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turkish eggs (cilbir) on a white plate with bread on the side.

Turkish Eggs (Çilbir)

Turkish eggs, or cilbir, is a dreamy breakfast consisting of perfectly poached eggs on a bed of creamy, garlicky yogurt, and drenched in a warm spicy butter. You'll need plenty of bread to mop up all the deliciousness!
5 from 7 votes
Author: Gladys Soriano
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: Turkish
Keyword: best turkish eggs, herbed yogurt, poached eggs, turkish eggs
Servings: 2 people
Calories per serving: 347
PREP TIME 10 mins
COOK TIME 5 mins
TOTAL TIME 15 mins

EQUIPMENT

INGREDIENTS
 

  • 1 cup plain yogurt, room temperature
  • 1 garlic clove, grated or minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 1 small lemon, zested
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs, cold
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons aleppo pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, optional
  • 1 pinch flakey salt, optional
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • Crusty bread, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Fill a saucepan with 3 to 4 inches of water and place on high heat to bring it to a boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to a bare simmer.
  • In the meantime, combine the yogurt, garlic, mint, lemon zest, and salt in a small bowl, and whisk until smooth. Spread it equally between two plates then set it aside at room temperature.
  • Once the water is at a steady, bare simmer, crack the eggs into small bowls or ramekins, then gently slide them into the water one at a time. Wait about 15 seconds between each egg. For firm whites and a runny yolk, set a 3 minute timer from the moment you drop the egg in.
  • While the eggs are poaching, place the olive oil and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the aleppo pepper and a pinch of cumin if using, and stir it or swirl the pan for a few seconds. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.
  • Once the eggs are cooked to your liking, remove them with a slotted spoon and dab them with paper towels, place two eggs on each plate, then pour the spicy oil all over the eggs and yogurt. Garnish with more fresh mint, flakey salt, and fresh cracked pepper, and serve immediately with bread.

NOTES

Poaching tips: 
  • Use the freshest eggs possible.
  • If using older eggs, add a splash of white vinegar or lemon juice to the water.
  • Do not let the water simmer a lot while poaching the eggs. Make sure it is barely simmering.
  • If poaching intimidates you, you can serve this dish with fried or soft-boiled eggs instead.
Serving suggestion: Serve this warm with toasted bread to mop up all the yogurt, spicy oil, and runny yolks. Don't toast it too much - you want the bread to stay soft enough to pick up all the deliciousness.

NUTRITION

Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 345mg | Sodium: 543mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1431IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and may vary.
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