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Thali

🇹🇷 The food of Turkey

67 dishes from Turkey, best known first, across 22 cities and regions.

Turkish cooking blends Central Asian roots with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern touches, shaped by centuries of Ottoman influence. Meals are built around vegetables, grains, and bread, with moderate use of spices and a wide range of dairy, especially yogurt and cheese. Regional differences are marked, from olive oil-rich Aegean dishes to spicy southeastern kebabs.

  • Yogurt is central, even giving its name to the English word.
  • Olive oil dominates cooking in western Turkey.
  • Baklava and künefe are signature Turkish desserts.
  • Menemen is a classic Turkish breakfast dish.
  • Anchovies are a staple in the Black Sea region.

The cooking of Turkey

Turkish cuisine draws from a long history, combining Central Asian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern traditions, especially through the legacy of the Ottoman Empire. The food is known for its balance—spices are used with restraint, and vegetables, grains, and legumes are central. Olive oil is a key ingredient in the west, while the southeast is famous for its kebabs and sweet pastries. Yogurt and cheese are common, and many dishes are named after their place of origin. Meals are often home-cooked, starting with soup and followed by vegetable or meat dishes, usually with rice or bread.

Staple foods in Turkey

Bread, rice, and bulgur are everyday basics, often served with vegetables or legumes. Lamb, chicken, and beef are the main meats, though fish is common along the Black Sea. Eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and pulses like lentils and beans appear in many dishes. Olive oil and yogurt are widely used, and nuts such as pistachios and walnuts are important, especially in desserts.

Breakfast in Turkey 15 dishes

A Turkish breakfast is varied and generous, featuring cheeses, olives, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, jams, honey, and kaymak (clotted cream). Breads like simit and börek are common, along with spicy sausage (sucuk) and cured beef (pastırma). Menemen, an egg dish with tomatoes and peppers, is a specialty. Tea is always served.

Sweets and drinks in Turkey

Baklava, kadayıf, and künefe are well-known desserts, often made with nuts and syrup. Yogurt is used in drinks like ayran, a salty, tangy beverage. Fruit, both fresh and dried, is common in side dishes or desserts, but fresh fruit is rarely found in sweets. Helva, made from semolina or tahini, is enjoyed year-round, with lighter versions in summer.

From region to region in Turkey

Regional cooking varies widely. The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts use olive oil and fresh vegetables, while the Black Sea region relies on fish, especially anchovies, and maize. The southeast is known for spicy kebabs, meze, and syrupy desserts. Central Anatolia features dishes like mantı (meat-filled dumplings) and gözleme (stuffed flatbread). Cheese varieties and preparation styles also differ by region.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Turkish cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of Turkey

