Delicious Turkish eggs (Cilbir) are perfectly poached eggs served over tangy seasoned yogurt, then drizzled with hot chili oil and a sprinkle of fresh dill. Serve with crusty bread for a delicious breakfast or brunch that’s ready in just 15 minutes!
What is Çılbır (Turkish eggs)?
Çılbır or cilbir (pronounced chil-bir) is a traditional Mediterranean breakfast recipe that originated in Turkey. It’s made with seasoned thick yogurt, a hot chili oil and soft poached eggs. The three layers combine for one of the most comforting and delicious breakfasts! And the best part is that it’s easy to whip up, even on busy mornings!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick & easy to make: Everything comes together with very little effort in just minutes. This is one meal that you’re going to want to repeat often!
- Simple ingredients: You need only 5 key ingredients, plus seasonings! They are all super common ones that you might already have in your kitchen.
- So delicious: Loaded with the most incredible taste and a wonderful joining of textures, this is one brunch that always hits the spot!
Ingredients needed
The ingredients needed for this Turkish eggs recipe are simple and ones that you may already have on-hand. They come together for a savory, rich meal that’s full of flavor. Here’s everything you need to make it:
- Greek yogurt: Use plain, whole milk Greek yogurt. It’s essential that the yogurt is nice and thick. The brand Fage works great!
- Garlic: Adds a nice savory flavor to the yogurt.
- Dill: Fresh dill gives the yogurt a bright, refreshing taste. Feel free to omit, if you’d like.
- Seasonings: A simple blend of cumin, salt and pepper enhances the flavor of the yogurt.
- Butter or olive oil: For heating the pepper flakes.
- Aleppo pepper flakes: The flavor of Aleppo pepper flakes has an undertone of earthy cumin with lemony top notes. The heat comes in slowly and then dissipates, leaving behind the tart citric top notes. Sub with any crushed red chili flakes or paprika.
- Eggs: Poached eggs are the star of this recipe!
- Distilled white vinegar: Use this to help the egg stay together when poaching in the water.
How to make Turkish eggs
Turkish eggs are made up of 3 main components – flavorful yogurt, spiced chili oil and poached eggs. All are very simple to make, and don’t be intimidated if you’ve never poached an egg before, it’s actually quite easy! Here is how everything comes together for an amazing Turkish breakfast:
- Prepare yogurt: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, dill, cumin, salt & pepper. Stir and set aside.
- Make chili oil: In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter and Aleppo red pepper flakes. Stir constantly until bubbles begin to form and the aroma is released then remove from the heat. This should take about 1 minute max, so be sure not to burn the chili flakes.
- Poach the eggs: Fill a large saucepan or shallow pot with about 2-3 inches of water. Bring water to a gentle boil then stir in vinegar. Crack an egg into a small bowl and slip into the water. Repeat with the remaining eggs and cook eggs for about 3 minutes or until whites are firm and yolks have thickened but are not hard. Scoop the eggs out with a slotted spoon and transfer them onto a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle poached eggs with salt.
- Plate. Spread the garlic yogurt on two plates, and place two poached eggs on the yogurt, in each plate. Drizzle with the hot chili oil and garnish with more dill if desired. Serve with toasted crusty bread.
Expert Tips
If you’re new to preparing Turkish poached eggs, here are a few tips to help make this dish a total success:
- Breakfast for one: As written, this recipe serves 2 people. Each person would be served 1/2 cup yogurt and 2 poached eggs. Simply cut the recipe in half to serve one person.
- Prep tip: Be sure to allow the Greek yogurt to come to room temperature before making this recipe. You don’t want warm poached eggs over a cold yogurt mixture.
- Don’t burn the pepper flakes: When making the chili oil, it’s important to keep a close eye on the pepper flakes as they cook. It will only take about 1 minute for them to get warm. Any longer than this and they could burn.
- Serve just after preparing: Once the Cilbir has been prepared, it should be served immediately. This dish is best served when the eggs are warm and everything is freshly made. Only make enough for what you intend to serve.
- Use vinegar: We highly recommend adding vinegar to the water when poaching eggs. This is what keeps them from falling apart and spreading through the water. Don’t worry – you will not taste the vinegar in your eggs.
Frequently asked questions
Are Turkish eggs spicy?
As written this recipe is mild with just a subtle amount of heat from the chili oil. If you’d like to make it spicier, use regular red pepper chili flakes, which are a bit spicier than Aleppo pepper flakes.
How long does it take to poach an egg?
A cooking time of just 3 minutes yields poached eggs with set whites and softened yolks. If you prefer firmer yolks, poach the eggs for 4–5 minutes, or until the yolk no longer jiggles when pressed.
What to serve with Turkish eggs?
Traditionally, Turkish eggs are served with toasted crusty bread to scoop up the layers of egg, chili oil, and yogurt mixture. Although, not authentic, you could always serve some bacon, sausage, or breakfast potatoes on the side.
Storage recommendations
Once the yogurt, chili oil and poached eggs are assembled together, this dish is best enjoyed immediately. However, you can make everything in advance and store it separately in the fridge.
Make ahead:
- The Greek yogurt can be mixed with the garlic, dill and seasonings and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
- If you make the chili oil ahead of time, you can store it in a small bowl at room temperature for a day or two.
- Place poached eggs in an ice water bath and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to enjoy, add some hot water to a small bowl or cup and add a poached egg until it’s warmed up (about 20-30 seconds).
Bring everything to room temperature before serving!
More egg breakfast recipes
Turkish Poached Eggs (Cilbir)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated
- 2 Tablespoons dill, finely minced (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon EACH cumin, salt & pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Aleppo pepper flakes- or any crushed red chili flakes or paprika
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare Yogurt: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, dill, cumin, salt & pepper. Stir and set aside.
- Make Chili Oil: In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter and Aleppo red pepper flakes. Stir constantly until bubbles begin to form and the aroma is released then remove from the heat. This should take about 1 minute max so be sure not to burn the chili flakes.
- Poach the Eggs: Fill a large saucepan or shallow pot with about 2-3 inches of water. Bring water to a gentle boil then stir in vinegar. Crack an egg into a small bowl and slip into the water. Repeat with the remaining eggs and cook eggs for about 3 minutes or until whites are firm and yolks have thickened but are not hard. Scoop the eggs out with a slotted spoon and transfer them onto a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle poached eggs with salt.
- Plate: Spread the garlic yogurt on two plates, and place two poached eggs on the yogurt, in each plate. Drizzle with the hot chili oil and garnish with more dill if desired. Serve with toasted crusty bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
