Turkish Eggs Cilbir

These Turkish eggs (cilbir) lay soft poached eggs on a bed of warm garlicky yogurt and finish with spicy chili butter for a brunch dish that tastes like a restaurant. ♡

Real Turkish eggs (cilbir) are just three things done perfectly: thick Greek yogurt gently warmed with garlic, two soft poached eggs with liquid yolks, and a sizzling drizzle of aleppo butter on top. The dish dates back to the 15th century Ottoman palace kitchens and tastes completely different from anything else at brunch. I use full fat Greek yogurt so it stays creamy without breaking and chili butter for heat that is warm not aggressive.

This is my go-to easy brunch dish when I want to make something that feels unexpected but takes under 15 minutes. The runny yolks break into the tangy yogurt and meet the chili butter in a sauce that is better than anything you could pour out of a bottle. Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Turkish Eggs (Cilbir)

• 1 cup full fat Greek yogurt (whole milk, plain)
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or very finely minced
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tbsp white vinegar (for poaching)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper (or 1/2 tsp smoked paprika plus 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes)
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, torn
• Warm crusty bread or pita for serving
• Flaky sea salt for finishing

Optional add-ins:

• A pinch of za’atar on top
• Toasted pine nuts or walnuts
• A drizzle of pomegranate molasses
• Crumbled feta
• Sliced cucumber on the side

How to Make Turkish Eggs (Cilbir)

1. Warm. Pull the Greek yogurt out of the fridge 20 minutes before you start so it comes closer to room temp. Cold yogurt shocks against hot eggs and feels jarring in the bowl.
2. Mix. In a small bowl whisk the yogurt with grated garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Taste and add more salt or lemon until tangy but not sharp. Divide between two shallow serving bowls.
3. Simmer. Fill a wide deep saucepan with 3 inches of water, bring to a bare simmer, and add the vinegar. Tiny bubbles on the bottom only, never a rolling boil.
4. Poach. Crack each egg into a small ramekin first. Stir the water to create a gentle whirlpool, then slide each egg in one at a time. Cook 3 minutes for runny yolks or 4 for jammy. Remove with a slotted spoon.
5. Butter. In a small skillet melt the butter over medium heat until it foams. Add the Aleppo pepper off the heat and stir. The chili blooms in the hot butter and turns a rich deep red.
6. Plate. Blot the poached eggs on a paper towel, then nestle two into each bowl on top of the yogurt. Spoon the chili butter over the top, letting it pool around the eggs.
7. Finish. Scatter dill and mint over the top. Sprinkle flaky salt. Serve immediately with warm bread for scooping.

Why This Recipe Works

Using room temperature Greek yogurt is the single most important step in any authentic Turkish eggs cilbir recipe. Cold yogurt shocks against hot poached eggs and actually cools the whole dish down before you can eat it. Letting the yogurt sit out for 20 minutes takes the refrigerator chill off and creates a warm creamy base that stays that way until you finish.

A gentle barely simmering water bath gives you the cleanest poached eggs. Rolling boiling water tears the whites apart and leaves wispy ribbons all over the pot. When the water has just small bubbles rising from the bottom, the egg white sets smoothly around the yolk and the final egg looks like a perfect teardrop.

Blooming Aleppo pepper in hot butter is a Turkish technique that transforms the flavor of the dried chili. Heat releases the oils that were trapped in the dried flesh and turns the butter a deep ruby red with a smoky mild heat. Just sprinkling chili flakes on cold butter tastes flat and dusty. Read more about how capsaicin unlocks in fat at the Serious Eats science primer.

Tips

• Store leftover yogurt base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Always poach fresh eggs to serve, leftover poached eggs rubber up.
• Do not reheat the assembled dish. The yogurt breaks and the eggs overcook. Reheat only the yogurt gently in a saucepan if needed, never microwave it.
• For a brunch with friends, make the garlic yogurt up to 2 days ahead and bloom the chili butter while eggs poach.
• Use whole milk Greek yogurt, not low fat. Low fat yogurts break and turn grainy against hot eggs.
• Common mistake: boiling the poaching water. The whites turn into feathers. Fix: keep it at a bare simmer with just small bubbles.
• No Aleppo pepper? Use 1/2 tsp smoked paprika plus 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. The flavor is similar.
• Super fresh eggs poach better. Older eggs have thinner whites that break apart in the water.

Variations

• Smoky cilbir: swap Aleppo pepper for smoked paprika and Urfa pepper for a darker flavor.
• Herby cilbir: fold 2 tbsp chopped dill into the yogurt along with the garlic.
• Feta cilbir: crumble 1/4 cup feta over the top before the chili butter.
• Pomegranate cilbir: drizzle 1 tsp pomegranate molasses with the butter for tart sweetness.
• Spicy cilbir: double the red pepper flakes and add a pinch of cayenne.
• Za’atar cilbir: sprinkle 1 tsp za’atar on top with the flaky salt.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Cold yogurt straight from the fridge. Shocks the eggs and feels weird. Fix: warm to room temp for 20 minutes.
• Boiling water for the poach. Destroys the egg whites. Fix: just barely simmering, small bubbles only.
• Not drying the poached eggs. Wet eggs water down the yogurt. Fix: blot on a paper towel before plating.
• Using low fat yogurt. Breaks against the heat. Fix: always full fat, whole milk Greek yogurt.
• Burning the butter. Turns bitter and dark. Fix: pull the pan off the heat the moment the butter foams.

Turkish Eggs Cilbir

A delicious homemade turkish eggs cilbir recipe.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Greek

Calories: 380

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Fresh dill for garnish
• Crusty bread for serving

Method

 

1. Season. Mix Greek yogurt with grated garlic and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Spread it across the bottom of two shallow serving bowls.
2. Poach. Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer. Add vinegar. Crack each egg into a small cup and slide it into the water. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Remove with a slotted spoon.
3. Sizzle. Melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add Aleppo pepper and smoked paprika. Swirl for 30 seconds until the butter turns red and smells fragrant (don't let it burn).
4. Assemble. Place poached eggs on top of the yogurt. Drizzle the hot chili butter over everything. Garnish with fresh dill and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

Use room temperature yogurt. Cold yogurt straight from the fridge is too thick. A gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, gives you the prettiest poached eggs. Swirl the water before adding the egg to help the whites wrap around the yolk.

Looking for more easy breakfast recipes? Try my spinach feta egg cups, blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes, egg in a hole toast, or a bowl of cottage cheese scrambled eggs. For food safety on poached eggs see the FDA safe food handling guide.

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