Search locations or food
OR
Sign up

What to eat in Turkiye? Top 6 Turkish Offal Dishes

Last update: Fri Feb 14 2025
VIEW MORE
01
Kokoreç
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Kokoreç is a traditional dish that's also popular in other countries, especially in Greece, where it's known as kokoretsi. However, there are some differences between the Turkish and Greek versions. In Greek cuisine, people use lamb offal such as lungs, kidneys, hearts, and liver, and in Türkiye, they use small and large intestine and sweetbreads without any additional ingredients.


For the Turkish version, kokoreç, the ingredients are rinsed and cleaned, then wrapped onto iron skewers to be grilled over charcoal. Once done, the dish is usually served with bread or tucked inside the bread with various spices such as oregano, cumin, and chili flakes. 

MOST ICONIC Kokoreç

View more
1
2
3
4
5
02
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Kelle paça çorbası is a traditional soup made with offal as the key ingredient. Sheep's or goat's head are placed into a pot with water, onions, and salt, and the soup is then slowly cooked until the meat falls off the bones. Some people like to add a roux of butter and flour to the soup, followed by a beaten egg, garlic, and lemon juice.


Lamb neck, tongue, and brain can also be included in the soup. It's recommended to serve the soup with greens and lots of crusty bread on the side.

MOST ICONIC Kelle paça çorbası

1
2
3
03

Offal Dish

SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA REGION, Turkiye
4.0
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Ciğer kebabı, or liver kebab, is a popular Turkish dish of skewered and grilled liver originating from southeastern Turkey, particularly Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, and Şanlıurfa. It is popularly enjoyed in southern provinces and holds cultural significance.


It is also often served for breakfast. Preparation involves cutting and seasoning the liver with salt, spices, and sometimes vegetables and skewering it with tail fat. In Gaziantep, the liver is cubed and skewered, while in Mersin, Adana, and Şanlıurfa, it is threaded in smaller pieces using special liver skewers, often alternating with tail fat in Gaziantep. 
04
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

İşkembe çorbası is a traditional tripe soup that is known as a great hangover cure. It consists of tripe, water, milk, flour, butter, and egg yolks. The soup is usually seasoned with salt and finished with red pepper, vinegar, and garlic, giving it a bold flavor.


It is recommended to serve the soup while still hot.

MOST ICONIC İşkembe çorbası

View more
1
2
3
4
5
05
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Kuzu kelle is an intriguing Turkish dish employing an unusual ingredient – the sheep’s head. It is prepared in two traditional ways; boiled and served cold, known as kelle söğüş; or roasted and served hot, more familiar under the name tandur kelle.


The cold variety is usually cut in thin slices and is generously covered in salt, parsley, and onions before serving. The roasted head is usually served straight from the oven, while still steaming, and the juicy parts are usually delicately separated by the cook and presented to guests. 

MOST ICONIC Kuzu kelle

1
2
3
06
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Ciğer sarma is a dish consisting of lamb liver and rice mixed with pine nuts, currants, onions, and spices wrapped in softened lamb caul fat. The dish is baked until golden brown, with the caul fat keeping the filling moist and enhancing the flavor.


Traditionally served during special occasions, ciğer sarma reflects the culinary heritage of the region, combining aromatic ingredients and meticulous preparation. Its presentation, with the caul fat enclosing the spiced filling, makes it both visually appealing and deliciously satisfying. 

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

Show Map
Turkish Offal Dishes