Gaziantep 4Kahramanmaraş 3Adana 2Bursa 2Hatay 2Kayseri 2Mersin 2Tarsus 2Afyonkarahisar 1Anatolia 1Ankara 1Artvin 1Çukurova 1Istanbul 1İzmir 1İzmir Province 1Kars 1Menemen 1Rize 1Şanlıurfa 1Urfa 1Vefa 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
TeaVegan茶 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA drink made by soaking tea leaves in hot or cold water Drink Kebabكَبَاب‎ 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreGrilled or roasted meat, often on skewers, found across the Middle East and beyond Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Halvaحَلَاوَة 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreDense sweet made from seeds, grains, or vegetables, found across Asia, Africa, and Europe Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Pilaf 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan and 5 moreRice cooked in stock with spices, meat or vegetables, with each grain kept separate Main dish, Lunch, Dinner BaklavaVegetarianباقلوا 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreThin pastry filled with nuts and soaked in sweet syrup Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks HummusVegan 🇸🇾 Syria and 5 moreMashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon, and garlic, served as a dip or spread Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Lunch Moussakaμουσακάς 🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreBaked casserole of eggplant or potato, often layered with meat and sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Turkish coffeeVeganTürk kahvesi 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreUnfiltered coffee brewed in a small pot and served with its fine grounds Drink, Snacks AyranVegetarian 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreChilled yogurt drink mixed with water and salt, popular in Turkey and beyond Drink, Breakfast, Lunch Kefir 🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreA tangy, fermented milk drink made with kefir grains Drink, Breakfast, Lunch Turkish delightVegan 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreSoft, chewy cubes of starch and sugar, often flavored or filled with nuts or fruit Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Freekehفريكة 🇵🇸 Palestine and 5 moreRoasted green durum wheat grains, a staple across the eastern Mediterranean Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Qamar al-DinVeganقمر الدين 🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreThick apricot fruit leather and drink, especially served during Ramadan Drink, Snacks TzatzikiVegetarianτζατζίκι 🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreStrained yogurt mixed with cucumber, garlic and herbs, served cold as a dip or sauce Sauce, pickle or ferment, Lunch, Dinner MeatballMeat 🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreGround meat shaped into balls and cooked by frying, baking, or braising in sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Börek 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreFlaky pastry filled with cheese, meat or vegetables, baked or fried Pie or savoury pastry, Breakfast, Lunch Doner kebab 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreMeat roasted on a vertical spit, sliced and served in bread or on a plate Main dish, Lunch, Dinner BozaVegan 🇹🇷 Turkey and 4 moreA thick, mildly alcoholic fermented grain drink from Turkey and the Balkans Drink, Snacks SharbatVeganشربت 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreSweet fruit or flower drink, served chilled or as a syrup Drink, Snacks RakıVegan 🇹🇷 TurkeyTurkish spirit distilled from grapes and aniseed, served with water and meze Drink, Dinner, Supper MantiMeat 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan and 5 moreSpiced meat dumplings wrapped in thin dough, steamed, boiled or baked Dumpling, Lunch, Dinner KnafehVegetarianكنافة 🇵🇸 Palestine and 5 moreShredded pastry layered with cheese and soaked in sweet syrup Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks Kibbehكبة 🇸🇾 Syria and 5 moreSpiced ground meat and bulgur shaped, stuffed, and fried, baked or served raw Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Baba ghanoushVeganبابا غنوج 🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreRoasted eggplant mashed with tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice, served as a dip Salad or side, Snacks LahmacunMeat 🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreThin flatbread baked with a topping of minced meat, vegetables and herbs Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Kaymak 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreThick, creamy dairy spread made from slowly simmered milk Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Snacks DondurmaVegetarian 🇹🇷 Turkey and 2 moreTurkish ice cream thickened with salep and mastic for a chewy, stretchy texture Sweet or dessert, Snacks Strained yogurt 🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreYogurt thickened by straining out most of its whey Sauce, pickle or ferment, Breakfast, Snacks SalepVegetarian 🇹🇷 Turkey and 3 moreA thick, hot drink made from wild orchid tubers, enjoyed in winter Drink, Snacks PastirmaMeat 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreAir-dried cured meat coated in a spiced fenugreek paste Sausage or cured food, Breakfast, Lunch SimitVegan 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreRing-shaped bread with a sesame seed crust, sold by street vendors Bread, Breakfast, Snacks Imam BayıldıVeganİmam bayıldı 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreAubergine stuffed with onion, garlic and tomato, simmered in olive oil Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Baked potato 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreWhole potato baked and topped with butter, cheese, beans or other fillings Main dish, Lunch, Dinner KhashMeatխաշ 🇦🇲 Armenia and 5 moreA rich stew of slow-cooked cow or sheep parts, eaten across the Caucasus and Middle East Stew or curry, Breakfast Kashk 🇮🇷 Iran and 6 moreDried or fermented dairy, sometimes with grain, shaped and stored for later use Cheese or dairy food Muhallebiمهلبی 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreA smooth milk pudding thickened with rice flour or starch, served cold Sweet or dessert FattoushVeganفتوش‎ 🇱🇧 Lebanon and 6 moreLevantine salad of toasted pita, mixed greens, and vegetables Salad or side TaramasalataFish or seafoodταραμοσαλάτα 🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreFish roe blended with oil, lemon and bread or potato, served as a meze spread Sauce, pickle or ferment, Snacks LokmaVegan 🇮🇶 Iraq and 4 moreSmall fried dough pieces sweetened with syrup or honey Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Avgolemonoαυγολέμονο 🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreGreek soup or sauce thickened with egg and lemon Soup, Lunch, Dinner HaleemMeat 🇮🇳 India and 7 moreA slow-cooked stew of wheat, lentils, meat and spices Stew or curry, Breakfast, Lunch Menemen 🇹🇷 TurkeyEggs gently cooked with tomatoes, peppers, and spices, often served for breakfast in Turkey Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch KeşkekMeat 🇹🇷 Turkey and 3 moreA ceremonial wheat and meat stew shared across Turkey, Armenia, and the region Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner Sarma 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreLeaves wrapped around a filling of rice, minced meat and spices Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Gözleme 🇹🇷 TurkeyTurkish flatbread turnover filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch İskender kebapMeat 🇹🇷 TurkeyThinly sliced grilled meat over bread, topped with tomato sauce, butter, and yogurt Main dish, Lunch, Dinner GalaktobourekoVegetarianγαλακτομπούρεκο 🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreCustard-filled filo pastry soaked in syrup Pie or savoury pastry Roast gooseMeat 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreWhole goose roasted until the skin is crisp and the meat tender Main dish, Dinner
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