Turkish Recipes Made for Sharing
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Meze & Oven

Turkish Recipes Made for Sharing

Turkish food is generous, varied and well suited to a shared table. Prepare savoury pastries, grilled meat, vegetable dishes, yoghurt sauces and desserts with clearly explained traditional techniques.

Recipes

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1-20 of 20 recipes

Turkish Künefe with crisp Tel Kadayıf, melted cheese, lemon syrup and chopped pistachios
1 hr 35 min Turkish

Künefe

Künefe is a Turkish dessert of crisp Tel Kadayıf pastry, melted unsalted cheese and lemon syrup, finished with pistachios.

Turkish Tavuk Şiş chicken skewers with yoghurt and paprika marinade, grilled tomatoes, green peppers and flatbread
4 hr 40 min Turkish

Tavuk Şiş

Tavuk Şiş are Turkish chicken skewers made from a yoghurt and red pepper paste marinade with garlic, onion, lemon, pul biber and oregano.

Turkish Karnıyarık eggplant with minced meat, tomatoes, green peppers, garlic and parsley
1 hr 35 min Turkish

Karnıyarık

Karnıyarık are Turkish oven-baked eggplants stuffed with spicy ground beef, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, garlic and parsley.

Turkish Çılbır with poached eggs, garlic yoghurt, pepper butter, dill and flatbread
30 min Turkish

Çılbır

Çılbır are Turkish poached eggs on garlic yoghurt, covered with warm butter, Pul biber and Aleppo pepper - ideal with fresh flatbread.

Turkish Gözleme from the pan with spinach, feta, onion, parsley and Pul biber
1 hr 15 min Turkish

Gözleme with spinach and feta

Gözleme are thin Turkish flatbreads from the pan, here with a dry filling of spinach, feta, onion, parsley and pul biber.

Turkish Etli Yaprak Sarma wine leaf rolls with minced meat, rice, herbs, lemon and yoghurt
1 hr 50 min Turkish

Etli Yaprak Sarma

Etli Yaprak Sarma are Turkish wine leaf rolls with a juicy filling of minced meat, rice, onions, herbs, tomato and pepper pulp.

Turkish Etli Kuru Fasulye stew with white beans, beef, tomato sauce, rice and pickled peppers
14 hr 25 min Turkish

Etli Kuru Fasulye

Etli Kuru Fasulye is a Turkish stew made from white beans, tender beef, onions, tomato and pepper sauce - classic with rice and pickles.

Turkish Hunkar Beğendi with tender lamb ragout on smoky eggplant puree and parsley
2 hr 10 min Turkish

Hünkar Beğendi

Hünkar Beğendi serves tender lamb ragout on a smoky eggplant purée with béchamel sauce and cheese - a classic Ottoman main course.

Turkish kebab with thin beef, cubes of pepper, tomato sauce, yoghurt, butter and grilled vegetables
9 hr 5 min Turkish

İskender kebab

Iskender kebab combines wafer-thin roasted beef or lamb with roasted pide, spicy tomato sauce, yoghurt and hot butter.

Turkish Kayseri Mantı with minced meat filling, garlic yoghurt, pepper butter, mint and sumac
1 hr 50 min Turkish

Turkish Manti

Turkish mantı are small dumplings filled with spicy minced meat, served with garlic yoghurt, pepper butter, mint and sumac.

Kisir Bulgarian salad with parsley, spring onions, lemon and lettuce leaves
25 min Turkish

Kısır

Kisir is a Turkish bulgur salad with tomato paste, paprika, lemon, pomegranate syrup, herbs and spring onions. It tastes fresh, spicy and easy to prepare.

Turkish pide with minced meat filling, parsley and crispy brim
53 min Turkish

Pide

Pide is a Turkish dough shuttle with a crispy rim and spicy filling. This recipe combines yeast dough with minced meat, peppers, tomato paste and parsley.

Döner plate with spiced meat, rice, salad and yoghurt-garlic sauce
45 min Turkish

Döner kebab plate

A kebab plate succeeds at home with well-seasoned meat, hot pan, fresh salad, rice or flatbread and a garlic-yoghurt sauce. This makes it aromatic instead of dry.

