Turkish Eggs Recipe (Çılbır)

Turkish eggs recipe on a plate with bread on the side from the top view.

5 from 1 vote

Turkish Eggs Recipe (Çılbır)

Turkish eggs are a visually stunning dish that brings the bold flavors of the Mediterranean to your breakfast table. A high-protein and gluten-free recipe, it is made by placing silky poached eggs on a bed of creamy, garlicky yogurt and drizzling it with a rich, spiced butter sauce.

Served with crusty bread for scooping, every bite offers a perfect balance of textures and flavors.

Prep Time10

Cook Time12

Total Time22

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Author: Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For the Garlic Yogurt Sauce:

1 cup unsweetened plain Greek yogurt at room temperature
1 clove fresh garlic minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed - more to taste
½ teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Poached Eggs:

1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar
4 large eggs

For the Chili Butter Sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter* cut into pieces
1 teaspoon Urfa or Aleppo pepper any red pepper flakes you have on hand
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For Serving:

1 tablespoon of fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, and/or mint
Sliced bread or toast

Instructions

To make the yogurt sauce, whisk together the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl, then cover and set aside. I intentionally do this first so that it can come to room temperature while I poach the eggs.
To poach the eggs, fill a medium saucepan with water (it should be at least 4 inches deep) and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it come to a simmer. Stir in the vinegar.
While you are waiting for the water to come to a boil, place a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl and crack an egg while being super gentle to make sure not to disturb the yolk. Let the excess loose (watery) egg whites drop through and then transfer into a ramekin. Repeat the same process for the rest of the eggs.
Place a sheet of paper towel on a large plate and set it aside.
When ready to poach the eggs, stir the simmering water to create a vortex in the middle, carefully drop the egg in the middle, and cook for 3 to 3 ½ minutes until the whites are firm and the yolk is set but still soft and runny. For a medium yolk, cook 4 minutes. If you prefer the yolks to be fully set, cook for 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the egg with a slotted spoon, then transfer it to the paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat the process with the remaining eggs*.
Right before serving, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-heat. Add the Urfa chili pepper (or any red pepper flakes) and salt. Let it cook, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, for 15-20 seconds until fragrant, lightly foamy, and a reddish color from the pepper, but not browned.
To assemble: Using the back of a large spoon, spread half of the yogurt sauce on a plate. Add two poached eggs on top and drizzle them with the sizzling chili butter sauce.
Garnish with fresh parsley or chopped dill; sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Repeat the same process for the second serving. Serve immediately while still warm.

Video

Notes

Yields: This recipe serves 2 people, with each portion serving two eggs. The nutritional values below do not include the optional bread or toast serving.
Butter: You can use salted butter, but if you do, omit the additional salt.
Cooking eggs: I recommend poaching no more than two eggs at a time for the best results.
Eggs: While this Turkish egg recipe is traditionally made with poached eggs, you can also serve it with fried or soft-boiled eggs.
Make Ahead & Storage: You can make the garlic yogurt sauce a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. While you can technically store the leftovers in an airtight container, I highly recommend consuming this dish as soon as possible, while it is still warm and fresh.

Nutrition

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