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Turkish eggs, Cilbir, are poached eggs served over garlic yogurt with warm chili oil. A delicious, Turkish, low-carb breakfast recipe!
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Cilbir (Çılbır) is a Turkish egg dish served for breakfast, similar to Egg Benedict’s, yet healthier and lighter! Soft poached eggs are served over creamy garlic yogurt, drizzled with warm chili oil, and sprinkled with fresh herbs. It’s packed with flavor and could soon be your new favorite recipe for an elevated Sunday brunch.
You can either enjoy this high-protein breakfast as a low-carb dish or serve it with toasted bread. Warm pita bread or homemade Turkish bread is also an excellent choice to scoop up every last drop of this delicious egg dish. I love to dip the bread into the runny egg yolks! 😉
Let me show you how to make this Turkish Eggs recipe at home in no time. Plus, learn how to prepare beautifully poached eggs like a pro.
🛒 Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
- Eggs → Use fresh organic eggs if possible.
- Greek Yogurt → Makes this egg dish extra creamy. A dairy-free yogurt works too.
- Herbs → Fresh dill and fresh mint provide a wonderful flavor and add more color to this dish.
- Garlic → Gives the yogurt a little more flavor.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Paprika, Red Pepper Flakes → For the warm oil that is drizzled over the eggs. The authentic recipe uses butter and Aleppo pepper to make a spicy butter sauce. However, I prefer this version with red chilli flakes and olive oil. I recommend using smoked paprika, but it works too with regular ground paprika.
- Salt & Black Pepper → For seasoning!
👩🍳 Visual Step-by-Step Instructions
This visual step-by-step instruction will help you along the way – definitely recommended if you’re a cooking beginner! 😉 → Watch the recipe video to see how easy it is to make at home! 🤓
- Mix all the ingredients for the garlic yogurt in a bowl and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Spread it on a plate and set aside for now.
- Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and keep the water at a gentle simmer.
- Carefully crack an egg into a small fine mesh sieve over a small bowl and let the liquid part of the egg white drain. Then place the drained egg in a small bowl. → The poached egg will look more beautiful this way!
- Using a spoon, stir the water to create a vortex. Immediately add the egg and cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove the poached egg using a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined-plate.
- Repeat with the second egg.
- In the meantime, warm the olive oil, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes in a skillet over medium heat.
- Arrange poached eggs on top of the garlic yogurt, drizzle with chili oil, and sprinkle with chopped dill and mint.
- Hint: Turkish eggs should be served immediately. You can enjoy it as a low-carb breakfast on its own or serve it with fresh pita bread, Turkish pide bread, or a crusty bread of your choice.
Hint: I don’t recommend adding vinegar to the water when poaching your eggs. Some recipes suggest so, but this will leave your egg with a slightly sour taste from the vinegar.
🍳 Variations
- Don’t like spicy food? Prepare the warm chili oil without red pepper flakes.
- Garlic: If you don’t like or can’t tolerate raw garlic, omit it.
- Herbs: Replace dill with parsley.
🫙 Storage Instructions
Unfortunately, this dish doesn’t store well. Poached eggs should always be prepared fresh and served immediately. Cook only half the recipe for a smaller portion!
🍳 More Egg Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Turkish Eggs – Çilbir
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Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- some fresh dill minced
- some fresh mint minced
Garlic Yogurt
- ½ cup (120 g) Greek Yogurt
- 1 small clove garlic pressed or grated
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tbsp fresh dill minced
Chili Oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- ½ tsp smoked paprika or regular ground paprika
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes omit if you don't like it hot
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the garlic yogurt in a bowl, spread it on a plate, and set aside for now.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and keep the water at a gentle simmer.
- Carefully crack an egg into a small fine mesh sieve over a small bowl and let the liquid part of the egg white drain. Then place the drained egg in a small bowl. → The poached egg will look more beautiful this way!
- Using a spoon, stir the water to create a vortex. Immediately add the egg and cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove the poached egg using a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined-plate.
- Repeat with the second egg.
- In the meantime, warm the olive oil, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes in a skillet over medium heat.
- Arrange poached eggs on top of the garlic yogurt, drizzle with chili oil, and sprinkle with chopped dill and mint.
- Hint: Turkish eggs should be served immediately. You can enjoy it as a low-carb breakfast on its own or serve it with fresh pita bread, Turkish pide bread, or a crusty bread of your choice.