• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking Gorgeous
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Contact Us
    • Media Mentions
  • Recipe Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Snapchat
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Cozy Soups
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Cozy Soups
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Cooking Gorgeous » All Recipes » Appetizers

    Arnavut Cigeri - Turkish Liver

    Published: May 17, 2022 · Modified: Jun 27, 2022 by Ayla Clulee · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Arnavut Cigeri (or Albanian Liver) is a Turkish Liver dish consisting of a pan-fried lamb or veal liver cubes seasoned with flaked chili and served with sumac, onion, and parsley salad. This simple recipe is extremely easy to prepare and tastes great.

    Same as Baba Ganoush Without Tahini, Cerkez Tavugu, and Kisir - Turkish Bulgur Salad, it is generally served as a part of a mezze spread or starter. However, you can also eat larger portions of Arnavut Ciğeri as the main course.

    arnavut cigeri served with cubed potatoes and onion salad
    Jump to:
    • Is Liver Good For You?
    • Why This Recipe Works?
    • Ingredients and Substitutes
    • How to Make Arnavut Cigeri?
    • Top Tips From the Chef
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • Arnavut Cigeri

    If you've never tried liver before, this fried liver and onions recipe will make you fall in love with this nutritious food! It is tender and tastes great when prepared properly with a young, very fresh calf or lamb liver.

    Is Liver Good For You?

    Yes, the liver, in general, is very nutritious and packed with lots of vitamins and minerals. It is low in calories and is definitely one of the most nutritionally dense foods out there.

    A single portion of the liver is very low in saturated fat and provides more than the recommended daily adult intake of vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, folate, and iron.  In addition, the liver contains potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorous, and selenium.

    Why This Recipe Works?

    • Arnavut Ciğeri tastes great and is a cheap and nutritious delicacy packed with vitamins and minerals. 
    • It is extremely easy to prepare and is perfect if you are looking for a different way of serving this nutritious internal organ.
    • This Turkish Liver complements perfectly Turkish raki and is a perfect addition to your mezze spread along with Saksuka (Turkish Vegetable Meze), Mercimek Kofte (Lentil Balls), Russian Salad (Salad Olivier), Muhammara - Acuka (Red Pepper Dip), and Turkish Rolls (Sigara Boregi).

    Ingredients and Substitutes

    Labelled picture of ingredients for arnavut cigeri
    • Liver - Lamb liver or calve liver work perfectly with this recipe. You can buy liver in most supermarkets, at local Farmer’s Markets, or at the butchers.
    • Potatoes - I use floury potatoes such as King Edward, Maris Piper, Russet, or Rooster as I like them flaky inside with crispy edges. If you want to achieve good solid crispy potatoes, use a waxy potato such as Charlotte, Anya, fingerling potatoes, or any type of red potatoes.
    • Peppers - I prefer using Turkish green peppers for this dish. They are one of the most popular peppers used in Turkish cuisine. They are usually mild but some of them can be quite hot. You can replace them with bell pepper or Spanish Padron peppers.
    • Flour - I use plain/all-purpose flour to thicken the sauce. Substitute it with cornflour for a gluten-free option.
    • Vinegar - The acidity of vinegar breaks down the liver and makes it more palatable. You can use any type of white vinegar.
    • Oil - I generally use vegetable oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, or sunflower oil for frying for their neutral taste.
    • Bicarbonate of soda - It tenderizes the liver.
    • Red onion - I prefer using thinly sliced red onions for their color and strong flavor.
    • Parsley - It is one of my favorite herbs that add flavor and brightness to salads. It is very popular to use this aromatic herb in many Turkish salad recipes such as Piyaz (Turkish Bean Salad) and Turkish Shepherd Salad (Coban Salatasi).
    • Sumac - It is a popular spice in Middle Eastern and Turkish cooking. It is a versatile seasoning that adds bright red color and tartness to a dish. 

    How to Make Arnavut Cigeri?

