Turkish Dishes

Fırın Sütlaç

Turkish baked rice pudding with a caramelized golden-brown top. Made with rice, milk, sugar, and starch, baked in individual clay dishes until the surface develops its signature color.

Fıstıklı Sarma

A Gaziantep baklava variety where a smooth, bright green pistachio paste is wrapped in a single thin sheet of phyllo dough, creating a roll that showcases the pure pistachio filling.

Gözleme

A savory Turkish flatbread made with hand-rolled yufka dough filled with cheese, spinach, potato, or minced meat, then cooked on a convex griddle (sac). A popular street food and market snack.

Hamsili Pilav

A visually striking Black Sea region dish of rice pilaf encased in fresh anchovies and baked. The pilaf is seasoned with pine nuts, raisins, mint, and spices.

Haydari

A thick, tangy Turkish meze dip made from strained yogurt (süzme), garlic, and fresh herbs like dill, mint, and basil. Thicker and more concentrated than cacık.

Hünkar Beğendi

An Istanbul dish of tender lamb stew served on a creamy roasted eggplant purée thickened with milk, butter, and kaşar cheese, often called Sultan's Delight.

Iskender Kebab

İskender Kebap

A specialty of Bursa consisting of thinly sliced döner lamb served over pieces of pide bread, topped with tomato sauce, melted sheep butter, and yogurt on the side.

Islak Hamburger

Istanbul's famous 'wet burger' — small beef patty burgers steamed in a glass case with a garlicky tomato sauce until the buns are soft and soaked through. A late-night Taksim Square staple.

Içli Köfte

İçli Köfte

Torpedo-shaped bulgur shells stuffed with a spiced mixture of ground meat, onions, pine nuts, and herbs, then deep-fried or boiled. A specialty of Gaziantep and southeastern Turkey.

Kalamar Tava

Turkish fried squid rings, soaked in milk, coated in a flour batter, and deep-fried until crispy. Served as a meze with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

Kapuska

A humble Turkish cabbage stew, typically made with shredded cabbage, onions, tomatoes, and olive oil. Can be enriched with ground meat, making it a filling home-style comfort dish.

Katmer

A flaky, crispy Gaziantep breakfast pastry filled with pistachios and kaymak (clotted cream), served fresh from the oven. Traditionally the first meal eaten by newlyweds.

Kaymaklı Kayısı

A unique Turkish dessert of dried apricots poached in lemon syrup, then stuffed with kaymak (buffalo milk clotted cream) and rolled in crushed pistachios.

Kazandibi

An Ottoman-era Turkish pudding with a caramelized bottom, made from milk, rice flour, sugar, and starch. The burnt base gives it a distinctive earthy caramel flavor. Often rolled and served cold.

Kelle Paça Çorbası

A traditional Turkish soup made by slow-cooking sheep or goat head and trotters until the meat falls off the bone. Often enriched with egg, garlic, and lemon juice. A famous hangover remedy.

Keşkek

A ceremonial Turkish dish of lamb or chicken pounded with wheat or barley into a thick porridge. A UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage item, traditionally prepared for weddings and religious holidays.

Kokoreç

A popular Turkish street food made from lamb or goat intestines and sweetbreads wrapped on a skewer and grilled over charcoal, then chopped and served in crusty bread with spices like oregano and cumin.

Kol Böreği

A spiral-shaped Turkish börek made with rolled puff pastry filled with cheese, spinach, potatoes, or ground meat with pine nuts and currants.

Kumpir

A loaded baked potato street food, popular in Istanbul's Ortaköy district. The potato is split, mashed with butter and kaşar cheese, then piled high with a choice of toppings.

Kuru Fasulye

A beloved Turkish white bean stew cooked with onions, tomato paste, and green peppers. A staple of every lokanta, typically served over rice pilaf. Meat versions include lamb.

Kuzu Tandır

Slow-roasted lamb cooked for many hours in a traditional tandır oven until fall-apart tender. A central and eastern Anatolian specialty served with bread and raw onions.

Köfte

Turkish grilled meatballs made from seasoned ground beef or lamb, shaped by hand and cooked over charcoal. One of the most ubiquitous dishes in Turkish cuisine with hundreds of regional varieties.

Künefe

A beloved warm dessert of shredded phyllo dough (kadayıf) filled with unsalted cheese, baked until crispy, and drenched in sweet syrup. Topped with crushed pistachios. A specialty of Hatay/Antakya.

Kısır

A classic Turkish salad made with fine bulgur wheat, tomatoes, fresh mint, garlic, and parsley, dressed with lemon juice or pomegranate molasses. Served cold as a meze or side dish.