With a yogurt sauce, smoked spicy butter and poached eggs, these Turkish Eggs are a delicious breakfast or lunch option that is quick and easy to make.
So I love traveling, I travel a lot. In one of my recent trips to Europe I had Turkish Eggs for the first time and let me tell you they are amazing.
Ever since then I can’t stop making them. It is a simple recipe with minimal ingredients that is great as an appetizer, breakfast, lunch and more.
With a hint of heat, it is tamed down by the yogurt base. We use a mixture of smoked paprika and chili flakes for the oil portion of the sauce which really gives it amazing flavor.
Better known as Cilbir to anyone who is native to Turkey, this is a staple breakfast dish that is really inexpensive to make and a staple in the household.
Everything about these Turkish Eggs is just delicious, using some toast as your dipping vessel is a must!
If you have ever wanted to try something completely different but also super easy to make then this recipe is something you need to add to your menu.
Some of my other favorite breakfast recipes we have on our site include: French Toast Bites, Breakfast Tacos and Mixed Berry Danishes.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Easily available ingredients help this come together in no time.
- This recipe can be doubled to serve more people.
- This makes a great breakfast or even lunch option.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST):
Eggs (very fresh for best results)
Greek yogurt
Garlic
Unsalted butter
Smoked paprika
Chili flakes
Fresh herbs (we used parsley and thyme)
Toast, for serving
HOW TO MAKE TURKISH EGGS, STEP BY STEP:
- In a bowl, mix the Greek yogurt with minced garlic. Set aside.
- Fill a deep skillet or pot with water and bring to a gentle simmer (not boiling).
- Crack each egg into a small bowl (to avoid breaking the yolk).
- Create a whirlpool in the water with a spoon, then gently slide the egg into the center. The swirling water helps the white wrap around the yolk.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes for runny yolks. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.
- In your cast iron pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the smoked paprika and chili flakes. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant (do not burn!).
- Spread the yogurt mixture onto a serving plate.
- Place the poached eggs on top.
- Drizzle the spiced butter over the eggs and yogurt.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and extra chili flakes and serve with toast if desired.
WHY DO YOU NOT USE VINEGAR TO POACH YOUR EGGS?
Vinegar helps egg whites coagulate, but fresh eggs and a gentle whirlpool method work well without it.
If you aren’t using fresh fresh eggs which we recommend, then you might want to add some vinegar to help with this.
CAN I USE REGULAR YOGURT INSTEAD OF GREEK YOGURT?
Yes, but strain it in a cheesecloth for 30 minutes to thicken.
Greek yogurt is much thicker than regular yogurt as it goes through the straining process to remove the whey.
So if you are wanting to use regular yogurt you are really going to want to strain it so you can get that thickness.
WHAT IS BEST TO SERVE TURKISH EGGS WITH?
Traditionally a nice crusty bread is used to serve this with. It really soaks up that oil and brings everything together for an amazing flavor.
While you can eat this plain with a fork or spoon, it really doesn’t compare to eating it with toasted or crusty bread.
CAN I MAKE MY YOGURT MORE CREAMY?
A little hack that we use from time to time is for extra creaminess, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil or a squeeze of lemon to the yogurt.
HOW TO STORE:
This is best eaten when it is first made, but you can store everything separately in the refrigerator where it will last for up to 1-2 days.
Reheat your oil and eggs in the microwave until just warm.
TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Make sure you are using really fresh eggs, thats they key.
- Serve with a crust bread or toast to soak everything up and to use as a vessel.
- This is best eaten when it is first made.
- You can use regular yogurt, but you are going to want to strain it really well to make it thick.
- You can make this vegan by swapping eggs for tofu scramble, use plant-based yogurt, and vegan butter.
- Heat the butter gently to avoid burning the paprika.
Love a good breakfast but want something completely new? Then you cannot go wrong with these Turkish Eggs.
If you like this recipe you might also like:
If you’ve tried these TURKISH EGGS or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and what shenanigans I’m getting into!
Turkish Eggs
Ingredients
- 2 large fresh eggs very fresh for best results
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic minced, optional
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- Fresh herbs we used parsley and thyme, chopped, for garnish
- Toast for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the Greek yogurt with minced garlic. Set aside.
- Fill a deep skillet or pot with water and bring to a gentle simmer (not boiling).
- Crack each egg into a small bowl (to avoid breaking the yolk).
- Create a whirlpool in the water with a spoon, then gently slide the egg into the center. The swirling water helps the white wrap around the yolk.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes for runny yolks. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.
- In your cast iron pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the smoked paprika and chili flakes (if using). Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant (do not burn!).
- Spread the yogurt mixture onto the cast iron pan or serving plates.
- Place the poached eggs on top.
- Drizzle the spiced butter over the eggs and yogurt.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and extra chili flakes and serve with toast if desired.
Notes
- The toast/bread is not included in the nutritional value.
- Make sure you are using really fresh eggs, thats they key.
- Serve with a crust bread or toast to soak everything up and to use as a vessel.
- This is best eaten when it is first made.
- You can use regular yogurt, but you are going to want to strain it really well to make it thick.
- You can make this vegan by swapping eggs for tofu scramble, use plant-based yogurt, and vegan butter.
- Heat the butter gently to avoid burning the paprika.
Nutrition
Tornadough Alli is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value is important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and values can vary depending on which brands were used.
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