If you love Turkish food and are looking for the most delicious side dish recipes, you're in the right place! I've gathered some of the most popular 21 Turkish side dish recipes that will give you a delightful taste of Turkey!
These healthy and delicious recipes are made using fresh seasonal vegetables and flavored with Mediterranean ingredients such as olive oil, fresh herbs, and spices.
Turkish Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli
Turkish Rice Pilaf with orzo (Sehriyeli Pilav in Turkish) has been a staple food and has always enjoyed a special status in Turkey for centuries.
This basic yet comforting rice dish is an important part of Turkish cuisine that plays a significant role in everyday cooking.
To learn more: Turkish Rice Pilaf (Sehriyeli Pilav)
Courgette Fritters
Mücver (Turkish Zucchini Fritters) are small vegetable pancakes that contain zucchini (or courgettes), egg, flour, spring onion, and fresh herbs.
These crispy, savory treats are easy to make and packed with flavor, making them a perfect addition to any meal or party.
To learn more: Mucver (Turkish Zucchini Fritters)
Turkish Green Beans
Mediterranean Green Beans (Zeytinyagli Taze Fasulye in Turkish) is a popular vegetarian/vegan dish that is cooked quite often in most Turkish homes during the summer.
This simple yet delicious dish can be made beforehand and usually served warm or at room temperature.
All you need is green beans, ripened summer tomatoes, onions, and good-quality olive oil to cook this scrumptious summer dish
To learn more: Mediterranean Green Beans (Taze Fasulye)
Tomato Walnut Salad - Gavurdagi Salatasi
Gavurdagi Salatasi (Turkish Tomato Walnut Salad) is a healthy yet delicious Mediterranean dish made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and crunchy walnuts.
It is full of different textures and flavors and goes perfectly with all sorts of seafood or meat dishes.
To learn more: Gavurdagi Salatasi (Turkish Tomato Walnut Salad)
Baba Ganoush
This Turkish-style Baba Ganoush without tahini is a smokey and flavorsome eggplant dip made with fresh Mediterranean ingredients.
Same as Cacik (Turkish Yoghurt with Cucumbers) and Easy Authentic Hummus, it is extremely easy to make and pairs perfectly with Homemade Pita Bread.
To learn more: Baba Ganoush Without Tahini
Imam Bayildi - Stuffed Aubergines
Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant) is a classic Ottoman dish made with eggplants cooked in a generous amount of olive oil and then stuffed with a mixture of onions, tomatoes, and garlic.
This famous traditional Turkish recipe is widely popular in the Balkans, Eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East.
Packed with Mediterranean flavors, this baked stuffed aubergine dish is a very easy yet extremely delicious recipe to make.
To learn more: Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant)
Spicy Turkish Bulgur Salad
If you're looking for a delicious and flavorful salad recipe for your summer BBQ parties, look no further than the Traditional Kisir Recipe!
This spicy Turkish Bulgur Salad is the perfect dish to impress your guests and add some variety to your table.
To learn more: Traditional Kisir Recipe (Spicy Turkish Bulgur Salad)
Turkish Pide Bread
Delicious, fluffy, and slightly chewy Turkish Pide Bread - Ramazan Pidesi (or Ramadan Pide) is a no-knead flatbread traditionally eaten during holy Ramadan.
This authentic Turkish Bread is best when served warm, fresh out of the oven.
In Turkey, bakeries make this Ramadan Bread a couple of hours before iftar (the evening meal during Ramazan).
To learn more: Turkish Pide Bread - Ramazan Pidesi
Turkish Yogurt Dip - Cacik
Cacik is a delicious and refreshing Turkish Yogurt Dip made with cucumbers, yogurt, and herbs.
It is very easy to prepare, ready in just 10 minutes and only needs a few fridge ingredients.
This wonderful Mediterranean sauce is similar to its Greek cousin known as "Tzatziki".
To learn more: Cacik (Turkish Yogurt Dip)
Turkish Borlotti Beans
Barbunya Pilaki (Turkish Style Borlotti Beans) is a classic Turkish dish braised in olive oil with onions, garlic, and tomato (paste).
This delicious vegan dish is perfect to serve as a light lunch, a part of a mezze spread, or a side dish to grilled and roasted meat, fish, and vegetables.
