Haydari

Haydari is a thick Turkish meze made with strained yogurt, feta cheese, garlic, fresh dill, and walnuts. It is creamy, tangy, a little salty from the cheese, and great for scooping with warm Pita Bread.

This is one of the easiest cold mezes to put together for kebabs, grilled meat, BBQs, or a Turkish meze table. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare, and the flavor gets even better after a little time in the refrigerator.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• What is Haydari?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Haydari
• Haydari vs Cacik
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• What to Serve with Haydari
• Make Ahead and Storage
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Haydari

I like adding finely chopped walnuts for a little texture, then stirring in melted butter with dried mint and chili flakes. It only takes a minute, but it gives the Haydari more flavor.

A Kind Comment From a Reader:

I made haydari tonight. As you suggested, I added feta cheese. And followed the recipe. Good Lord… it is so tasty. I noticed that some haydari recipes don’t have feta cheese. It is their loss. It is great. It is healthy and fulfilling. Thx. Marsh x

Why This Recipe Works

• Haydari takes about 10 minutes to prepare, plus at least 30 minutes chilling time.

• You don’t need to cook anything apart from gently melting the butter with dried mint and chili flakes.

• The texture is thick and creamy, so it works well with bread, raw vegetables, grilled meat, or as a spread in wraps and sandwiches.

• Haydari is great for making ahead. The flavor gets better after a little time in the refrigerator, and you only need to add the garnish just before serving.

What is Haydari?

Haydari is a cold Turkish meze made with thick strained yogurt, garlic, herbs, and usually some type of white cheese. In Turkey, it is more often served as a meze than a “dip,” usually before the main dishes with warm pita bread and Acili Ezme.

The yogurt used for Haydari is usually süzme yogurt, which is thick strained yogurt. Turkish white cheese, called beyaz peynir, is often used, but feta works well if that is easier to find.

Haydari should be thick, creamy, and easy to scoop with bread. It is richer than plain yogurt and usually stronger in flavor because of the garlic, herbs, cheese, and sometimes walnuts or mint butter.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Strained yogurt - Use thick strained yogurt, süzme yogurt, thick Greek yogurt, or labneh. Regular plain yogurt is usually too loose for Haydari, but you can strain it at home for a few hours if needed.

• Feta cheese - Feta gives Haydari a salty, tangy flavor and a creamier texture. I prefer sheep’s milk feta with a creamy texture, but Turkish white cheese is also a good option.

• Walnuts - Walnuts add texture and a slightly nutty flavor. Chop them finely so the Haydari is still easy to scoop. You can lightly toast the walnuts first for a deeper flavor, or leave them out for a smoother dip.

• Dill - Fresh dill works really well with yogurt and feta. You can use fresh mint instead, or use both together.

• Garlic - Use fresh garlic, not garlic powder. Turn it into a paste with a pinch of salt, or grate it finely so it mixes smoothly into the yogurt.

• Butter - A little melted butter gives the Haydari extra richness. I melt it gently with dried mint and chili flakes before adding it to the yogurt mixture. You can use extra virgin olive oil instead if you prefer a lighter version.

How to Make Haydari

Place the feta cheese in a bowl and mash it with a fork until it turns into a paste. The texture of the feta affects the texture of the Haydari, so mash it well if you want a smoother dip.

Gently melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.

Add the dried mint and chili flakes, then turn off the heat. Let it sit for about 5 minutes so the butter takes on the flavor of the mint and chili.

Add the strained yogurt, garlic paste, finely chopped dill, chopped walnuts, and mint butter to the mashed feta. Mix well until everything is fully combined. The Haydari should be thick, creamy, and easy to scoop.

Transfer the Haydari to a serving bowl or shallow plate. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. This gives the garlic, dill, feta, and yogurt time to settle together. Before serving, garnish with chili flakes, chopped walnuts, fresh dill, olive oil, or a little extra mint butter if you like.

Haydari vs Cacik

Haydari and Cacik are both Turkish yogurt dishes, but they are not the same.

Cacik is made with yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and herbs. It can be served thick like a dip or thinner like a cold yogurt soup.

Haydari does not have cucumber. It is thicker and richer, usually made with strained yogurt, cheese, garlic, herbs, and sometimes walnuts.

If you want something fresh and cucumber-based, Cacik is the better choice. If you want a thick Turkish meze to serve with bread, kebabs, or grilled food, make Haydari.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Use thick yogurt. Loose yogurt will make the Haydari watery.

• Mash the feta with a fork until there are no large lumps. It mixes into the yogurt much better this way and gives the Haydari a creamier texture.

• Taste before adding extra salt. Feta is already salty, so you may not need any more.

• Use fresh garlic and start with one clove. The garlic flavor gets stronger as the Haydari sits.

• Chop the walnuts finely. Large pieces can make the dip feel too chunky.

• Let the Haydari chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. It tastes better once the flavors have had time to settle.

• Add the garnish just before serving so it looks fresh.

What to Serve with Haydari

Haydari is usually served cold as part of a Turkish meze spread. Serve it with warm Bazlama or Sourdough Flatbread, along with other meze dishes such as Whipped Brie with Honey, Kashk e Bademjan, Greek Fava, and Muhammara.

It also goes well with kebabs or BBQ dishes such as BBQ Garlic Butter Prawns, Adana Kebab, Patlican Kebabi - Eggplant Kebab, and Tas Kebabi - Turkish Beef Stew.

You can also use it as a spread to make wraps or sandwiches. It also tastes great on a slice of Homemade Sandwich Bread for a quick breakfast.

Make Ahead and Storage

Haydari is a good make-ahead meze. You can prepare it a day or two ahead and keep it in the refrigerator.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Give it a good stir before serving, as it can firm up slightly in the refrigerator. Add fresh garnish, olive oil, walnuts, chili flakes, or mint butter just before serving.

I don’t recommend freezing Haydari because yogurt dips can split and turn watery after thawing.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious dip/mezze recipes why not try:

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 delicious Turkish yogurt meze, Haydari, as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