Main Dishes
Main DishesSehriyeli Pilav (Turkish Rice Pilaf with Orzo)
The classic Turkish side dish: fluffy baldo rice studded with golden toasted orzo, cooked in butter so every grain stands separate. Foolproof method included.
Main DishesKiymali Makarna (Turkish Pasta with Minced Meat)
The ultimate Turkish weeknight dinner: pasta tossed with a rich minced meat and tomato paste sauce, finished with butter, grated cheese and a spoon of yoghurt.
Main DishesZeytinyagli Taze Fasulye (Green Beans in Olive Oil)
The definitive Turkish olive oil dish: flat green beans slowly braised with onion, tomato and plenty of extra virgin olive oil, then served at room temperature with lemon. Simple, healthy and endlessly moreish.
Main DishesPatlican Kebabi (Aubergine & Meatball Kebab)
A classic southern Turkish tray kebab where smoky aubergine slices are layered with spiced meatballs and baked in a rich tomato sauce. Pure comfort food, easily made in a UK home oven.
Main DishesTavuk Sis (Turkish Chicken Skewers)
Tender Turkish chicken skewers in a yogurt, pepper paste and paprika marinade. The kebab-shop classic, made easily at home on the BBQ or under the grill.
Main DishesHomemade Adana Kebab
The famous hand-minced lamb kebab of Adana, spiced with pepper paste and chilli flakes and grilled on wide skewers. Here is how to get it right at home.
Main DishesIzgara Kofte (Grilled Turkish Meatballs)
Juicy, smoky Turkish grilled meatballs seasoned with cumin, pepper flakes and oregano. Perfect for the BBQ or a hot grill pan, any night of the week.
Main DishesHomemade Lahmacun (Turkish Flatbread with Spiced Mince)
Paper-thin Turkish flatbread topped with a fragrant paste of minced meat, peppers, onion and isot, baked hot and fast. Roll it up with parsley, sumac onions and lemon.
Main DishesKasarli Pide (Turkish Cheese Pide)
The ultimate Turkish comfort food: boat-shaped pide loaded with melted kasar cheese, finished with butter and an optional egg. Simple dough, spectacular result.
Main DishesKiymali Pide (Turkish Minced Meat Pide)
Boat-shaped Turkish pide filled with spiced minced beef, onion and pepper paste, baked until the crust is golden and crisp. A true pide salonu classic you can make in a UK home oven.
Main DishesEtli Nohut (Turkish Chickpea Stew)
Slow-simmered chickpeas and tender chunks of lamb in a rich tomato and pepper paste sauce — the great comfort dish of every Turkish lokanta.
Main DishesIc Pilav (Turkish Rice Pilaf with Currants & Pine Nuts)
The celebration pilaf of Ottoman kitchens: baldo rice studded with buttery pine nuts, sweet currants, warm spices and fresh dill.
Main DishesBulgur Pilavi (Bulgur Pilaf with Tomato & Peppers)
Nutty coarse bulgur simmered with tomato, peppers and a spoonful of pepper paste — the everyday Turkish side dish that quietly steals the show.
Main DishesHunkar Begendi (Sultan's Delight)
Slow-cooked lamb in a rich tomato sauce, spooned over silky smoked aubergine puree with melted kashkaval — Ottoman palace food you can make at home.
Main DishesTavuk Sote (Turkish Chicken Saute)
Juicy chicken pieces sizzled with peppers, tomatoes and a rich double-paste sauce — the weeknight hero of every Turkish home kitchen.
Main DishesYaprak Sarma (Stuffed Vine Leaves)
Tender vine leaves rolled around a fragrant rice filling scented with dried mint and olive oil — the dish every Turkish gathering is judged by.
Main DishesBiber Dolmasi (Turkish Stuffed Peppers)
Sweet green peppers stuffed with a herby rice and minced beef filling, simmered until tender in a tomato broth — a true Turkish family dinner.
Main DishesImam Bayildi (Olive-Oil Braised Aubergines)
Whole aubergines slowly braised in olive oil with a sweet tangle of onions, garlic and tomatoes — the legendary Ottoman dish so good 'the imam fainted'.
Main DishesManti (Turkish Dumplings with Garlic Yogurt)
Tiny hand-folded dumplings filled with spiced beef, blanketed in garlicky yogurt and finished with sizzling paprika butter — Turkey's most beloved comfort food.
Main DishesIzmir Kofte (Baked Meatballs in Tomato Sauce)
Juicy cumin-spiced meatballs baked with potatoes, peppers and tomatoes in a rich tomato sauce — Izmir kofte is a one-dish Turkish dinner the whole family loves.
Main DishesKuru Fasulye (Turkish White Bean Stew)
Creamy white beans simmered slowly in a buttery tomato and pepper paste sauce — kuru fasulye with rice is Turkey's unofficial national dish.
Main DishesKarniyarik (Stuffed Aubergines with Minced Meat)
Silky fried aubergines split open and filled with a rich minced meat, tomato and pepper stuffing — karniyarik is Turkish home cooking at its most comforting.