Creamy Mercimek Çorbası with pepper butter, mint and lemon wedges
35 min Turkish

Mercimek Çorbası

Mercimek Çorbası is a creamy Turkish lentil soup made from red lentils, onion, carrot, tomato paste and spices. Lemon and paprika butter give it its typical finish.

Imam Bayildi stuffed eggplant with tomatoes, onions and parsley
1 hr 10 min Turkish

Imam Bayildi

Imam Bayildi is a Turkish eggplant dish with lots of olive oil, onions, garlic and tomatoes. The eggplants are stuffed and slowly stewed until soft.

Turkish cuisine with yoghurt dip, salad and flatbread
35 min Turkish

Köfte

Turkish Köfte are kneaded from minced meat, onion, parsley and spices, shaped and fried or grilled briefly. Rest time and strong flavour make them juicy.

Menemen with tomatoes, peppers and creamy mashed eggs in a pan
25 min Turkish

Menemen

Menemen is a Turkish pan dish made from tomatoes, green peppers and eggs. The eggs are only gently thickened to keep the pan juicy and perfectly match fresh bread.

Golden brown Börek with spinach and cheese filling cut into pieces
1 hr Turkish

Börek

Börek succeeds with yufka or filo dough, a juicy cheese-spinach filling and a yoghurt-egg mixture that joins the layers together. The oven makes the surface golden brown and crispy.

Lahmacun with parsley, lemon and sumac onions on a plate
55 min Turkish

Lahmacun

Lahmacun is made from very thinly rolled yeast dough and a spicy minced tomato mixture. It tastes fresh as from a Turkish bakery with parsley, lemon and sumac onions.

Baklava with pistachios and shiny syrup cut into lozenges
1 hr 15 min Turkish

Baklava

Baklava consists of many buttered layers of filo pastry, chopped nuts and simple syrup. The syrup is poured over the hot pastry after baking and is slowly absorbed.

Guide

Turkish recipes between oven, grill and yoghurt

Turkish cuisine combines dough, stuffed vegetables, grilled meat, lentils, yoghurt, herbs, tomatoes, peppers and spices. Many dishes work best when warm and cool elements come together.

Pide, Börek, Köfte, Mercimek Çorbası or Kisir require different preparation. Dough may rest, fillings should not be too wet and yoghurt or herbal components are fresh on the table.

It's worth a look at

  • Cool filling: For pastries, this prevents soft bottoms.
  • Freshly seasoned yoghurt: Add the garlic, lemon and salt just before serving.
  • Use herbs generously: Parsley, mint or dill give savoury dishes lightness.

This way, Turkish recipes remain hearty, fresh and easy to prepare in advance.

Compose meze, soups and main courses

A few well-chosen components are sufficient for a Turkish-inspired meal: a dip or salad, bread and a warm dish. Lentil soup, kebabs, stuffed eggplants, Börek, Pide or Kisir can be combined according to the occasion without building up an oversized buffet.

Yoghurt brings freshness to spicy dishes, but should not be heated unnecessarily. Börek and Pide fillings must cool down and must not be too moist. For more filling ideas, see the Legumes and Cheese recipes.

Prepare Turkish recipes well

  • Meze: Prepare dips and cooked salads earlier, add fresh herbs later.
  • Pastry: Prepare the filling separately and work in just before baking.
  • Grilled dishes: Marinate, but add salt and acidic ingredients to match the recipe.

This allows a versatile table to be planned without each component having to be finished at the same time.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Turkish Recipes recipes

Hummus, Haydari, Cacık, Ezme, stuffed vine leaves, eggplant salad and Börek go well with a meze table. Bread, olives and a fresh salad complete the selection.

Fillings can be prepared and kept chilled. They should be cooled before filling and not too moist. Börek and Pide taste best fresh or baked briefly.

A high fat, solid natural yoghurt is good for dips and sauces. For a firmer consistency, it can be drained briefly; salt, garlic and herbs are then stirred in.