Çılbır: Turkish Poached Eggs with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

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Çılbır is a delicious Turkish breakfast made with poached eggs and a flavorful yogurt sauce, ideal for a hearty breakfast or brunch. It only takes about 20 minutes to make cilbir at home, make sure to serve it with some fresh bread!

Cilbir is a delicious Turkish breakfast made with poached eggs and a flavorful yogurt sauce. These Turkish poached eggs are a great option for brunch option.


 

Turkey is popular for its iconic breakfast items. I’ve already shown you how to make menemen (Turkish tomato scrambled eggs), sucuklu yumurta (spiced sausage and eggs) and my favorite spinach borek. This Turkish poached eggs recipe called Çilbir is another favorite Turkish breakfast I hope you’ll enjoy! 

Turkey trip photo

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.

Cilbir is served with a spicy yogurt sauce that's flavored with dill and garlic.

Turkish eggs in garlicky yogurt sauce

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 

You need Eggs Plain yogurt Fresh or dried dill Garlic Salt and pepper Butter Aleppo Pepper to make cilbir turkish eggs.
  • 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?

Step 1

Place a tea strainer over a small bowl and break the egg into it. Wait for a few seconds so the watery liquid in separated from the egg.

egg in a strainer.

Step 2

Fill a saucepan with water and place it over medium high heat. Wait for the water to start steaming but not boiling. Then carefully place the egg in the water.

poached egg

Step 3

Cook for 3 minutes until the exterior of the egg is white but the middle is still jiggly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a plate lined with paper towel.

How to make Cilbir

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.

mix the yogurt sauce ingredients.

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.

poach the eggs.

Make the spicy butter sauce

Place the butter and olive oil in a small sauce pan and heat until the butter is melted. Add the pul biber to it. Lower the heat and stir slowly until the butter has become dark orange.

Assemble

Place the poached eggs on the yogurt sauce and top with the melted butter.

Assemble the cilbir with yogurt sauce, poached eggs and pul biber butter mix.

Recipe Tips

  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

Çılbır 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.

Cilbir is a complete dish on it's own. However, I always enjoy a slice of toasted bread like sourdough with it. Turkish eggs can also be served with warm lavash or pita bread.

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

Can I make Cilbir ahead of time?

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.

Can I use dairy free yogurt?

Yes, you can use dairy free yogurt as long as it’s not sweetened or flavored.

What can I use instead of Aleppo pepper or pul biber?

The closest alternative would be mild chili pepper flakes.

Can I leave out the dill?

Yes, you can also substitute it with other herbs such as parsley or mint.

Cilbir Turkish eggs is delicious breakfast made with poached eggs.

More classic Turkish recipes

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Cilbir Turkish Eggs.
4.94 from 16 votes

Çılbır (Turkish Eggs)

Cilbir is a delicious Turkish breakfast made with poached eggs and a flavorful yogurt sauce, ideal for a hearty brunch.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup plain yogurt, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (See Notes)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs, cold
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp 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.
  • Place the butter and olive oil in a pan and heat until the butter is melted, then add the Aleppo pepper. 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.

Video

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 Turkish eggs with simit, pide or lavash

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 378mg | Sodium: 762mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1476IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Shadi HasanzadeNemati

I'm here to show you how to make delicious Persian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food at home. My easy to follow recipes will bring exciting new flavors to your table!

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4.94 from 16 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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17 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is a great dish to make when you’re tired of your current breakfast routine. I like how it is packed full of protein to keep you full all morning.