If you’ve never had Turkish Eggs, they are a revelation - the kind of dish that shouldn’t work…poached eggs served in yoghurt. But somehow, they work and more than work, they are a complete sensation. Hot, perfectly poached eggs sit on top of a bed of cool creamy yoghurt and then get drizzled with a sizzling butter full of flavour. So incredibly easy and so delicious!
Turkish Eggs, also known as "Çılbır," are a delicious breakfast or brunch dish made with poached eggs served over a bed of yoghurt and drizzled with spiced butter. I think a slow weekend brunch is one of life’s simplest pleasures and whilst I love pancakes (British pancakes, fluffy vegan banana pancakes or classic pancakes with no baking powder) of all forms, this savoury brunch really is so good. Or it makes a great lunch too.
Why you’ll love Turkish Eggs
- Speedy to make but full of flavour
- Simple ingredients you may already have lying around
- They make a change from your typical poached eggs on toast or scrambled eggs if you’re a little bored of the classic
- It’s full of protein and a great way to start your day
You will need the following ingredients
Greek yoghurt: go for proper Greek yoghurt and not Greek style yoghurt as it’s much thicker and means you get a nicer base for the eggs
Garlic: 1 clove I find is plenty for this dish as it is raw so you don’t want it to be overpowering. If you can’t handle the garlic breath after eating raw garlic, a teaspoon of garlic granules works.
Dill: I like dill here and think it has a mellow but bright flavour. If you don’t like dill, mint or coriander would work. Even chives too.
Eggs: use fresh, free-range eggs if you can. Fresh eggs tend to poach better than those a few days old.
Butter: I like salted butter but unsalted works too. You melt the butter and add the spices for the drizzle.
Paprika: good quality smoked paprika is one of those ingredients that you don’t realise how good it can be until you try the real deal. All this to say, if you can buy proper paprika rather than bog-standard supermarket type, I would really recommend.
Chilli flakes: I like a bit of spice in this. The cooling yoghurt balances it well but if you can’t handle spice, leave it out. Or add more if you love it spicy!
Olive oil: this is the time to use the good stuff as it’s to drizzle over the yoghurt. I love Citizens of Soil olive oil if you want to treat yourself.
Sourdough: or any bread but sourdough is firm and holds well as something to scoop yoghurt.
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Substitutions and Variations
Garlic: if raw garlic really isn’t your thing, try garlic granules instead. 1 teaspoon will work.
Dill: any soft herb will work really so it’s a good one to use up anything in the bottom of the fridge. By soft herb, I mean parsley, mint, basil, coriander and not woody herbs like rosemary, thyme, bay.
Paprika: you could experiment with different spices to mix it up. Paprika gives it a bright colour and smoky flavour but for a twist, try with cumin or turmeric.
Chilli flakes: traditionally, Aleppo pepper is used but chilli flakes obviously work fine.
Here's how to make simple Turkish Eggs
This is an easy step-by-step guide but the full recipe is below.
ONE: In a small mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature yoghurt and garlic, a good pinch of salt and the chopped dill. Season well and then give it a good stir. Divide this between two serving bowls.
TWO: Melt the butter in a pan and add the smoked paprika, stir and remove from the heat. You don’t want to burn the paprika.
THREE: Get a pan of water on to simmer but not aggressively bubble. Lower in the eggs to poach them gently for 3.5-4 minutes. See my tips below for perfect eggs. Remove with a slotted spoon and season with salt and pepper
FOUR: To assemble, drizzle a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil over the yoghurt, then the paprika butter, and finally, top with the poached eggs. Sprinkle with additional dill. Serve immediately with your toasted sourdough.
Cooking Tips
Poaching eggs: Firstly, I always add a splash of white wine vinegar or cider vinegar to the water along with salt. Once it’s simmering, turn down the heat as you don’t want any bubbles coming to the surface aggressively as this breaks apart the white. I like to create a vortex in the pan for poached eggs. Use a spoon to stir the water around the pan in a consistent circle. Then remove the spoon and gently lower the egg in. I often will crack the egg into a ramekin or mug so I can gently tip it into the water rather than it splashing into the pan from the eggshell. Then cook for 3.5-4 minutes depending on the size of the egg. You can test how done it is by lifting the egg out with a slotted spoon and gently pressing it with your finger.
Paprika butter: make sure to just gently melt the butter and not bubble it. The warmth from the butter will wake up the paprika and chilli and makes the flavours so delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Turkish eggs, also known as "Çılbır," are a delicious breakfast or brunch dish made with poached eggs served over a bed of yoghurt and drizzled with spiced butter.
Menemen is a traditional Turkish breakfast dish made with eggs, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and spices. It's almost like a Turkish-style scrambled eggs rather than poached eggs placed on yoghurt.
I like it just with toasted sourdough to scoop up the yoghurt and runny yolks but you could also serve with flatbreads or pittas.
Other recipes you may like to try
If sweet brunch/breakfast recipes are more your thing, these fluffy banana pancakes are delicious. Simple and they are accidentally vegan. Otherwise, this is my classic pancake recipe that contains no baking powder. Pistachio Stuffed French Toast is so unbelievably good and a real indulgence. It’s a good one for a celebration brunch.
These aren’t every day recipes though, so I do also love this Chorizo and Potato Hash with fried eggs and red peppers. Delicious and simple, a nice one for lunch too. Or try this Courgette Frittata that is made mostly in the pan and finished in the oven to cook the top.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
PrintTurkish Eggs
Turkish Eggs are a complete sensation. Hot, perfectly poached eggs sit on top of a bed of cool creamy yoghurt and then get drizzled with a sizzling butter full of flavour. So incredibly easy and so delicious!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Turkish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yoghurt
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tablespoon of fresh dill, finely chopped, plus a few more sprigs for garnish
- 4 eggs
- 50g butter
- ½ tbsp. paprika
- ½ tsp teaspoons red chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- toasted sourdough to serve
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the room-temp yoghurt and garlic, a good pinch of salt and the chopped dill. Season well and then give it a good stir. Divide this between two serving bowls.
- Get a pan of water on to simmer but not aggressively bubble. Lower in the eggs to poach them gently for 3.5-4 minutes. See my tips below for perfect eggs. Remove with a slotted spoon and season with salt and pepper
- While the eggs are poaching you can quickly make the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a pan and add the smoked paprika, stir and remove from the heat. You don’t want to burn the paprika.
- To assemble, drizzle a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil over the yoghurt, then the paprika butter, and finally, top with the poached eggs. Sprinkle with additional dill
- Serve immediately with your toasted sourdough.
Notes
Poaching eggs: Firstly, I always add a splash of white wine vinegar or cider vinegar to the water along with salt. Once it’s simmering, turn down the heat as you don’t want any bubbles coming to the surface aggressively as this breaks apart the white. I like to create a vortex in the pan for poached eggs. Use a spoon to stir the water around the pan in a consistent circle. Then remove the spoon and gently lower the egg in. I often will crack the egg into a ramekin or mug so I can gently tip it into the water rather than it splashing into the pan from the eggshell. Then cook for 3.5-4 minutes depending on the size of the egg. You can test how done it is by lifting the egg out with a slotted spoon and gently pressing it with your finger.
Leave a Reply