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Tire köftesi refers to a special type of ground meat dish that originates from the Tire district of İzmir, Türkiye. Tire köftesi consists of minced meat (often lamb or a mix of beef and lamb), breadcrumbs or stale bread soaked in milk or water, onions, garlic, and various spices.
One distinguishing feature is its soft and juicy texture, which is achieved through its specific mixture of ingredients and cooking method: they are often shallow-fried until they have a crispy exterior, then they might be simmered in a sauce or served directly.
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Adana kebap is a popular skewered meat dish named after one of the most famous kebab cities in the country, Adana. This kebab is made with ground lamb and tail fat that are kneaded together with garlic, onion, paprika, and hot red pepper flakes, giving it a deep red color and a spicy flavor.
The whole concoction is typically placed around large and flat metal skewers, then grilled. Once it's done, the grilled meat is traditionally served on a platter over flatbreads, peppers, and tomatoes, or stuffed into pita bread along with a salad consisting of parsley and red onions.
MOST ICONIC Adana kebap
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One of the staples of traditional Turkish cuisine, sarma consists of a filling that is snugly surrounded by leaves or leafy vegetables. There are numerous versions of this dish but the mixture typically combines ingredients such as minced meat, rice or bulgur, various herbs, seasonings, red pepper, paprika, ground sumac, or tomato sauce, while the typical wrapping usually includes vine, cabbage, or sauerkraut leaves, or a variety of leafy vegetables such as collard greens and swiss chard.
Having its roots in the Ottoman Empire, sarma is also traditionally consumed in the Balkans, the countries of Central Europe, the South Caucasus, and the Middle East. Although it is commonly enjoyed as a filling lunch or dinner (typically during the winter season), sarma is often prepared on special occasions and holidays.
MOST ICONIC Sarma
Kayseri yağlaması is a traditional dish from the city of Kayseri in central Anatolia that consists of thin, soft flatbreads layered with a savory filling of minced meat (usually lamb or beef), finely chopped onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and a blend of spices like paprika, black pepper, and cumin.
The flatbreads are stacked with the meat mixture spread between each layer, creating a flavorful, lasagna-like dish. Once assembled, the stack is cut into portions and typically served with garlic yogurt and a garnish of parsley. The dish is juicy and aromatic, with the flatbreads soaking up the seasoned meat juices and the cool tang of the yogurt providing a perfect contrast.
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Beyti is a traditional kebab variety originating from Istanbul. It consists of ground lamb or beef that's seasoned with spices, grilled on a skewer, then served wrapped in lavash, cut into pieces, and topped with tomato sauce and yogurt. The ground meat is typically mixed with onions, eggs, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, breadcrumbs, paprika, and black pepper.
Lavash or phyllo pastry is brushed with butter, then wrapped around the grilled kebabs into a roll. The rolls are cut diagonally, then topped with a sauce consisting of tomatoes and butter, while the yogurt is usually served in the center of the rolls or on the side.
MOST ICONIC Beyti kebab
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Islama köfte are traditional Turkish meatballs originating from Adapazarı, the capital of Sakarya province. The meatballs are usually made with a combination of grated stale bread, ground beef, onions, garlic, cumin, paprika, eggs, salt, and pepper.
Once the mixture has been shaped into meatballs, they're either grilled or fried in oil over medium heat on both sides. The bread is sliced and dipped in a mixture of beef stock, oil, and paprika before it's grilled (or fried in the same pan with the meatballs).
MOST ICONIC Islama köfte
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Kofta or köfte are walnut-sized fried meatballs, usually made from ground beef or lamb. It is a popular Turkish meze dish that is often prepared for special occasions and cocktail parties, since the meatballs are quite easy to prepare and can be easily consumed with a toothpick.
Köfte come in various degrees of spiciness and in numerous forms - from egg-coated and fried kadin budu to Adana kofte from the south-east of Turkey. In eastern Turkey, the most popular variety is called içli köfte, full of flavor due to large amounts of butter in the filling.
MOST ICONIC Köfte
View moreKarnıyarık is a classic Turkish dish consisting of eggplants that are stuffed with a combination of ground meat (usually beef), tomatoes, and onions. The filling is typically seasoned only with salt and pepper, but garlic and parsley can also be added for extra flavor.
The stuffed eggplants are then baked in the oven, and the dish is traditionally served either warm or at room temperature. It is recommended to serve it with rice and yogurt on the side.
MOST ICONIC Karnıyarık
View moreÇiğ köfte is the Turkish version of steak tartare, traditionally made with high-quality ground raw beef (or lamb) that is combined with tomatoes, onions, garlic, pepper, and a selection of Turkish spices. The dish is consumed as a meze, and it is typically served almost cold.
Nowadays, due to food safety regulations and health concerns, the meat is almost always replaced with bulgur and ground walnuts, but these vegetarian versions are so good that people mostly can’t tell them from the real thing.
MOST ICONIC Çiğ köfte
View moreThe Turkish version of Lebanese kibbeh are stuffed meatballs called içli köfte. The exterior is made from a combination of bulgur wheat, potatoes or semolina, and spices, while the stuffing contains onions, ground lamb or beef, and ground nuts such as walnuts, pine nuts, or pistachios, along with spices.
The köfte are usually boiled, then fried to perfection – the shell should remain soft but crispy, while the stuffing should be succulent and piping hot. It's recommended to serve the köfte with hummus or cacik. They can be found on the menus of most restaurants in Türkiye (usually served as appetizers), but they're sometimes also prepared at home as hot finger food.
MOST ICONIC Içli köfte
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. For the “Top 25 Turkish Ground Meat Dishes” list until March 21, 2025, 5,227 ratings were recorded, of which 2,806 were recognized by the system as legitimate. 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.