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    Home » Mediterranean recipes

    Gozleme Recipe (Turkish Stuffed Flatbread)

    Published: Nov 16, 2020 · Modified: Mar 11, 2021 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

    1807 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This is an easy gozleme recipe using two different fillings. Try this traditional, easy to make Turkish flatbread that's packed with so much flavor!

    Gozleme is a delicious Turkish flatbread stuffed with different fillings such as potatoes and spinach. Watch the video to learn how to make gozleme. 

    We love Turkish food in general but breakfast items have a special place in our hearts. You can find Turkish breakfast recipes such as simit, pide, menemen (eggs and tomatoes) and cilbir (Turkish eggs and yogurt) on the blog. Today I want to show you one of my favorite Turkish classics: gozleme. It's a stuffed flatbread that's made with the easiest dough (only three ingredients, no yeast!) and very delicious fillings! 

    Jump to:
    • What is gozleme?
    • Filling variations
    • Why this recipe works
    • Ingredients 
    • Instructions
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Gozleme vs borek
    • Notes and tips 
    • More Turkish recipes
    • Step-by-Step Recipe

    What is gozleme?

    It's a traditional Turkish flatbread that's stuffed with different fillings, the most popular being spinach and potatoes. The dough used to make this Turkish flatbread is usually made without any leavening agents and is thinly rolled out using a thin rolling pin called oklava, then filled with different fillings, folded, sealed and cooked in a pan. 

    This stuffed flatbread is usually made on a traditional large pan called sac. The sac is very large and almost flat. Turkish cooks grease sac pretty well before cooking gozleme. If sac isn't available, it's possible to make this recipe in a nonstick pan without any oil and then brush butter or olive oil on the pastry when it's fully cooked. 

    Authentic Turkish gozleme used to be made and served mostly in villages and rural areas in Turkey, but in the last few decades it has become commonplace in Istanbul and other Turkish cities. You can find this classic Turkish flatbread in many cafes or restaurants. I love getting mine at a weekly farmers markets in Istanbul, made by Turkish grandmas and aunties! 

    Filling variations

    You can find this Turkish flatbread with many different fillings. Some of the most known fillings are:

    • Peynirli: Peynir is Turkish for cheese. You can use different types of cheese such as kasar or feta. 
    • Patatesli: One of my favorites, this one is made with a delicious spiced potato filling. We're talking carbs on carbs, so good! 
    • Ispanakli: Made with fresh spinach, feta and other greens, this is one of the most popular varieties of this recipe. 
    • Kiymali: The three fillings above are all vegetarian. However, if you're looking for yours to be even heartier, try kiymali gozleme. It's made with a mixture of onion and ground beef with mild spices. 
    Gozleme can be made with different fillings such as spinach and potatoes.

    Why this recipe works

    • Easy dough: Even a novice cook can make this recipe easily. The dough calls for only 3 ingredients and is pretty forgiving. You can easily patch up tears and your rolled out dough doesn't need to be a perfect circle.
    • Different fillings: From spinach and cheese to potatoes, there is something for everyone to love!
    • Perfect breakfast: This dish is so good for breakfast or brunch. It's simple, easy and keeps well in the fridge.

    This recipe doesn't require you to have any special culinary skills. It's a very homey dish and it's pretty much all hands-on. You can make it with your family and friends over the weekend and have everyone choose their favorite fillings to enjoy in the coming days. 

    Ingredients 

    to make turkish flatbread you need potatoes, spinach, flour, oil, cheese, greens and tomato paste.

    Like many other Mediterranean recipes, this one is also made with simple and fresh ingredients. To make the dough, you need flour, oil and water. 

    As for the spinach filling, you need a few ingredients such as onion, spinach, herbs (parsley, green onions and dill) and feta. The potato filling is also very simple, calling for boiled potatoes, onion and tomato paste.

    Instructions

    Making gozleme involves three steps: preparing the dough, making the filling, and assembling it all together. Be sure to watch our video for step by step instructions. 

    Prepare the dough

    • Place flour, a pinch of salt, water and oil in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and knead until it comes together and forms a ball of dough.
    • Cover and let it sit for 30 minutes. This will make the dough easier to roll out.
    • As the dough is resting, make the fillings. 

    Make the fillings - choose your favorite!

     Spinach and feta

    • Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté onion until translucent. 
    • Add spinach, dill and parsley. Cook until the spinach is wilted. 
    • Stir in feta cheese, season with salt and pepper if desired.

