Ali Nazik is one of the easiest Turkish kebabs you can make at home. Roasted eggplants are mixed with thick yogurt and topped with tender pan-fried lamb. It is packed with flavor and always a favorite whenever we serve it.
A Turkish Kebab from Gaziantep
If you're interested in Turkish cuisine, you've probably heard of Gaziantep. It's a city in Türkiye that's famous for its amazing food.
Ali Nazik is one of the city's signature dishes. It originated in Gaziantep, but today you can find it in almost every kebab restaurant across Türkiye.
You might also see it called Eli Nazik, but Ali Nazik is the most common name.
At its simplest, Ali Nazik is made by mixing roasted eggplant with thick garlic yogurt and topping it with pan-fried lamb. Once you taste it, you'll understand why it is so popular.
When we were living in Türkiye, Ali Nazik was one of our favorite dishes to order at kebab restaurants. Now it's one of our favorite meals to make at home for special occasions.
You Can Make Ali Nazik at Home!
Ali Nazik has been one of the most requested recipes from our readers. The good news is that it is much easier to make than you might think.
You don't need any special equipment or special cooking skills.
Just roast the eggplants in the oven. Meanwhile, cook the lamb in a pan. Then mix the eggplants with the garlic yogurt, spoon the lamb on top, and that's it!
Once you make it at home, you'll see just how simple and delicious it is.
About the Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make our Ali Nazik recipe. The main ones are eggplants, strained yogurt, garlic, lamb, a few spices and butter.
Here are a few notes that you might find helpful.
Eggplants: Choose large, firm eggplants with smooth, shiny skin.
Strained yogurt (Süzme Yoğurt): Turkish süzme yoğurt is a thick strained yogurt, similar to labneh. The whey is removed, giving it a rich and creamy texture. You can easily make it at home by following our How to Make Strained Yogurt guide. or simply buy the thickest plain yogurt you can find. Greek style yogurt works too, but the eggplant mixture won't be quite as thick.
Lamb: We either buy diced lamb or cut lamb leg steaks into bite-sized pieces ourselves.
Pul Biber: This is a Turkish-style red pepper flake with a mild heat and slightly smoky flavor. If you can't find it, Aleppo pepper is the best substitute.
You'll find the full list of ingredients with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Ali Nazik Kebab
Making Ali Nazik at home is much easier than it looks. Most of the cooking time is spent roasting the eggplants.
We think the easiest way to roast the eggplants is in the oven. We use a grill tray, but a baking tray lined with parchment paper works just as well.
While the eggplants are roasting, cook the lamb in a pan until tender and nicely browned.
Once the eggplants are soft, scoop out the flesh and strain them to remove their juice.
Then chop them finely and mix with thick garlic yogurt.
Spread the mixture onto a serving plate, top it with the cooked lamb, drizzle over the buttery pan juices, and finish with roasted peppers and a little chopped parsley.
You'll find the full step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.
Strain the Roasted Eggplants!
This is a small step when making Ali Nazik, but it makes a big difference.
After scooping out the roasted eggplant flesh, transfer it to a fine mesh strainer. Then press it firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much of the dark liquid as possible.
This helps keep the mixture thick, creamy, and light in color.
We highly recommend not skipping it. Straining the eggplants really makes a difference in both the texture and the color of the final dish.
What to Serve with Ali Nazik
We love serving Ali Nazik with fresh bread and a few simple sides.
Some of our favorites are:
Can I Make It with Beef?
Yes, you can! Although lamb is the traditional choice for Ali Nazik, beef works well too. We recommend using a tender cut like sirloin or ribeye, cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook it just until browned and tender so it stays juicy.
Ground beef is another great option and is commonly used in many Turkish homes. If you're using ground beef with a good amount of fat, you can skip the butter, as the rendered fat will add plenty of flavor on its own.
Can I Make It with Chicken?
Yes. Chicken makes a lighter alternative, although it won't be a traditional Ali Nazik. We recommend using boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicier.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and cook it until lightly browned and cooked through. Then spoon it over the eggplant and yogurt mixture.
Honestly, the eggplant and garlic yogurt mixture is so delicious that almost anything tastes good on top of it.
Storage and Reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For the best texture, we recommend storing the lamb and the eggplant-yogurt mixture separately if possible. This helps keep the yogurt mixture fresh and creamy.
To reheat, warm the lamb gently in a pan over medium-low heat. The eggplant and yogurt mixture is traditionally served cold or at room temperature, so there's no need to reheat it. Simply spoon it onto a serving plate and top with the warm lamb just before serving.
If you finish the lamb but have some of the eggplant and yogurt mixture left, don't let it go to waste.
Keep it in the refrigerator and enjoy it as a meze the next day. As we mentioned earlier, it's so delicious that it can easily be served on its own with some fresh bread.
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📖 Recipe
Ali Nazik Kebab
Video
INGREDIENTS
For the Eggplant & Yogurt Base
- 4 large eggplants about 1.2 kg / 2.6 pounds
- 5-6 chili peppers optional (We use chili peppers, but Turkish sivri bibers are the traditional choice if you can find them.)
- 400 g / about 14 oz strained yogurt (aka Turkish süzme yogurt or the thickest yogurt you can find), at room temperature (see note to make your own)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Lamb Topping
- 500 g / 1.1 pounds diced lamb
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pul biber (use Aleppo pepper or regular red pepper flakes if you can't find pul biber)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 30 g / 2 tablespoons butter (or more if you want)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F).
- Pierce the eggplants all over with a knife or fork. Pierce the peppers in 1-2 places too. Place them on an oven rack (or an oven grill) or on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Roast for about 15 minutes, or until the peppers are cooked and have a few charred spots.
- After 15 minutes, remove the peppers from the oven and turn the eggplants over. Continue roasting for another 25-30 minutes, or until they are very soft.
- While the eggplants are roasting, heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the diced lamb in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes without stirring.
- If you're using a stainless steel pan, don't force the lamb if it sticks. Wait until it releases naturally, then stir. Make sure every piece is turned.
- Cook the other side for about 3 minutes.
- Add the olive oil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. If the lamb releases too much liquid, increase the heat so the liquid evaporates.
- Add the salt, paprika, and pul biber. Stir to combine. By this point, the lamb should be tender. Check a piece to make sure. If it isn't tender enough yet, cook it a little longer. Lower the heat if needed to prevent it from drying out.
- Add the butter and let it melt completely. Give everything a final stir, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Check the eggplants after about 25 minutes (about 40 minutes total). They should be very soft. If not, roast them for another 5 minutes.
- Let the eggplants cool until they're easy to handle. Use a knife to scrape the flesh away from the skin. Remove any large dark seeds.
- Transfer the eggplant flesh to a strainer. Press with the back of a spoon to remove as much liquid as possible. This gives the mixture a better texture and helps keep the color lighter.
- Finely chop the drained eggplant.
- In a medium bowl, combine the strained yogurt, garlic, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the finely chopped eggplant and stir until well combined. Taste and add more yogurt and salt if you like.
- Spread the eggplant mixture onto a serving plate. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
- Reheat the lamb over high heat for about 30 seconds. Spoon it over the eggplant yogurt mixture.
- Top with the roasted peppers, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
NOTES
NUTRITION
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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