What type of food do turkish eat

We do! Lahmacun is essentially a Turkish pizza which has a thin crispy crust and is topped with a delicious fresh sauce composed of tomatoes, peppers, flavoursome minced meat and herbs. Although it may look like a pizza, it does miss one essential pizza ingredient — Cheese! Oh, glorious baklava! Whilst many of you may know what baklava is, have you tried it in Turkey? This rich, sweet dessert pastry made of layers of filo, is filled with chopped nuts such as walnuts and is then sweetened and essentially held together by syrup or honey.

This dessert is a dream for you sweet tooth folk and due to the sweetness of it, a little goes a long way. This delicious kebab is a specialty of the Bursa region and now can be found throughout Turkey.

To eat, you roll up the lahmacun with vegetables like pickles, peppers, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and roasted eggplant.

Borek refers to a family of stuffed pastries popular in Ottoman cuisine. Like lahmacun, borek was one of our favorite Turkish foods. Pictured below is a patatesli or potato borek. Gozleme is a savory Turkish pastry made with thin unleavened dough. Like borek, there are many varieties of gozleme that differ from region to region. Pictured below is a kiymali or minced meat gozleme. The durum was one of our favorite things to eat in Turkey. We enjoyed it on multiple occasions but the best durum we had was from the popular Durumzade shop in Istanbul.

These doner kebab vertical rotisseries are ubiquitous in Turkey. Seasoned meat typically lamb, beef, or chicken is stacked in the shape of an inverted cone and turned slowly next to a vertical heating element.

When cooked, the outermost layer is shaved off in thin pieces and served on a plate or wrapped in a durum. The doner kebab is one of the most important and influential dishes in Turkish cuisine. The unattractive islak burger represents Turkish drunk food at its ugliest and most delicious. Islak burgers are moist, chewy, and garlicky.

Kizilkayalar in Taksim Square is one of the most popular places to have islak burgers in Istanbul. A favorite among late night boozers, it was also featured on the Istanbul episode of No Reservations. It consists of a grilled mackerel fillet sandwiched in a bun with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and a spritz of lemon.

Balik ekmek is a sandwich best enjoyed by the water. Kofte refers to a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes popular in Central Asia, India , the Balkans, and the Middle East. Kofte is an important dish in Turkish cuisine. You can find almost varieties of kofte in Turkey, some of the most well-known being kuru kofte dry , sulu kofte soup , cig kofte raw , and sis kofte skewered.

Lamb is the most popular type of meat used in Turkish food. Testi kebap was the most interesting Turkish dish we had in Cappadocia. Testi or pottery kebab is an Anatolian speciality prepared in a clay pot or jug. The ingredients are placed in the pot and sealed with bread dough before being left to cook in its own juices for several hours in a tandoor or clay oven. When ready, the jug is brought out and cracked at your table. If you were to have just one Turkish dish in Cappadocia , then it should definitely be testi kebap.

You can refer to my article on pottery kebab for more pictures and information. Turkey is surrounded by four seas so its coastal areas are known for its abundance of seafood.

Lamb figures prominently in Turkish cuisine but so does fresh fish. It has all the energy you need to get through your day without getting too hungry. Traditional Turkish breakfasts are large and plentiful, consisting of several small dishes including cheese, olives, tomatoes, butter, jams and spreads, loaves of fresh bread, and, of course, an abundant flow of black tea. The breakfast in rural areas and of the poor is, however, most commonly, soup.

Cheese is one of the most important foods of breakfast in Turkey. The cheese varieties vary depending on the region and may include beyaz peynir white cheese , bergama tulum from Aegean Coast, deri tulum, otlu peynir from Eastern Turkey, comlek peyniri from central Anatolia and tel peynir and abaza peyniri from Black sea coast.

Vegetables and potatoes are also fried up using olive oil , hazelnut oil, or sunflower oil. Eggs are a staple in most Turkish breakfasts, they can be boiled, fried, or made into menemen with peppers and tomatoes.

The traditional Turkish breakfast is a family-oriented affair , with many different dishes that are all served at the same time. The meal can last for hours with family and friendly conversations. If you would like to experience a traditional Turkish breakfast but have no invitation for a homemade one, read our blog post about the best breakfast restaurants in Istanbul serving traditional breakfast.