    Although this is a very easy recipe to make, you need to follow a few simple tips to achieve the best results:

    Prepare the Onion Salad

    Slice the red onion and rub them with 1 teaspoon salt to soften and make them more palatable. Place them in a bowl, add the chopped parsley, ground sumac, and flaked chili (pul biber), and combine well. Set the salad aside and proceed with preparing the vegetables.

    onion, sumac and parsley salad for arnavut cigeri

    Prepare the Vegetables

    Peel and cut the potatoes into 1 - 1½ cm cubes. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the potatoes. 

    potatoes are cut in cubes and sliced peppers are in a bowl

    Fry them until golden and crispy and remove them to a plate with a slotted spoon. Do it in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

    fried cubed potatoes on a plate

    Add the peppers to the same pan and fry them for a few minutes, until slightly softened. Remove the peppers to the same plate as the potatoes with a slotted spoon and start preparing the liver.

    fried peppers are added to the potatoes

    Prepare the Liver

    Clean the liver, removing the membrane and any gristly bits. Cut them into cubes, spread them on a paper towel, and then sprinkle on the vinegar.

    spread the liver cubes on a paper towel

    Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt and spread it on a plate.

    mix flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl

    Toss the cubed liver pieces into the flour mixture, making sure they all have a light coating of the flour mixture.

    liver pieces are dusted with flour

    Heat the oil in a pan on high heat, and add floured liver cubes. Gently arrange with a wooden spoon, so all are in contact with the oil evenly. Do it in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

    frying the liver pieces in a wok with oil

    Cook for a couple of minutes on each side, until they are crispy and browned outside but soft and moist inside. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them on a kitchen paper towel. Serve immediately on a bed of fried potato cubes and peppers and garnish with red onion & sumac salad.

    arnavut cigeri is served with red onion salad and potato cubes

    Scroll down to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe!

    Top Tips From the Chef

    • Don't be tempted to wash your livers before cooking. Use a paper towel to get rid of the blood if there is any.
    • Make sure you peel the outer skin of the liver and get rid of the gristly/veiny bits before cooking it.
    • For soft and deliciously cooked Arnavut Cigeri, you need to stir fry them on high heat quickly for a few minutes on each side. This step is necessary to ensure that the liver pieces brown slightly and get crispy outside but stay moist and soft inside.
    • Make sure you have your red onion, parsley, and sumac salad ready along with the fried cubed potatoes and peppers before cooking the liver.

    Recipe FAQs

    How to serve Arnavut Cigeri?

    Fried liver and onions are traditionally served as a part of a meze spread along with cubed potatoes and onion salad on the side. If you want to serve it as a main meal, you can serve it with a bowl of Bulgur Pilavi (Turkish Bulgur Pilaf), Crispy Sauté Potatoes with Garlic, or Turkish Rice (Serhriyeli Pilav).

    What does calves' liver taste like?

    When appropriately prepared and cooked just right with the good basic ingredients, calves liver has an almost sweet, naturally earthy flavor and a soft&smooth texture. It is very delicious and has a unique taste of its own.

    Where to buy liver?

    You can buy liver from butchers, large supermarket meat sections, or farmers' markets.

    Related Recipes

    For more scrumptious, easy, and healthy recipes why not try:

    • Baked Cod With Panko
    • Salmon and Spinach Quiche
    • Fish Sticks In Air Fryer
    • Cilbir - Turkish Poached Eggs

    Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

    I hope you enjoy the process of making this fried liver dish as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

    Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun! 

    arnavut cigeri

    Arnavut Cigeri

    Ayla Clulee
    Arnavut Cigeri (or Albanian Liver) is a Turkish Liver dish consisting of pan-fried lamb or veal liver cubes seasoned with flaked chilli and served with sumac, onion and parsley salad.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine Turkish
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 364 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 kitchen scale
    • 1 measuring spoons
    • 1 Sharp knife
    • 1 frying pan
    • 1 Measuring cups

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the Onion Salad

    • 1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
    • 2 tablespoon parsley (finely chopped)
    • 1 teaspoon sumac
    • ½ teaspoon flaked chilli (pul biber)
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    For the Liver

    • 500 g calves or lamb liver
    • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
    • ½ cup plain white flour / all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • vegetable or sunflower oil for frying

    Vegetables To Serve With

    • 500 g potatoes (diced)
    • 4 Turkish green peppers (or 1 green bell pepper) (roughly sliced)
    • vegetable or sunflower oil for frying

    Instructions
     

    Preparing the Onion Salad

    • Slice the red onion and rub them with 1 teaspoon salt to soften and make them more palatable. Place it in a bowl.
    • Add the chopped parsley, ground sumac and flaked chilli (pul biber), and combine well.
    • Set the salad aside and proceed with preparing the vegetables.

