These delicious Turkish street food recipes are a must-try, packed with bold flavors and exciting combinations that make them simply irresistible. From crispy flatbreads to savory pastries, these dishes are delicious and packed with a rich cultural history. They are perfect for spicing up your everyday meals or adding a bit of adventure to your cooking routine!
Chicken Doner Kebab
Chicken Doner Kebab, or Tavuk Döner as it's called in Turkey, is a delicious Turkish street food that is also popular around the world. It is made with tender and juicy marinated chicken thighs, cooked until charred, and wrapped in warm flatbread along with fresh vegetables.
To learn more: Chicken Doner Kebab - Tavuk Döner
Turkish Ice Cream
This Homemade Turkish Ice Cream Recipe, also known as Maras Dondurma, will bring the authentic flavors of this popular street food right into your kitchen.
Maraş Dondurma is a traditional Turkish ice cream known for its thick, stretchy, and chewy texture, unlike regular gelato or ice cream. You can even eat it with a fork and knife instead of licking it from a cone. It has unique ingredients like salep and mastic.
To learn more: Homemade Turkish Ice Cream - Maras Dondurma
Meatless Cig Kofte
This Easy Meatless Çiğ Köfte Recipe is a vegetarian twist on the popular Turkish street food from Urfa, a city in southeastern Turkey.
It also makes a great appetizer or meze and is similar to Kibbeh Nayyeh from Levantine cuisine.
To learn more: Easy Meatless Çiğ Köfte Recipe
Salep - Turkish Hot Milk Drink
Salep (or Sahlab) is a delicious and comforting Turkish hot milk drink, making it the perfect winter warmer for cozying up on the sofa. Just like the Turkish Boza Drink, in the past, Salep (Sahlab) was typically sold by morning street vendors, but these days, you can easily find it at cafes.
To learn more: Salep - Turkish Hot Milk Drink
Boyoz
Boyoz pastry is a traditional Turkish street food that is made from a simple dough that consists of flour, water, and sometimes a touch of olive oil.
The dough is then left to rest, allowing it to develop its characteristic crispy and flaky texture.
To learn more: Turkish Boyoz Pastry Recipe
Doner Kebab
Doner kebab, also known as döner or döner kebap, is a type of meat that is traditionally cooked on a vertical rotisserie. The meat, often lamb, chicken, or beef, is marinated with a blend of spices and herbs and then is stacked in an inverted cone shape, slowly rotating next to a heat source. As it cooks, the outer layers are thinly sliced and served with sliced tomatoes, and Sumac Onions in bread, or over Turkish Rice Pilaf.
To learn more: Turkish Doner Kebab Recipe
Boza
Turkish Boza Drink is a delicious, unique, and nutritious fermented beverage that has been around for centuries. Depending on the location, it's typically made from corn, millet, bulgur, rice, or wheat.
In Turkey, Boza is traditionally served with cinnamon and crunchy roasted chickpeas known as "leblebi".
To learn more: Turkish Boza Drink
Kumru Sandwich
Izmir Kumru - Turkish Sandwich is a very popular street food originating from Çesme, a beautiful Aegean small beach town in İzmir.
It is made with a special bread roll called "kumru" which is typically filled with sucuk (spicy beef sausage), salami, kasar cheese, and tomato.
To learn more: Izmir Kumru - Turkish Sandwich
Tantuni
Tantuni is an iconic Turkish street food made with lightly seasoned small cubes of beef stir-fried in a special pan.
This traditional dish is typically served wrapped in lavash bread together with chopped onions, tomatoes, sumac, and parsley. Originating from Mersin city of Turkey, this delicious Tantuni kebab wrap is full of Mediterranean flavors you will love!
To learn more: Tantuni
Chebureki
Çiğ Börek (Çiborek or Chebureki) is a thin crispy deep-fried pastry filled with ground beef, onions, and spices. They are perfect as an appetizer, breakfast/brunch item, or snack on the go.
This delicious fried turnover is a national dish of Crimean Tatars but is also a popular snack/street food throughout Turkey, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Russia.
To learn more: Çiğ Börek - Chebureki
Kumpir
Kumpir (or Turkish Style Baked Potato) is a popular Turkish street food made with large baked potatoes served with a pile of delicious toppings and finished with a sauce such as mayonnaise, yogurt, ketchup, or sour cream.
To learn more: Kumpir - Turkish Baked Potato
Adana Kebab
Adana Kebab (a.k.a Adana Kebap or Adana Kofte) is a delicious hand-minced meat kebab mounted on a skewer and then grilled over charcoal. This delicious spicy ground lamb kebab is a staple of Turkish street food and can be found on menus around the world.
To learn more: Adana Kebab (Adana Kofte)
Icli Kofte
Icli Kofte (some call it Bulgur Kofte) is the Turkish version of the famous Middle Eastern dish called "Kibbeh".
They are made with a combination of ground meat, fine bulgur wheat, and Middle Eastern spices.
To learn more: Icli Kofte - Turkish Kibbeh
Simit - Turkish Sesame Bagel
Simit (also known as Simit Bread or Turkish Sesame Bagel), is a sesame-crusted circular bread that is usually served for breakfast. It is often sprinkled with sesame seeds and has a slightly sweet and nutty taste.
Same as Pogaca (Turkish Cheese Buns) and Turkish Boyoz Pastry, Simit bread is one of the most popular street foods in Turkey and you can easily buy them from cafes, bakeries, or small food carts.
To learn more: Simit - Turkish Sesame Bagel
Grilled Lamb Kofte
Grilled Lamb Kofta (Izgara Kofte in Turkish) is one of the most popular street foods in Turkey made with minced lamb and aromatic spices such as coriander and paprika.
It is extremely easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients and some basic cooking skills.
To learn more: Turkish Grilled Lamb Kofta - Izgara Kofte
Lahmacun
Homemade Turkish Lahmacun (or Lahmajun-Lahmajoun) is a super-thin crispy flatbread topped with minced beef or lamb mixed with vegetables, herbs, and spices.
You can find this popular street / fast food everywhere in Turkey, in restaurants, cafes, and fast-food shops.
To learn more: Turkish Lahmacun
Gozleme - Turkish Pancakes
Gozleme, also known as Turkish Pancakes, is a delicious savory Turkish flatbread filled with a variety of ingredients like mince, cheese, spinach, or potatoes.
If you've ever traveled to Turkey or even just walked around a Turkish neighborhood, you've probably come across gozleme.
To learn more: Gozleme (Turkish Pancakes)
Pogaca
Pogaca (Turkish Cheese Buns) is one of the most popular savory pastries in Turkey.
Just like Fatayer - Homemade Lebanese Pies, they are perfect as a quick breakfast on the go, a tasty snack when you feel peckish, or a great addition to your kids' lunch box.
To learn more: Pogaca (Turkish Cheese Buns)
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