Turkish Recipes

Turkish food is a reflection of Turkish culture, encompassing a fusion of flavours, fresh ingredients and traditional culinary methods shaped by diverse cultures and civilisations spanning centuries.

While Turkish dishes are renowned for being focused on meat, including lamb, beef and chicken, you’ll also find lots of seasonal, vegetable-based dishes in Turkish food. Some of the most highly celebrated, iconic Turkish foods include:

• Döner: A popular Turkish street food, döner (also known as döner kebab) consists of slices of seasoned meats, usually lamb or chicken, that are slow-cooked on a vertical rotisserie, often served with accompaniments like pita bread, vegetables and yoghurt sauce.
• Baklava: Baklava is a sweet, layered pastry dessert, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey.
• Manti: Originating with nomadic Turkish tribes in the 13th century, manti are small dumplings filled with spiced meat, typically served with yoghurt and drizzled with garlic-infused butter and paprika.
• Meze: Similar to a charcuterie board or tapas, a Turkish meze is an array of small appetiser dishes, which can include the likes of olives, fried or stuffed vegetables, hummus and more.
• Lahmacun: Often referred to as "Turkish pizza," lahmacun is a thin, circular or oval flatbread topped with minced meat, vegetables and spices. Read on for more on Turkish flatbread recipes!
• Simit: A beloved street food, simit are sesame-coated circular bread rings, a little like a pretzel, regularly enjoyed in Turkey as a snack.

Kumpir (Turkish baked potato) is a Turkish recipe commonly sold as street food in Istanbul. While a simple baked potato isn’t revolutionary, what makes this Turkish food so exciting is the toppings. The result is a loaded baked potato that’s as filling as it is delicious.

Cheese and butter:
Before adding any other fillings to the kumpir, a generous amount of cheese and butter is essential. Using a fork and knife, carefully slit the freshly baked potato in two and mash in the butter and cheese until soft and creamy.
Protein:
Shredded beef or chicken work well for this Turkish recipe. For a vegetarian option, try legumes like lentils, chickpeas or black beans.

Veggies:
For a lighter meal try fresh salad ingredients like rocket, spinach, sweet corn, fresh tomatoes or pomegranate seeds. Fried mushrooms make for a heartier kumpir, while pickled cabbage, jalapenos or grilled peppers are also great veggie options.

Sauce:
You can’t go wrong with a creamy cheese sauce, and hummus or guacamole are delicious options, too. Tzatziki also goes well with kumpir, while spicy chilli sauce gives this Turkish dish an extra kick.