The Turkish people are more likely to eat at home rather than eating out, which is a relatively new concept introduced by modern life. In an effort to save time, many couples have started cooking at home less and eating out more. In Turkey, it used to be that women were at home while men worked in order to prepare food for their families. Vegetables: okra, pea, green peppers, tomato, mallow, artichoke, carrot, cucumber, chicory, spinach, zucchini, cauliflower, celery, asparagus, cabbage, mushrooms, parsley, lettuce, potatoes, beets, eggplant, leek, arugula, garlic, purslane, onion, radish.

Spices: rosemary, red pepper, nigella seeds, thyme, cumin, mint, cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, sumac, black pepper, clove, poppy seeds, saffron, sesame seeds. Oils: Sunflower oil, olive oil , hazelnut oil. The vibrant and colorful landscape of Turkey means that fruits are numerous, plentiful, and cheap. Either fresh or dried, oranges, mandarins, plums, apricots, pomegranates, pears, apples, grapes, and figs are the most popular fruits used in Turkish cuisine.

Fresh fruits are usually eaten after dinner as a dessert but there are also some Turkish dishes that make use of seasonal fruits. The sweet-salty flavor of these dishes, which are usually flavored with sour fruits such as plum and quince, has its roots going back to the Ottoman era.

Here are some of the best-known fruity Turkish dishes:. Quince is usually stuffed with the same filling as dolma dish. A celebration dish that is made with lamb, fresh almond fruit not the seeds , yogurt, and garlic. Bread is another indispensable part of every Turkish meal. This has been true for thousands of years, and it remains the most important component to every meal: breakfast or dinner — without bread your Turkish meal will lack that something special.

It is eaten, whether it is particularly suited to the meal, or not. Turkey has the highest bread consumption per person in the world. Bread consumption a year is Turkish people eat more than three times their own body weight in bread annually. Bazlama Ekmek: Bazlama is a type of leavened bread with a circular and regular shape. Yufka Ekmek: The phyllo bread, which is eaten in Anatolia for more than a thousand years, is generally made from wheat flour, water, and salt. If dried, this type of round bread can last a long time months.

Misir Ekmegi: Corn bread, which is high in nutrients, is one of the types of bread that is found in the Eastern Black Sea Region. Pide: Pide bread or pita bread is a type of flat bread that is common in Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisines. Lavas : Lavas bread is made of water, flour, and salt. It is a thicker bread than yufka but thinner than pide.

It is used to make wraps. Somun Ekmek: Loaf bread, which is one of the most consumed types of bread in Anatolian cuisine, can be found almost anywhere.

Turkish cuisine has a wide variety of foods, including cereals, pastries, vegetables, and self-growing herbs mixed with meat. There are also many soups and other traditional Turkish foods that incorporate butter, sunflower oil, and olive oil as an ingredient.

Turkish cuisine has also its own unique types of healthy food, such as grape molasses, yogurt, bulgur, etc. Rice is used extensively in Turkish cuisine.

It is featured in many of the stuffed meat and vegetable dishes as well as being served as pilaf, and Turkish people have very high standards for its preparation. Rice with chickpeas is a popular and nutritious type of rice dish in Turkey. In the summer, some pilafs are served cold with plain yogurt. Turkey is no stranger to vegetable-based and vegetarian cuisine. Aegean and Mediterranean regions are well known for their warm and sunny climate which allows growing vegetables year-round.

Some of the most common vegetables grown and eaten in Turkey are zucchinis, eggplants, cauliflower, bell pepper, green beans, spinach, artichokes, carrots, and celery. Fresh vegetables are cooked in many ways, but they mostly fall into one of these categories: meatless vegetable dishes including vegetables with olive oil , boiled, fried, and roasted veggies.

Fried vegetables are usually served with garlic yogurt sauce. A typical vegetable dish is prepared with a base of olive oil, chopped onions, pepper paste or tomato paste concentrated tomato sauce , and fresh tomatoes.

Usually, the vegetables and hot water is added to this base and prepared as a pot dish. Minced meat can be added to most vegetable dishes except the ones cooked with olive oil. Olive oil dishes are also eaten cold and having meat in them is not a great idea.

Further reading: Olive oil and olive oil dishes in Turkish cuisine. Pickles are another popular way for Turkish people to enjoy their vegetables. Pickles are made from all kinds of vegetables, including carrots and cucumbers. Karniyarik: Large eggplant stuffed with ground beef, chopped-up onions, garlic, tomatoes, and green peppers and cooked in oven. Kizartma : Deep-fried vegetables usually eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, green peppers served with yogurt sauce.