    Potato

    • Wash and peel the potatoes, then cut them in half. Boil the potatoes in water with some salt until fork tender. 
    • Heat some olive oil in a pan and sauté onion until translucent. Add in the tomato paste and cook for a minute. 
    • Mash the potatoes and add them to the onion. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 
    saute onion add spinach then for potato filling saute onion add potatoes mix the dough ingredients and let it rest

    Roll out, stuff and cook 

    • Once the dough has rested and the fillings are prepared, it's time to assemble and cook. Divide the dough into 8 balls.
    • Roll out one of the balls pretty thinly into a semi-circle shape. Spread the filling on half of the dough, then fold the other half on the filling and seal the edges. Try to make sure there aren't many air bubbles in the pastry. The fewer air bubbles in your gozleme, the crispier it is going to be. 
    • Heat some oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, transfer the flatbread into the pan and let it cook for about 2-4 minutes, once it's golden and crispy, flip and cook the other side.
    • Transfer onto a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil. 

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I bake these?

    As noted above, this traditional gozleme recipe is made on the stove top in a pan called sac. You can also bake it following these instructions:
    Preheat the oven to 450ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
    Assemble the flatbread and place them on the baking sheet. Once the oven is hot, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. 
    Flip and bake for another 8 minutes or until the pastry is completely cooked and crispy. 

    Can I use crumbled feta to make the spinach filling?

    It's always best to buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself. Pre-crumbled feta tends to be dry.

    How large should these Turkish flatbreads be?

    Traditionally speaking, gozleme can be pretty large, especially if it's made by rural women (who, by the way, are masters of Turkish cooking and have often been making the same recipe for decades). When making it at home, this flatbread should be as small as the pan you're going to fry them in because you don't want the edges to hang. 

    Can I freeze these?

    Turkish people don't usually freeze this flatbread and prefer to have it fresh. However, you can freeze cooked and cooled gozleme. Wrap each tightly in a plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil.
    You can freeze these for up to 2 months. To reheat, unwrap it completely and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Heat in the oven at 280ºF for about 20 minutes until completely heated through. 

    A plate of traditional gozleme served with lemon, tomatoes and olives.

    Serving suggestions

    Gozleme is a breakfast item that can also be served as a filling snack through the day with a cup of freshly brewed tea. Being a full treat on its own, it can also be served with a simple side of sliced cucumber and tomatoes drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil.

    You can slice it into pieces to grab or roll it into a wrap. You can also serve this classic Turkish flatbread with pickles such as spicy peppers or cabbage. However you serve this stuffed Turkish flatbread, you're going to love it!

    Gozleme vs borek

    If you have traveled in Turkey, especially Istanbul, you probably have seen borek shops on almost every corner. Borek is another popular Turkish food (more on that later) and it's different from gozleme. Borek is made from layers of yufka dough whereas a single layer of a different type of dough is used for this flatbread. 

    Cut turkish flatbread gozleme into triangles for better grab.

    Notes and tips 

    • Gozleme is not supposed to be completely crispy so if yours softens a bit after sitting out for a while, it's completely okay. 
    • You can make this recipe using only one filling or two fillings. 
    • To save time, make the fillings in advance and simply make the dough and assemble when you're ready. 
    • Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in a pan or in the microwave.
    You can have gozleme for breakfast or as a midday snack.

    More Turkish recipes

    • Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (10 minutes!)
    • 25+ Authentic Turkish Recipes
    • Roasted Chicken and Vegetables Turkish Style
    • Turkish Ezme Recipe

    Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!

    Step-by-Step Recipe

    Gozleme recipe (Turkish Stuffed Flatbread)

    Shadi HasanzadeNemati
    Gozleme is a delicious Turkish flatbread stuffed with different fillings such as potatoes and spinach. Watch the video to learn how to make this classic Turkish recipe. 
    4.95 from 18 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Resting time 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Course Breakfast, Main Course
    Cuisine Mediterranean, Turkish
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 351 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Gozleme dough

    • 3 ½ cup all purpose flour
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil or olive oil
    • 1 ¼ cup warm water

    Potato filling

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 potatoes washed and peeled
    • 1 onion chopped
    • ½ tablespoon tomato paste
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    Spinach filling:

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 onion chopped
    • 4 cups baby spinach
    • ½ cup dill
    • ½ cup parsley
    • ½ cup feta cheese
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions
     

    Gozleme dough

    • Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix using a wooden spoon until combined.
    • Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until the dough comes together. (You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook to make the dough)
    • Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

    Potato filling

    • Fill a sauce pan with water and place it over medium heat. Add a generous pinch of salt.
    • Cut the potatoes in half and boil them in water until fork tender. Drain and let them cool for a few minutes. Mash the potatoes in a bowl and set it aside.
    • Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a pan and saute onion until translucent.
    • Add tomato paste and cook for a minute.
    • Add in the mashed potatoes and mix well until all ingredients are well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat off.

    Spinach filling

    • Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute onion until translucent.
    • Add in spinach, dill and parsley to the onion. Mix and cook until spinach is wilted.
    • Add feta cheese and cook for a couple of minutes.
    • Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat off.

