar syrup and garnished with pistachios. It's a luxurious dessert often associated with special occasions and palace cuisine.

Turkey·Medium·1 hour 20 minutes

Tulumba

Tulumba are delightful, crispy fried dough pastries shaped into ridged fingers and then generously soaked in a sweet, fragrant syrup. Traditionally enjoyed during festivals and celebrations, these treats offer a wonderful contrast of textures and flavors.

Turkey·Easy·1 hour 10 minutes

Türk Pilavı

A classic Turkish rice pilaf, known as 'pilav', is a buttery, fragrant rice dish cooked to fluffy perfection. It's a staple accompaniment to many Turkish meals, prized for its delicate texture and rich flavor. This recipe focuses on achieving separate, tender grains of rice.

Turkey·Medium·50-52 minutes

Urfa Kebap

Urfa Kebab is a mild, yet flavorful lamb kebab originating from the southeastern region of Turkey, characterized by the smoky and slightly sweet notes of Urfa pepper. Unlike its spicier counterpart, Adana Kebab, Urfa Kebab offers a gentler heat profile, making it a popular choice for a wider audience.

Turkey·Medium·2 hours 30 minutes

Yaprak Sarma

Delicate grape leaves meticulously rolled around a fragrant rice and herb filling, then gently simmered. A quintessential cold mezze, perfect for sharing.

Turkey·Easy·50 minutes

Yayla Çorbası

A comforting and tangy Turkish yogurt soup, enriched with rice and fragrant dried mint. 'Yayla' translates to 'highland,' evoking a sense of rustic, nourishing tradition.

Turkey·Medium·40-45 minutes

Adana Kebab

A traditional Turkish specialty from Adana, this spicy lamb kebab is made with hand-minced lamb, rich lamb tail fat, and a generous amount of chili. It's known for its fiery kick and succulent texture.

← Browse More Countries