To learn more: Barbunya (Turkish Style Borlotti Beans)
Cerkez Tavugu - Circassian Chicken
Çerkez Tavuğu (Circassian Chicken) is a delicious mezze/appetizer made of shredded poached chicken mixed with a creamy walnut sauce.
This recipe is a great way to use up leftover roast chicken or stale bread pieces.
Ready in 30 minutes, this unique chicken dish is perfect for quick weekday meals or big family gatherings.
To learn more: Cerkez Tavugu - Circassian Chicken
Stuffed Artichokes
Zeytinyagli Enginar Dolmasi - Stuffed Artichokes is a tasty and nutritious dish that's packed with Mediterranean flavors.
This traditional Turkish recipe features artichokes stuffed with vegetables and aromatics, and cooked in olive oil and lemon juice.
To learn more: Zeytinyagli Enginar Dolmasi - Stuffed Artichokes
Braised Celeriac in Olive Oil
Zeytinyağlı Kereviz Yemeği (or Braised Celeriac) is a delicious Turkish & Mediterranean dish made with celery root and carrots braised in olive oil and orange juice.
This healthy dish combines the nutty and earthy celeriac with sweet carrots and citrusy oranges.
To learn more: Zeytinyağlı Kereviz Yemeği - Braised Celeriac
Bazlama - Soft and Fluffy Turkish Flatbread
Bazlama is a soft and fluffy Turkish Flatbread that has become more popular over the last few decades.
It is one of the oldest Turkish bread recipes, and probably the favorite of many as well.
This versatile flatbread is very easy to make and needs only a few ingredients you might already have in hand.
To learn more: Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread)
Pickled Red Cabbage
This deliciously crunchy and tangy Turkish-style pickled red cabbage is a must-have on your menu all year round. It makes a wonderful garnish for dishes like Lebanese Shawarma, and Kumpir (Turkish Baked Potatoes), or to serve with Turkish Chicken Shish Kebab.
Vinegar, lemon juice, and salt used in pickle making help preserve the color and enhance the taste of cabbage.
To learn more: Turkish Pickled Red Cabbage
Ayran - Turkish Yogurt Drink
If you've ever visited Turkey, you may have come across a popular beverage called Ayran.
This refreshing Yogurt Drink is a staple in Turkish cuisine and is enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
To learn more: Ayran (Turkish Yogurt Drink)
Braised Leeks
Zeytinyağlı Pırasa Yemeği (Turkish Braised Leeks) is a simple, unique, and delicious dish made with fresh and wholesome ingredients such as leeks, carrots, bulgur, and olive oil.
The slight sweetness of the carrots and leeks pairs perfectly with the nice tangy punch coming from lemon juice.
To learn more: Zeytinyagli Pirasa Yemegi (Turkish Braised Leeks)
Coban Salatasi
Coban Salatasi (also known as Turkish Shepherd's Salad or Choban Salad) is a light, refreshing, and simple side salad made with juicy summer tomatoes, cucumbers, and green peppers.
It's easy to make and comes together in only 10 minutes, perfect for a refreshing treat.
To learn more: Çoban Salatası Recipe (Turkish Shepherd's Salad)
Turkish Bulgur Rice Pilaf
Bulgur Pilavi or Turkish Bulgur Rice Pilaf is a healthy side dish that pairs perfectly with grilled meat or chicken, kebabs, casserole dishes, and hearty stews.
This Turkish cuisine staple is very easy to make with only a few ingredients and is ready in just half an hour.
To learn more: Bulgur Pilavi (Turkish Bulgur Rice Pilaf)
Vegetarian Lentil Balls
Mercimek Kofte (Turkish Vegan Lentil Meatballs) is a healthy and flavourful Turkish dish made with fine bulgur, red lentils, onions, tomato & red pepper paste, and spices.
These aromatic vegetarian meatballs are inexpensive and very easy to make.
They are usually served as an appetizer, a healthy snack, a side dish, or a part of a mezze platter.
To learn more: Mercimek Kofte (Vegan Lentil Meatballs)
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
These delicious Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers (Biber Dolmasi) are filled with aromatic stuffing made of rice, onions, pine nuts, currants, and various herbs/spices.
You can serve them as a side dish as well as the main meal or an appetizer. The leftovers are great for a boxed lunch the next day or a picnic.
To learn more: Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers (Biber Dolmasi)
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