Easy Turkish Eggs (Çılbır) | Downshiftology

Turkish eggs (also known as Çılbır) are the perfect breakfast or brunch idea—simple yet layered with so much flavor. A creamy, garlicky yogurt base is topped with soft poached eggs and drizzled with a spiced butter sauce, then finished off with fresh herbs.

A plate of Turkish eggs with herbs. — *Photo: Gayle McLeod*

Why You’ll Love These Turkish Eggs

I love an oozy poached egg with almost any breakfast, but Turkish eggs definitely make it into my top five, right alongside shakshuka. It’s an incredible dish that embodies everything I love about Middle Eastern food—creamy, tangy yogurt, bold spices, and loads of fresh herbs. Plus, it comes together in under 20 minutes, which is perfect for when I need a quick, easy meal to start my day on a good note. Here’s what else you’ll love about my recipe:

It’s protein-packed. If you’re looking to get more protein in, first thing in the morning, it’s hard to beat this simple combination of yogurt and eggs.
Make this ahead of time. You heard that right! You can prep the garlicky yogurt and poached eggs up to two days in advance for a super-speedy assembly.
It’s perfect for entertaining. I love to serve this for a Sunday brunch or special occasion like Mother’s Day, with a platter of 8 to 12 poached eggs. It’s a showstopper! Just check out the photo below.

Turkish Eggs Ingredients

Greek Yogurt: Use full-fat Greek yogurt (or Turkish Yogurt!) to replicate the traditional strained yogurt used in Turkish eggs. Its thick, creamy texture is key to this dish.
Garlic, Salt, and Black Pepper: Mix these with the yogurt to create a flavorful, savory base.
Eggs: When making poached eggs, I add a dash of vinegar to the water to help the eggs coagulate more quickly for cleaner poached eggs.
Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter, then salting the finished dish to your liking.
Aleppo Pepper & Paprika: This spice combination is mixed with the butter to give it a slight kick, with smoky, tangy notes. If you don’t have Aleppo pepper, swap it with sweet paprika and a pinch of cayenne. You could also add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Fresh Herbs: Fresh dill is my favorite, but you can also use parsley, mint, or other fragrant leafy herbs.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below

How To Make Turkish Eggs

Garlicky yogurt for Turkish eggs in a bowl.

Step one: Make the garlicky yogurt. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.

Spiced butter sauce in a pan for Turkish eggs.

Step two: Make the spiced butter sauce. Heat a small pan over medium-low heat, and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the Aleppo pepper and paprika, stir for a minute, then turn off the heat.

Step three: Prepare the eggs. Crack each egg into a small strainer over a bowl and let the watery egg whites drain, leaving the firmer egg whites around the yolk. After each egg has drained, pour it into a small ramekin.

Step four: Make the poached eggs. First, heat a medium (ideally wide) pot of water over medium heat until it starts simmering. Next, add the vinegar and give it a quick stir. Then, lower the heat to medium-low—you want just a few tiny bubbles at the bottom, not a rolling boil or even a simmer. Carefully lower each ramekin with an egg into the water, spacing them a few inches apart. Let them cook for about 3 minutes. Once they’re done, use a slotted spoon to lift them out and set them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

A bowl of Turkish eggs with yogurt and herbs.

Step five: Assemble the Turkish eggs. Add the garlicky yogurt to a plate or bowl, top with poached eggs, and drizzle the spiced butter sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh herbs, and it’s ready to eat!

Make-Ahead Tip

You can prepare the yogurt mixture and poached eggs in advance! They’ll stay good in the fridge for up to 2 days. For the poached eggs, make sure to store the eggs right away in a container with cold water.

Ways To Serve Turkish Eggs

People usually serve Turkish eggs with crusty bread like sourdough, Turkish flatbread (bazlama), or pita to soak up all that delicious yogurt and butter. In the video below, I’m using gluten-free bread. Alternatively, here are a few more delicious ways to enjoy the recipe:

With a simple side salad: This Greek salad, Mediterranean chickpea salad, or cucumber tomato salad are great options for a light, fresh meal.
With roasted potato dishes: I love using potatoes as a bread alternative—from roasted potatoes to smashed potatoes or sweet potato toast and more!
For a large crowd: Serve this at a brunch party by arranging the garlicky yogurt on a large serving dish. Top it with several poached eggs, drizzled with the spiced butter, and finished with fresh herbs. Pro tip: If you use 4x the eggs, you don’t have to 4x the yogurt and butter sauce, I’ll usually make a little less of both of those, as the eggs nestle more tightly on a platter.

A platter of Turkish eggs for brunch for a crowd.

More Brunch Ideas

If you make this Turkish eggs recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.

Description

Turkish eggs are the perfect brunch idea—a garlicky yogurt base topped with a poached egg, a spiced butter sauce, and fresh herbs. Watch the video below to see how I make this in my kitchen!

Make the garlicky yogurt. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Make the spiced butter sauce. Heat a small pan over medium-low heat, and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the Aleppo pepper and paprika, and stir for a minute. Turn off the heat.
Prepare the eggs. Crack each egg into a small strainer over a bowl and let the watery egg whites drain, leaving the firmer egg whites around the yolk. After each egg has drained, pour it into a small ramekin.
Make the poached eggs. Heat a medium (and preferably wide) pot of water over medium heat, until simmering. Add the vinegar and stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low, until there’s just a few bubbles on the bottom of the pot and gently pour each ramekin with an egg in the water, spaced several inches apart. Cook the eggs for 3 minutes (note: see timing on poached eggs in the notes below). After the eggs have cooked, remove them with a slotted spoon and place then on a paper towel-lined plate.
Make the Turkish eggs. Add the garlicky yogurt to a plate, top with poached eggs, and drizzle the spiced butter sauce on top. Finish with a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh herbs.

I love the slightly sweet, complex flavor of Aleppo pepper (and I’ve linked the one I use in the ingredients above). But if you don’t have Aleppo pepper, swap it with sweet paprika and a pinch of cayenne. You could also do a mix of sweet paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Though I do think you should try this recipe at least once with the Aleppo pepper. You’ll love it!
If you’d like to prep the poached eggs ahead of time: after they’ve cooked, submerge them in a bowl of cold water to stop their cooking and retain their ooziness. You can store them in the water in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can then serve them cold, or rewarm them in a bowl of hot water for 20 seconds or so before serving.

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Behind The Scenes

While this recipe looks quite elegant, you certainly don’t need to wait for Sunday brunch to make it! I personally love that it’s a filling, high-protein breakfast option that stops me from snacking until lunch. 😉 And whether you want to serve it with bread or just scoop it up with a fork or spoon (as I usually do), that’s up to you.