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! 

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!

1. The depth and complexity of flavors. You’ll experience so many distinct flavors in each bite!
2. It’s served with a spicy yogurt sauce that’s flavored with dill and garlic. You can’t really go wrong with that. 
3. This dish is perfect for any day of the week since it takes only 20 minutes from start to finish!
4. 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:

1. Bring some water to a simmer in a large pot or a deep pan with a wide mouth.
2. Break the eggs in separated small bowls.
3. 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.
4. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 bread 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

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