    Assemble and cook

    • Once the dough is rested for 30 minutes, divide it into 8 pieces.
    • Working with one piece at a time, roll out the dough thinly into a circle (make sure the circle is not too big) and top half of it with some of the filling (spinach or potato). Fold and seal the edges. Repeat this step with the remaining dough and filling.
    • Heat about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan large enough to fit a gozleme in it.
    • Once the oil is hot enough, carefully place the gozleme in the pan, let it fry undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until crispy.
    • Flip and fry the other side for 4 minutes until cooked.
    • Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.
    • Serve warm with a side salad or roll it into a wrap.

    Video

    Notes

    • Gozleme is not supposed to be completely crispy so if yours softens a bit after sitting out for a while, it's completely okay. 
    • You can make this recipe using only one filling or two fillings. 
    • To save time, make the fillings in advance and simply make the dough and assemble when you're ready. 
    • This recipe makes a great breakfast dish. It's filling and makes a great grab and go breakfast. 
    • Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave. 
    • To freeze, wrap each cooked gozleme in a plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, unwrap the flatbread and place on a baking sheet. Heat in the oven at 280F for 20-30 minutes until heated through. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 351kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 8gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 276mgPotassium: 241mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2004IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 4mg
    Did you make this recipe? Let us know how it was by leaving a comment and a 5-star review!

    « Fried Potatoes and Onions Persian Style (Do Piazeh Aloo)
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    1807 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Natalie

      January 07, 2022 at 10:08 am

      5 stars
      Yum, this looks delicious. I will make this tomorrow for dinner. Such a wonderful recipe. Easy and simple.

      Reply
    2. Dawn

      November 09, 2021 at 3:52 am

      Would it be possible to make this dough with almond flour?

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        November 11, 2021 at 11:36 am

        Hi Dawn, I have not tried it with almond flour, but I doubt the consistency would be the same.

        Reply
    3. Linda

      May 29, 2021 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      Made this morning. The flatbread is more like a pastry but much more pliable to work with than pastry dough (likely due to olive oil, the long kneading, snd the resting- so don’t skimp in any of these steps). I found it very easy to roll, pick up to turn and roll more. I was able to get it to terrific thinness. I did make both fillings to the recipe except my son forgot the feta (dang!!!!) so I used Parmesan. I missed the tang of feta but the switch was adequate. My teens all loved both versions, and it’s nice to have the selection! I’ll definitely be checking this site for more culinary adventures!!!

      Reply
    4. Kay

      February 26, 2021 at 10:45 am

      5 stars
      So much easier to make the flatbread dough then I expected! And I love the potato filling!

      Reply
    5. Julia

      February 26, 2021 at 10:31 am

      5 stars
      I love Turkish flat bread, this brings the bread to another delicious level! My whole family loved it so much!

      Reply
    6. Maria

      February 26, 2021 at 10:05 am

      5 stars
      I 100% agree when you said that this is the perfect breakfast! Challenging, but this looks so good I'm going to give this recipe a try!

      Reply
    7. Biana

      February 26, 2021 at 9:10 am

      5 stars
      I love flatbread, but stuffed flatbread sounds even better. Thank you for sharing your recipe!

      Reply
    8. Gail Montero Raines

      February 26, 2021 at 9:04 am

      5 stars
      I love that the fillings are customizable so I can enjoy them anytime! Looks so delish!

      Reply
    9. Denay DeGuzman

      November 27, 2020 at 10:37 pm

      5 stars
      My sister-in-law discovered this delicious recipe on Pinterest. She made it, loved it, and shared it! I'm look forward to making it for my family this weekend.

      Reply
    10. Renee Goerger

      November 27, 2020 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      I've made something similar in the past, and now I'm excited to try this. This looks absolutely wonderful!! Thanks for the new recipe.

      Reply
    11. Ann

      June 10, 2020 at 6:45 pm

      5 stars
      The recipe was very tasty! I tried both the spinach and the potato filling. Spinach was my favorite. Initially I struggled a little with rolling out the dough thin enough but my second half turned out much better with some practice 😃
      Will definitely give it another try soon.

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        June 13, 2020 at 7:55 am

        Hi Ann! Thank you for your comment! Glad you enjoyed this recipe, spinach is my favorite too! As for the dough, yes, practice makes perfect!

        Reply
    12. Sara Welch

      October 08, 2019 at 9:35 am

      5 stars
      What a savory and perfectly moist flat bread! Looks amazing; excited to give this a try later this week!

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        October 08, 2019 at 7:59 pm

        Thank you Sara! These are so good for breakfast!

        Reply
    13. Andrea Metlika

      October 08, 2019 at 8:44 am

      5 stars
      Every time I've been to Istanbul I would always eat this a few times. It's so delicious. I can't wait to make it.

      Reply
    14. Pam

      October 08, 2019 at 8:36 am

      5 stars
      What an interesting and diverse dish. Thanks for all of the great details.

      Reply
    15. Michelle

      October 08, 2019 at 7:29 am

      5 stars
      I had never heard of this before, but I'm so glad you introduced me to it! SO AMAZING!

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        October 09, 2019 at 7:56 am

        It's perfect for breakfast or brunch!

        Reply
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