Karnıyarık 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
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Piyaz is a traditional salad. In most of the country, it's a general term for a dish of dried beans, parsley, onions, and sumac. In Antalya, however, piyaz also contains a rich and smooth sauce consisting of tahini, lemon juice, and vinegar. The beans are topped with the sauce, and the dish is usually dressed with chopped tomatoes, sliced onions, hard-boiled eggs, olive oil, and parsley.
Piyaz is often eaten as an accompaniment to köfte and similar grilled meats, but it can also be included in a meze selection.
MOST ICONIC Piyaz
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Zeytin piyazi is a traditional salad originating from Türkiye. It's usually made with a combination of green olives, diced tomatoes, sliced scallions, chopped parsley, lemon juice, red chili flakes, thyme, and olive oil. The ingredients are simply mixed together and dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.
This green olive salad is typically served with bread slices, then enjoyed for breakfast or as a part of a meze platter. It can also be served as a side dish to fish and meat dishes. If desired, the salad can be enriched with the addition of chopped walnuts.
This traditional Turkish white bean stew is a staple in virtually every household and lokanta—an establishment serving simple but hearty meals to people on the go. Kuru fasulye translates to dried beans which are first soaked and then cooked together with sautéed chopped onions, green peppers, tomatoes, and salça (tomato paste).
The dish can also be enriched with meat - typically lamb - in a variation known as etli kuru fasulye.
MOST ICONIC Kuru fasulye
View moreKızartma is a Turkish dish consisting of fried vegetables. Although the combination of potatoes and chili peppers is the most popular, you can also use vegetables such as eggplants and zucchinis. The vegetables are fried in oil until they become tender, and they are then served with a thick sauce made from tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and olive oil.
In Turkey, kızartma is often made at home and for picnics because it's easy to make the dish in advance. It also makes for a great accompaniment to meat dishes.
MOST ICONIC Kızartma
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Imam bayildi (lit. the Imam fainted) is a Turkish dish consisting of eggplants cut in a way that they look like long canoes, filled with a combination of onions, red peppers, garlic, and tomatoes. The dish is flavored with oregano, cumin, paprika, and lemon juice, while the ingredients for the filling are sautéed in generous amounts of olive oil.
It is typically baked in the oven, and when done, imam bayildi can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold, ideally paired with a glass of yogurt.
MOST ICONIC Imam bayildi
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Barbunya pilaki is a traditional dish that's often served as meze. The dish is made with a combination of borlotti beans, tomatoes, carrots, onions, parsley, and olive oil. The beans are soaked, drained, then cooked until tender, but not mushy.
The carrots and onions are sautéed in olive oil, then mixed with tomatoes, seasonings, and the beans. Barbunya pilaki can be served cold or at room temperature, usually as an appetizer before the main dish. It's recommended to garnish it with chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
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Enginar dolmasi is a traditional dish and a type of dolma. The dish is prepared with a combination of artichokes, rice, onions, parsley, rice, tomato paste, olive oil, and seasonings. The artichokes are stuffed with a mixture of the other ingredients, drizzled with olive oil and covered with stock up to half way in a pot, then cooked until tender.
Once done, it's recommended to serve the stuffed artichokes with yogurt on the side.
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Fasulye pilaki is a traditional dish that's usually served as a meze. It's made with a combination of white or cannellini beans, onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, olive oil, parsley, and lemon juice. The beans are cooked until tender, while all the other ingredients are sautéed.
The two are then mixed together and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. This appetizer can be served cold in summer or hot on a cold winter day. It's recommended to garnish fasulye pilaki with chopped parsley and serve it with lemon wedges on the side.
Zeytin salatası is a traditional dish originating from the Hatay area. This simple salad is made by cracking indigenous green Turkish olives in a copper bowl, one by one. The salad is seasoned with olive oil and pomegranate syrup. It can be served as an appetizer before the main meal or as a healthy and nutritious breakfast.
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