The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Turkish Foods. If you manage to be in an Turkish restaurant or you are visiting Turkey, I recommend the following:
1. Lokum
Also known as Turkish delight, this nougat dessert is a firm, gelatinous cube flavoured with rosewater, lemon or mastic, and sprinkled with icing sugar, but there are many variations. It is a real privilege to taste this dessert in the place where it originated. People even bring boxes of balaclavas as souvenirs because that’s how good it is.
2. Baklava
Baklava is one of the most delicious and world-famous Turkish desserts. It is made of thin layers of puff pastry dough with finely chopped walnuts. This dessert originates from the Ottoman Empire and can now be found in practically every corner of Turkey. You can order one for dessert in any restaurant or buy it from a street stall, no matter where you buy it, it’s a classic and definitely one of the must-try foods in Turkey.
3. Menemen
Less seen on a restaurant menu, Menemen can be a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs cooked in sautéed vegetables. If you want a taste of how Turkish their eggs are, Menemen is the answer. It’s basically scrambled eggs gently cooked with onions, peppers, paprika and oregano. It’s similar to Shakshouka, the only difference is that the eggs in this dish are beaten.
4. Pide
Known as the ‘Turkish pizza’, Pide is a flatbread stuffed with meat toppings such as sucuk (Turkish sausage), pastrami and lamb. Like a regular pizza, Pide is also topped with cheese and vegetables. What makes this pizza ‘Turkish’, apart from the varied meat toppings, is its finishing touch, where the chef usually breaks an egg just after taking the pizza out of the oven.
5. Güllaç
Among the main Turkish foods, Gullac is a traditional dessert, served and savoured during Ramadan. It is a uniquely textured treat made with dough, milk, rose water, walnuts and pomegranate seeds. Even if you’re visiting at a time other than the month of Ramadan, try to seek out these desserts because it’s something your taste buds will fall in love with.
6. Lahmacun
Flat and crispy, Lahmacun is like a pizza served with a layer of minced meat, salad and lemon juice on bread and can be wrapped, folded in half, or pulled apart to eat. The Turkish counterpart of pizza is full of flavours. Minced lamb and Mediterranean spices party in the mouth. It is a famous street food throughout the country.
7. Köfte
The Turkish version of meatballs, köfte are balls or patties made from lightly cooked ground beef or lamb. It is often sold wrapped with salad and some pita bread. You can even have a Turkish vegetarian meal made with chickpeas and vegetables. Kofte is an important part of every Turkish household. Therefore, you will find it in every delicatessen street and country house.
8. Kuzu Tandır
Kuzu Tandir is known to be one of the most appreciated meat dishes in Turkey. It is also known for its tender meatiness and is traditionally cooked in a special oven. The lamb is suspended over the coals and cooked for hours until it is roasted. This method of cooking is known to have been used by the Seljuk Turks of Central Asia many centuries ago. Kuzu Tandir is best served with Turkish yoghurt and potatoes.
9. Mantı
Manti is an excellent dish that the Turks have mastered because a perfect Manti requires a unique taste and texture. Manti consists of different types of meat wrapped in soft dough, and it is your choice whether you want to boil or fry the meat. Manti is best served with butter or yoghurt. If you’re looking for something familiar and tasty, try the Manti, it’s a perfect takeaway dish.
10. Börek
Always flaky and delicious, this Turkish pastry is filled with minced meat or spinach and cheese. It can be rolled, served as a puff or layered like lasagne. It is a famous dish found in the Balkan, Levantine and Mediterranean regions. This flaky dough can be created whole in a frying pan or individually in small pastries. Sesame seeds sprinkled on top add a nutty touch to the dish.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional European Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.