Turkish Dishes

Baklava
Gossamer thin layers of filo pastry filled with chopped pistachios or walnuts, baked until golden and drenched in a frag...

Turkish Kofte
Spiced, hand-shaped grilled meatballs, a staple of Turkish home cooking.

Doner Kebab
The original rotating spit kebab from which all other shawarma and gyros traditions descend. Turkish doner uses heavily ...

Manti
Tiny Turkish dumplings — smaller than a thumbnail — filled with spiced minced lamb, boiled and served with a garlicky yo...

Simit
A crisp, sesame-crusted ring bread, sold fresh from street carts each morning.

Lahmacun
Often called Turkish pizza but entirely its own dish — a paper-thin crispy flatbread topped with finely minced lamb mixe...

Turkish Pide
A boat-shaped flatbread topped with cheese, meat, or egg, baked in a wood oven.

Turkish Delight
Chewy, fragrant gel candy dusted in powdered sugar, flavored with rose or citrus.

Menemen
Turkey's definitive breakfast dish — eggs scrambled directly in a pan of spiced tomatoes, peppers and onions cooked in o...
Kadinbudu Kofte
Oval-shaped fried meatballs combining rice and ground meat, coated in egg before frying.
Iskender Kebab
Sliced doner meat served over pieces of pita bread, topped with tomato sauce, melted butter, and yogurt.
Iskembe Corbasi
A creamy tripe soup seasoned with garlic and vinegar, a traditional Turkish late-night dish.
Karniyarik
Eggplant halves stuffed with spiced ground meat, tomato, and pepper, baked until tender.
Imam Bayildi
Eggplant halves braised and stuffed with a sweet, garlicky onion and tomato filling, served cold or warm.
Ezogelin Corbasi
A warming red lentil and bulgur soup, flavored with mint and dried chile.
Cig Kofte
A spiced bulgur mixture, traditionally raw, now commonly made meatless, shaped into small patties.
Kokorec
Seasoned lamb intestines wrapped around offal and grilled until crisp, a bold Turkish street food.
Sac Kavurma
Diced lamb sautéed on a domed metal griddle with peppers and tomato, a nomadic Turkish dish.
Kisir
A fine bulgur salad mixed with tomato paste, herbs, and pomegranate molasses, a tangy Turkish mezze.
Icli Kofte
Torpedo-shaped bulgur shells stuffed with spiced ground meat and walnuts, deep-fried until crisp.

Muhallebi
A silky, delicately flavored milk pudding, often topped with rosewater and pistachios.
Kunefe
A warm dessert of shredded phyllo pastry layered with sweet cheese and soaked in syrup.
Mercimek Corbasi
A smooth, warming red lentil soup, seasoned with cumin and a squeeze of lemon.
Pilav
Buttery Turkish rice pilaf, often cooked with orzo pasta for a nutty, toasted flavor.
Testi Kebab
Meat and vegetables slow-cooked inside a sealed clay pot, dramatically cracked open at the table.
Hunkar Begendi
Braised lamb stew served over a creamy smoked eggplant and cheese puree.
Adana Kebab
Spiced, hand-minced lamb skewers grilled over charcoal, named for the city of Adana.
Islak Burger
A soft, steamed burger soaked in a garlicky tomato sauce, an Istanbul street food specialty.
Etli Ekmek
A long, thin, boat-shaped flatbread topped with minced meat and vegetables, a Konya specialty.
Borek
Flaky layers of thin pastry filled with cheese, spinach, or minced meat, a staple Turkish savory pastry.
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