Top Turkish Foods List

These include, among many others, dishes from the Mediterranean Coast made with olive oil, hearty pastries from central Anatolia, and delicately spicy tastes from the East and Southeast. Turkish people are so passionate about food that they even compose songs about it. One such song is “Domates, biber, patlican” by Anatolian rock star Baris Manco, which is Turkish for “Tomatoes, Pepper and Eggplant.”

Turkey’s cuisine is well known for its mouthwatering flavours and deep cultural legacy. A visit to an authentic Turkish restaurant offers a plethora of mouthwatering dishes that highlight the culinary prowess of the nation.

Lahmacun

Lahmacun, or Lahamajoun, can be compared to a thin, crispy pizza or flatbread, a popular Middle Eastern cuisine. It is topped with a delicious combination of minced meat, peppers, tomato, fresh herbs, and aromatic spices. In contrast to American pizza, Turkish pizza or lahmacun is typically rolled and consumed similarly to a burrito, with its thin crust providing a delightful crispy texture.

Karisik Pide

Turkish Kiymali Pide is a traditional Turkish Cusine, with a mixture of ground lamb or beef, peppers, onions, and tomatoes as toppings. In simple words its a Turkish boat-shaped pizza. Baked in a wood fired oven. Its outer crust is tender and fluffy while the interior is filled with a blend of cheese and spices such, as cinnamon, cumin and paprika lending it a subtle sweetness. To enhance its flavor a touch of richness is added by placing egg yolks on top making it an ideal choice, for breakfast.

Adana kebab

Andana kebab is a special Turkish barbeque made with ground lamb, skewered meat, and spices. This spicy kebab is your go-to dish if you are trying Turkish cuisine for the first time. Hand-minced lamb meat is arranged on a broad iron skewer to create the Turkish kebab dish called Adana Kebab. They are typically prepared by grilling them over an open coal fire, or "mangal" in Turkish. It was formerly known as the "Kıyma Kebabı" and is named after Adana, the fifth-largest city in Turkey. Traditionally, Urfa chilli peppers, hand-minced tail fat, and male lamb meat under a year of age are used to make these mouthwatering kebabs.

Tavuk Sis

The experience of savouring Tavuk Sis is truly unique. Combining succulent and tasty boneless meat creates a delightful sensation in your taste buds. Marinated grilled chicken offers a delightful combination of tastes that will leave you craving for additional bites. Whether savored on its own or accompanied by customary accompaniments, this Turkish Kebab enchants your senses and creates a memorable impact on your taste buds.

Doner kebab

Doner kebabs, also known as Rotisserie kebabs, are made of slices of marinated meat roasted while rotating on a big skewer. The cooked meat is then presented with tomato, onion, lettuce, and yogurt sauce on thin slices of open pita bread. It's the marinade that ensures the meat has a consistent flavor throughout. The marinade ensures that you get smoky, flavorful chunks of juicy kebab meat instead of charred ones when you bite into it.

Baklawa

Baklava is a tasty treat that entices the palate with its rich and decadent sweetness. It’s a famous Middle Eastern dessert and is a truly magnificent culinary creation. A delightful blend of earthy and nutty flavors, which change according to which nuts the talented chef chooses to use during the laborious preparation process, perfectly balances the rich layers of filo pastry that are generously infused with buttery goodness.

Kataif

Kataif or Qatayef, this appetizer has a deliciously creamy and oozy cheese filling enclosed in a crispy outer shell, creating a delightful contrast of textures. Savouring this treat will allow you to feel the pure joy of its incredibly gooey and delightfully stretchy texture as you eat it. The dish is drenched in a seductive sweet sugar syrup, which elevates the flavour experience even further and gives it the mouthfeel of a paradisiacal delight.

Hummus

Hummus has a flavor profile that can be best described as "nutty" and "earthy." The chickpeas contribute to its taste while the tahini adds an creamy element. A delightful zesty kick is introduced by the garlic and lemon. The fruity flavor of olive oil brings everything in harmony.

Falafel

Falafel, those delightful fried balls or patties are crafted with care using a combination of chickpeas or fava beans ( both!) along, with a medley of fresh herbs and spices. This Middle Eastern snack is renowned for its popularity among locals and visitors in countries like Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. While the specific ingredients may vary from place to place traditional falafel boasts a texture and a robust flavor profile that is both savory and herbaceous. This delectable blend is achieved through the inclusion of herbs such, as coriander, cumin, parsley and mint

Piyaz

Have you heard of Antalya's renowned pizza salad? It's a popular Turkey bean salad; candy beans are the key ingredient that sets it apart. These delicate and flavorful beans are mixed with tahini, water, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, garlic, onion, vinegar,flat-leaf parsley, and olive oil. Unlike regular butter beans, candour is a smaller variety grown in the province of the same name. A soft-boiled egg is roughly chopped and added to the traditional salad before serving.

Inegol kofte

In Turkish cuisine, meatballs are much more than just meatballs. Every style contributes a different slice of history. Mustafa Efendi's invention, Inegol kofte, is among the most well-known. Originally from Bulgaria, he moved to Inegol in northwest Turkey in the 19th century. Unlike other Turkish kofte, his mixture only contains ground lamb or beef and breadcrumbs seasoned with onions.

Ezogelin corba

Legend has it that a woman named Ezo, who was married and dissatisfied, prepared a special soup to win over her mother-in-law. This soup, known as ezogabine or "bride Ezo," is made with red lentils, freshly grated tomatoes and onions, tomato paste (either sweet or spicy), and garnished with dried mint and chili flakes. It originates from a village near Gaziantep and continues to be popular among soon-to-be brides, although there is no evidence to confirm whether Ezo's plan was successful.

Iskender kebab

Three things have made Bursa famous: silk, Uludag's ski resorts, and Iskender kebabs. This dish was originally prepared in 1867 for laborers in the city's Kayhan Bazaar by a man with the same name. A portion of tart yogurt, tomato sauce, and green peppers are served alongside thin slices of doner meat that are respectfully placed over pieces of plump pide bread. The dish is then covered with freshly made tomato sauce and a dash of sizzling melted butter.

Saksuka

Zeytinyagli Yemeni, a variety of vegetables cooked in olive oil, is a staple of Turkish cuisine. Green beans, artichokes, and eggplants are the primary vegetables in a lot of these recipes. Every region of Turkey has a different way of making sasuke. Whichever the method it is, in every manner, this dish is moutwatering. It typically includes smooth purple-skinned cubes of green flesh, along with zucchini, garlic, tomatoe sauce, and varying levels of chili.

Kisir

Kisir is A special kind of Turkish Bulgur salad and is made with tomatoes, garlic, parsley, mint, and fine bulgur wheat. There are variations of the dish in different parts of Turkey. However, nar eksisi, sour pomegranate molasses, pul biber and spicy red chilli flakes set the Antakya version apart. It is important to note that people in Turkey's southern regions typically like their kisir hot.