    Preparing the vegetables

    • Peel and cut the potatoes into 1 - 1½ cm cubes.
    • Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the potatoes. 
    • Fry them until golden and crispy and remove them to a plate with a slotted spoon. Do it in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
    • Add the peppers to the same pan and fry them for a few minutes, until slightly softened.
    • Remove the peppers to the same plate as the potatoes with a slotted spoon and start preparing the liver.

    Preparing the Liver

    • Clean the liver, removing the membrane and any gristly bits.
    • Cut them into cubes, spread them on a paper towel, and then sprinkle on the vinegar
    • Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt and spread it on a plate.
    • Toss the cubed liver pieces into the flour mixture, making sure they all have a light coating of the flour mixture.
    • Heat the oil in a pan on high heat, and add floured liver cubes.
    • Gently arrange with a wooden spoon, so all are in contact with the oil evenly. Do it in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
    • Cook for a couple of minutes on each side, until they are crispy and browned outside but soft and moist inside.
    • Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them on a kitchen paper towel.
    • Serve immediately on a bed of fried potato cubes and peppers and garnish with red onion & sumac salad.

    Notes

    • This recipe makes 4 portions when served as a starter/meze and 2 portions as a main meal.
    • Don't be tempted to wash your livers before cooking. Use a paper towel to get rid of the blood if there is any.
    • Peel the outer skin of the liver and get rid of the gristly/veiny bits before cooking it.
    • Stir fry the liver pieces on high heat quickly for a few minutes on each side. This step is necessary to ensure that they brown slightly and get crispy outside but stays moist and soft inside.
    • Make sure you have your red onion, parsley, and sumac salad ready along with the fried cubed potatoes and peppers before cooking the liver.
    • Fry the potatoes in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
    • Nicely coat the cubed liver pieces with the flour mixture and get rid of excess flour before frying them.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 31gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 418mgSodium: 978mgPotassium: 1192mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 49506IUVitamin C: 126mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 10mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookingorgeous or tag #cookingorgeous!

    This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

    « Chocolate Strawberry Tartlets
    Braised Beef Cheeks »

    Sign up for Cooking Gorgeous Newsletter to get the latest recipes into your inbox!

    Thank you!

    You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

    .

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ben

      May 20, 2022 at 1:52 pm

      5 stars
      This really is the best recipe for liver. When I tried it last night it came out fantastic. It was crispy outside, soft inside and delicious. Yes, I believe this recipe will convert liver haters into liver lovers.

      Reply
    2. Laura

      June 08, 2022 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! I've always loved liver when it was made correctly by other people, but I never liked my own. Thanks to this recipe, that has changed.

      Reply
    3. Reha

      June 10, 2022 at 4:32 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a great recipe, I am not the biggest fan of liver but I went back for seconds!

      Reply
    4. Sabeen

      June 11, 2022 at 7:09 pm

      5 stars
      Wow ! So simple but so incredibly delicious. Thank you!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! Thank you for visiting Cooking Gorgeous. My name is Ayla, and I’m a professional chef based in the UK. The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy. To me, food is more than ingredients and nutrition; it is a language of love, a way of expressing compassion.

    More about me →

    Soup Recipes

    • Mediterranean Lentil Soup
    • Traditional French Onion Soup
    • Sulu Kofte - Turkish Meatball Soup
    • Wild Garlic Soup
    • Chinese Hot and Sour Chicken Soup
    • Yayla Corbasi - Turkish Yogurt Soup

    Popular Recipes

    • Shish Tawook (Turkish Chicken Kebab)
    • Steak Pie
    • Lamb Beyti Kebab
    • Mushroom Rice (Mushroom Pilau)
    • Sigara Boregi (Turkish Cheese Rolls)
    • Saksuka (Turkish Vegetable Meze)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy
    • FAQs

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Cooking Gorgeous

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT