Köfte
Often eaten: Lunch or dinner
Known for: Common across Türkiye, with many famous regional styles including Istanbul, Tekirdag, and Inegol
EverydayFamily
Photo: Karen Horton (CC BY 2.0)
5 dishes to discover
Food of Türkiye
Türkiye is famous for its delicious and diverse cuisine. From savory dishes to sweet treats, Turkish food is full of exciting flavors that kids will love to explore. Join us on a tasty adventure through Türkiye and discover some amazing eats!
Featured Dishes
Meal Culture
In Türkiye, meals are an important time to come together with family and friends. Eating is a shared experience, and people love to talk and enjoy each other's company over a meal. Meals often start with 'meze', which are small dishes shared by everyone.
Eating Etiquette
In Türkiye, it's polite to wait for everyone to be served before you start eating. It's common to share food, and you should try a little bit of everything offered.
When People Eat It
Menemen
Often eaten: Usually eaten for breakfast or a relaxed brunch
Known for: The Aegean region, especially around the town of Menemen near Izmir
BreakfastFamily
Baklava
Often eaten: Usually served as a rich dessert after meals or on special occasions
Known for: Gaziantep in southeastern Türkiye, a city especially famous for baklava
DessertSpecial
Lahmacun
Often eaten: Lunch or dinner
Known for: Southern Türkiye
EverydayTakeaway
Dolma
Often eaten: Appetizer or main
Known for: All over Türkiye
EverydayFamily
Make It Yourself
👩🍳 Cook together! Always ask a grown-up to help with hot or sharp steps.
KöfteKöfte
Makes 4 servingsIngredients
- 1 lb (450 g)Ground beef or lamb
- 1 onionOnion, grated
- 1/2 cup (50 g)Breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp, 2 tbspCumin and parsley
- 1 eggEgg
How to Make It
- 1Mix the meat, onion, breadcrumbs, cumin, parsley, and egg in a bowl.
- 2Knead it well with clean hands until smooth.
- 3Shape the mixture into small ovals or patties.
- 4Ask a grown-up to grill or pan-cook them for about 4 minutes per side.
- 5Make sure they are browned and cooked through.
- 6Serve with flatbread, yogurt, and salad.
MenemenMenemen
Makes 2 servingsIngredients
- 4 eggsEggs
- 3 tomatoesTomatoes, chopped
- 1 pepperGreen pepper, chopped
- 1/2 onionOnion (optional)
- 2 tbspOlive oil
- to serveBread, to serve
How to Make It
- 1Ask a grown-up to soften the pepper and onion in olive oil.
- 2Add the tomatoes and cook until they turn saucy.
- 3Crack the eggs straight into the pan.
- 4Gently stir so the eggs cook in soft folds through the tomato.
- 5Cook until just set but still creamy.
- 6Scoop into bowls and scoop it up with bread — a Turkish breakfast.
BaklavaBaklava
Makes 24 piecesIngredients
- 1 packagePhyllo pastry sheets
- 3 cups (300 g)Chopped walnuts or pistachios
- 1 cup (225 g)Butter, melted
- 1 cup (200 g)Sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml)Honey
- 1 tbspLemon juice
How to Make It
- 1Brush a baking dish with butter and layer in several buttered phyllo sheets.
- 2Sprinkle on a layer of chopped nuts, then add more buttered sheets, repeating.
- 3Ask a grown-up to cut the layers into diamond shapes.
- 4Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes, until golden and crisp.
- 5Make a syrup by simmering the sugar, honey, lemon juice, and a little water.
- 6Pour the warm syrup over the hot baklava and let it soak in before serving.
LahmacunLahmacun
Makes 6 flatbreadsIngredients
- 6 roundsFlatbread or thin dough
- 1/2 lb (225 g)Ground beef or lamb
- 1 eachTomato and pepper, finely chopped
- 1/2 onion, 2 tbspOnion and parsley
- 1 tsp eachPaprika and cumin
- to serveLemon
How to Make It
- 1Mix the meat, tomato, pepper, onion, parsley, and spices into a thin paste.
- 2Spread a very thin layer of the meat mix over each dough round, right to the edges.
- 3Ask a grown-up to heat the oven to 475°F (245°C).
- 4Bake the flatbreads for about 8–10 minutes, until the edges are crisp.
- 5Squeeze fresh lemon over the top.
- 6Roll them up with parsley inside — a thin Turkish 'pizza'.
DolmaDolma
Makes 24 rollsIngredients
- 24 leavesGrape leaves (jarred)
- 1 cup (200 g)Rice
- 1 onionOnion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup eachPine nuts and currants
- 1/4 cup, 2 tbspOlive oil and lemon
- 2 tbsp eachMint and dill
How to Make It
- 1Ask a grown-up to cook the onion in olive oil, then stir in the rice, pine nuts, currants, and herbs.
- 2Add a splash of water and cook the rice until half done, then cool.
- 3Lay a grape leaf flat and place a spoonful of rice near the stem end.
- 4Fold in the sides and roll it up snugly like a little parcel.
- 5Pack the rolls tightly in a pot, add water and lemon juice, and weigh them down with a plate.
- 6Simmer gently for about 40 minutes, then serve cool.
Vocabulary
Think of Turkish food like a colorful palette of flavors, similar to a mosaic, where each dish adds a unique taste to the culinary artwork!