Cilbir is a delicious Turkish breakfast made with poached eggs and a flavorful yogurt sauce, ideal for a hearty breakfast or brunch. Follow along to learn how to make this classic Turkish eggs recipe at home in less than 20 minutes!
I love having eggs for breakfast and it's amazing how versatile they are, especially in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. From Italian baked eggs and shakshuka to yeralma yumurta (potatoes and eggs) and Persian spinach and eggs, we love having flavorful egg dishes for breakfast and brunch! This Turkish poached eggs recipe called Çilbir is another favorite Turkish breakfast I hope you'll enjoy!
Table Of Contents:
What is Çılbır?
Çılbır (pronounced Chilbir) is a traditional Turkish breakfast that's made with poached eggs and a delicious garlicky yogurt sauce. It is topped with a spicy butter and pul biber (similar to Aleppo pepper) concoction and pairs well with a slice of crusty bread. Just like menemen, it can be found in nearly all regions of Turkey, enjoyed by locals and tourists. I learned about Cilbir from a Turkish friend and her mom when I was living in Istanbul about a decade ago and it's been a staple in our kitchen since!
Çılbır is a perfect example of how yogurt can shine in a savory dish. As you travel throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East you'll find that yogurt is used in various dishes whether as a sauce or main ingredient.
Turkish eggs in garlicky yogurt sauce, what's not to love?
In addition to being insanely delicious and easy to make, here are a few reasons to convince you to give this Turkish eggs and yogurt recipe a try!
- The depth and complexity of flavors. You'll experience so many distinct flavors in each bite!
- It's served with a spicy yogurt sauce that's flavored with dill and garlic. You can't really go wrong with that.
- This dish is perfect for any day of the week since it takes only 20 minutes from start to finish!
- My recipe was an award winner in a cooking competition sponsored by the American Dairy Association in October 2018.
Ingredients to make Çilbir
- Eggs - I usually use two eggs per person but you can do fewer or more.
- Plain yogurt - I love using whole milk yogurt for this recipe because it's creamy and flavorful.
- Fresh or dried dill - For freshness and flavor, we add a bit of dill to the yogurt.
- Garlic - Don't skip! My preference is to add at least 1 large clove of garlic per person. Keep in mind that garlic powder won't work for this recipe.
- Butter - The combination of melted butter and pul biber brings this dish together.
- Pul biber - Similar to Aleppo pepper, pul biber is a red pepper that has a kick but is not spicy.
How do you poach an egg?
For this classic Turkish eggs recipe, you need to poach eggs. While some might think of it as a hefty task, it's actually very easy to poach eggs. Here is a step-by-step tutorial:
- Bring some water to a simmer in a large pot or a deep pan with a wide mouth.
- Break the eggs in separated small bowls.
- Using a large spoon, create a vortex in the water. Put the eggs into the simmering water. Help the whites merge together with the eggs using a spoon. It's okay if some parts of the whites separate.
- Cook for 3 minutes and take the eggs out using a slotted spoon and place them on a kitchen paper towel to dry.
How to make Turkish eggs
- Make the yogurt garlic sauce: Mix the yogurt with chopped fresh dill and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper and spread it in the serving bowls or plates for each person.
- Poach the eggs: Follow my instructions mentioned above to poach the eggs and then let them dry on the paper towel for a minute before serving.
- Make the spicy butter sauce and assemble: Melt the butter in a small sauce pan and add the pul biber to it. Lower the heat and stir slowly until the butter has become dark orange. Place the poached eggs on the yogurt sauce and top with the melted butter.
Tips to make the best Çılbır
- Don't overcrowd the pot: when poaching eggs, it's best to do one or maximum two at a time. Overcrowding the pot would result in whites all mixing together.
- Keep everything at room temperature: Cold yogurt would not go with the eggs, so in case you make the garlicky yogurt ahead of time, make sure to take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature before serving.
- Don't rush the butter: Let the butter melt slowly and make sure the heat is low when you add the Aleppo pepper or pul biber. You don't want the butter or the pepper flakes to burn.
Serving suggestions
Cilbir is a complete dish on it's own. However, I always enjoy it with a piece of bread such as simit, pide, lavash or pita. You can serve it as a part of a large and complete Turkish breakfast with gozleme, borek, menemen and some freshly brewed tea.
Storing the leftovers
It's best to serve this dish immediately and not have leftovers since poached eggs should not be refrigerated. If you have extra garlicky yogurt (without the eggs), store it in a container and refrigerate for up to a 4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can definitely make the garlic yogurt sauce ahead of time and refrigerate until you're ready to use it. It's best to poach the eggs right before serving and make the spiced butter fresh as well.
Yes, you can use dairy free yogurt as long as it's not sweetened or flavored.
The closest alternative would be mild chili pepper flakes.
Yes, you can also substitute it with other herbs such as mint.
More classic Turkish recipes
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Step-by-Step Recipe
Cilbir (Turkish Eggs)
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt room temperature
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill chopped (See Notes)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs cold
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the yogurt, dill, garlic, black pepper and salt. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Lower the heat and let the water simmer.
- Break the eggs in separate bowls and place the eggs one by one in the simmering water.
- Using a spoon, bring the whites onto the eggs and let them cook for about three minutes. It's okay if parts of the white separate.
- Melt the butter in a pan and add Aleppo pepper to the butter. Lower the heat and stir slowly so the butter turns deep orange.
- Divide the yogurt between two shallow bowls. Top the yogurt sauce with two poached eggs. Pour the melted butter over the eggs and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use two teaspoons dried dill if fresh dill isn't available or just leave the herbs out entirely.
- Using high quality yogurt is key. I prefer using whole milk yogurt, but non-fat yogurt works too. You can also use any dairy free yogurt as long as it's not flavored.
- Using garlic powder instead of real garlic won't work in this recipe.
- If it's your first time poaching eggs, it's best to do one or maximum two at a time.
- Cold yogurt would not go with the eggs, so in case you make the garlicky yogurt ahead of time, make sure to take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature before serving.
- Let the butter melt slowly and make sure the heat is low when you add the Aleppo pepper or pul biber. You don't want the butter or the pepper flakes to burn.
- You can serve cilbir with simit, pide or lavash.
Justine
This was actually SUPER delicious! Definitely a great way to eat eggs.
Katie
Such a fun spin on breakfast. I know my family would love this!
Allison
I love a savory breakfast and this did not disappoint! Thanks for sharing!
Justine
Love poached eggs! Was so excited to try a new recipe....it didn't disappoint. Flavorful and delicious.
Beth
I love poached eggs so I am excited to try this recipe full of fresh new flavors!
Justine
I looooove eggs for breakfast! These were absolutely fantastic.
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Glad you enjoyed them!
Lewis Johnson
This is the first time I've seen Turkish eggs and they look delicious.
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Thank you!
Wilhelmina
These eggs look absolutely to die for! YUM!
Marsha
These Turkish eggs look absolutely delicious - need to try soon!