Turkish Eggs

5 from 3 votes

This Turkish Eggs (aka Çilbir) is my favorite brunch dish. Creamy yogurt, poached eggs, chimichurri sauce, and spiced butter come together in the best way, and it pairs beautifully with crusty bread.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: Turkish

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword: turkish eggs

Servings: servings

Calories: 340kcal

Author: Lena Gladstone

Ingredients

Herbed Greek Yogurt

1 ½ cups Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons dill finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste

Spiced Butter

4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric

Spicy Chimichurri

1 small shallot finely chopped
¼ cup parsley finely chopped
¼ cup mint finely chopped
½ small jalapeño deseeded and finely chopped
½ lemon juiced and zested
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Poached Eggs

6 large eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Instructions

Herbed Greek Yogurt

Mix Greek yogurt, chopped dill, grated garlic and salt. Let it sit in the fridge for 1 hour covered with plastic wrap.

Spiced Butter

Add the unsalted butter in a small pot. Heat over medium-low heat, once the butter has melted, add the smoked paprika and turmeric, let it cook for another minute. Turn off the heat and set a side.

Spicy Chimichurri

Finely chop the shallot, parsley, mint, jalapeño and mince a garlic cloves. Add to a small bowl, add in the salt, lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil. Mix well to combine and set a side.

Poached Eggs

Add 2 inches of water in a deep pan with a tablespoon of white vinegar and bring to a boil then turn down to simmer.
Carefully crack an egg and put it through a fine mesh strainer (this removes any imperfections of the eggs), then carefully transfer the egg into a small ramekin and slowly slide it into the pan of water. Repeat with the remaining eggs by adding them into the pan. Cook the eggs for 4-6 minutes per egg. If you like a runnier yolk, cook for 4 minutes, and if you want it more cooked, cook for 6 minutes. Remove each egg after each 4-6 minute is up per egg.
Remove the poached eggs with a slotted spoon and add to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining eggs.

Serve

To serve, add the herbed Greek yogurt on a platter, and add the drained poached eggs. Drizzle with the spiced melted butter (if butter hardens, heat it up again). Spoon the spicy chimichurri. Serve with crusty bread and enjoy.

Notes

Let the herbed yogurt chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight to allow the flavors to develop and the texture to thicken.
Use a wide, deep pan for poaching so the eggs have enough space to cook without touching.
Maintain a gentle simmer, not a boil, while poaching. This helps the egg whites stay intact.
Add white vinegar to the water and crack each egg through a fine mesh strainer before transferring it to a ramekin. This keeps the whites compact and prevents spreading.
To keep poached eggs warm before serving, place them in a bowl of warm water until everything else is ready.
If the spiced butter solidifies before serving, gently reheat it in a saucepan or microwave until melted again.
You can make the herbed yogurt, chimichurri, and spiced butter a day in advance. Store each in a separate airtight container in the fridge.
Leftover poached eggs, yogurt, and sauces can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the eggs by placing them in warm water for 1 to 2 minutes.
Chimichurri can also be frozen for up to 1 month in an airtight container.
Serve Turkish eggs with crusty bread to soak up all the flavorful yogurt, butter, and chimichurri.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. I ❤️ hearing from you!

Nutrition