Lahana sarmasi: Rolled white cabbage, stuffing is usually with onions and rice and may have minced beef if preferred with meat. You must have seen videos on Instagram of Turksih brewmasters making coffee on hot sand. If that has fascinated you, then you must try this Turkish street food beverage. Turkish coffee is thick, biter and served in a small cup. Turkish teas, on the other hand, are flavorful and aromatic.

Teas are an integral part of Turkish foods. So, you must have a traditional experience on your vacation. Listed below are some special mentions of the mouth-watering Turkish delicacies. They include everything from a unique and mouth-watering breakfast to a dessert you will drool for!

Take a look and try them on your next Turkish holiday! This is one of the most delicious desserts amongst Turkish traditional food options. This dessert is an healthy option, and great for serving at parties, enjoying among family and friends, or just indulging in all by yourself. This Turkish food will be hard to miss on your vacation. Ever heard of vegetarian meat balls?! As absurd as it may sound, it is one of the most famous food in Turkey.

It is mostly served as an appetizer, and is one of the must try Turkish foods when vacationing in Turkey. Does food you send you on a frenzy? Do you love dips with your choice of food? Then, this Turkey food is for you. Haydari is one of a kind meze dip that is prepared by adding garlic, and fresh herbs such as mint, basil, and dill to thickened yogurt. Thick texture, and tangy flavor of this dish makes it a companion of pita bread, kebabs, and vegetables and one of the most delicious turkish foods.

Tursu Suyu is a kind of juice, and no not the kind of juice you are accustomed to. Tursu, one of the famous Turkish foods , is a variety of fresh pickle juices — eggplant, zucchini, garlic, grape leaves, and more.

While Tursu is often served as appetizers, Tursu Suyu, flavored pickle juice, is served as a refreshment, especially in summer season. If you are holidaying in Turkey and craving for a fulfilling breakfast, then you must not miss Kahvalti. Being a part of Turkish cuisine, it is a unique kind of breakfast that does not include the regular ingredients you will find anywhere in a continental breakfast. Instead of butter and jam, you can have tomatoes, olives and cheese in your bread.

Not only is it delicious but also healthy which makes it one of the most authentic Turkish food. Kazan Dibi is one of the most popular foods in Turkey. Basically, it is a dessert that is believed to be created by mistake centuries ago!

The stories behind the origin of the dessert go like once Ottoman Sultan asked his chef to make a dessert for him. The chef mistakenly burnt cream and sugar. Surprisingly, the Sultan liked the taste of that burnt something. And since then it has been the most delicious traditional turkish food.

A delight for meat lovers, Hunkar Begendi is one of the most delicious Turkish dishes. The dish comprises lamb chunks carefully marinated and put on an eggplant which is pureed along with butter and cheese. The whole idea of the dish will make you crave it. What makes this dish even more interesting is the fact that it was the favorite dish of the royalties of Ottoman empire.

The name may not sound that appetizing, but the dish truly is! These are essentially grilled meat patties sandwiched between crisp buns and then soaked into a rich and thick garlicky tomato sauce. What really enhances the flavor of these delicious burgers and makes them one of the most famous Turkish dishes is the part where these are steamed before they are served to you hot and dripping!

Thanks To This Beautiful Place. A rich and milky glass of Salep is made with orchids before it is garnished with cinnamon and served to you hot and steaming with your choice of the best Turkish food from the menu. It is made by boiling, drying, and then grinding orchids and is said to have various health benefits. Where To Eat: Any restaurant or cafe in Turkey, especially the ones near the famous monuments in Turkey. This is definitely one of the best Turkish dishes for those who have unconditional love for kebabs in all shapes and sizes and even flavors.

These essentially comprise of soft and succulent kofte kebabs that are made with either lamb or beef and then laid out on a flat base of pita bread and topped with tangy tomato sauce, spicy herbs, and of course, fresh yogurt!

It has been tough to keep it dry behind the teeth while compiling this list of Turkish foods. And am I the only one to see a striking similarity with the Indian cuisine? Try all these food delicacies on your next trip to Turkey , a beautiful country to spend a vacation.

For our editorial codes of conduct and copyright disclaimer, please click here. Kebabs, Kofte, and Doner are some of the famous traditional Turkish dishes. If you are interested in eating these authentic dishes then check out the stalls and restaurants in popular places to visit in Turkey for a perfect taste.