Tarator Sauce (Kalamar Sosu)

Have you ever been to Turkey’s beautiful coasts for a summer holiday?

If you have, you’ve probably come across kalamar tava—fried calamari. It’s one of the most delicious starters on the menu at seaside restaurants, always paired with a creamy and flavorful dip called tarator sauce, or as the locals call it, kalamar sosu (sauce for fried calamari).

For us, kalamar tava and tarator sauce are a match made in heaven. Whenever we’re in stunning coastal towns in Turkey like Marmaris, Selimiye, Göcek, or Bodrum, they are always the first thing we order.

What is Tarator Sauce?

In Turkey, tarator sauce is a yogurt and walnut-based dip commonly paired with kalamar tava (fried calamari). It perfectly complements seafood with its creamy, nutty and tangy flavors.

While tarator sauce is also popular in Lebanese cuisine, it is quite different from the Turkish version.

Lebanese tarator uses tahini (sesame paste) as its main ingredient, so it is also known as tahini sauce, it is dairy-free and nut-free and has a much thinner consistency.

Unlike Turkish tarator sauce, Lebanese tarator is often used as a sauce on falafel or chicken shawarma, rather than a dip for seafood.

About The Turkish Tarator Sauce Ingredients

Turkish tarator sauce gets its unique flavor and texture from a few key ingredients working perfectly together:

• Breadcrumbs: Traditionally, stale bread is used because it’s easier to crumble and blends well into the sauce. If you don’t have stale bread, toasted bread works just as well. You can also use store-bought breadcrumbs.
• Yogurt: Use plain Turkish yogurt or Greek-style yogurt for the base. If you’re using strained yogurt (known as süzme yogurt in Turkish), which is much thicker, thin it out with a bit of water to get the right consistency.
• Mayonnaise: This is optional, but we love the richness it adds to the sauce. If you prefer a lighter version, you can skip it.
• Garlic: A small clove of garlic is enough to add a nice kick without overpowering the other flavors.
• Walnuts: These are essential for giving the sauce its signature flavor. We don’t recommend skipping them, as they are one of the key ingredients that make this Turkish Tarator Sauce so special. 

How to Make Turkish Tarator Sauce

Making Turkish tarator sauce is simple and takes just a few steps. Start by placing breadcrumbs, yogurt, mayonnaise, mashed garlic, crumbled or chopped walnuts, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and salt in a mixing bowl. Combine everything well until the ingredients are evenly mixed.

If your sauce turns out too runny, add a bit more breadcrumbs to thicken it. If it’s too thick, you can adjust the consistency by adding a little more yogurt. Once the texture is right, give it a taste and adjust the salt if needed.

For a chunky texture (that is what we prefer), your sauce is ready to serve. 

If you prefer a smoother result, transfer everything to a food processor and blend until creamy. 

Make Breadcrumbs from Stale Bread

Stale bread is 2-3 days old, dry but not moldy or spoiled. It’s perfect for tarator sauce because it crumbles easily and doesn’t turn soggy.

To make breadcrumbs, tear the bread into pieces and crumble it into a bowl with your fingers. You can use a mortar or a food processor as well. 

Fresh bread won’t crumble as easily and might make the sauce soggy, so stale bread is the way to go for the best texture.

No Stale Bread At Home?

If you don’t have stale bread at home, don’t worry! You can make your own by using fresh bread and toasting it. Simply place slices of bread in the oven at a low temperature (about 150°C or 300°F) for 10-15 minutes until they’re dry but not browned. Let them cool completely, and they’ll be ready to crumble.

Alternatively, store-bought breadcrumbs work just as well in a pinch. 

Alternative Add-Ins

Looking to customize your tarator sauce? Add finely chopped pine nuts, pickled gherkins, or capers! They all work great and can bring a unique twist to this classic dip.

Serving Suggestions

In Turkey, tarator sauce is traditionally served with fried calamari (kalamar tava) and fried mussels, which is why it’s often referred to as kalamar sosu (sauce for calamari). It pairs beautifully with grilled or baked fish and hamsi tava (Turkish style fried anchovies) as well and complements any seafood dish with its creamy, tangy flavor.

Tarator sauce isn’t just for seafood lovers. It’s also great as part of a mezze platter, served alongside fresh cucumbers and carrots for dipping. Although not traditional, this sauce can be drizzled over salads or used with grilled vegetables too.

Storage

Store tarator sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days. Before serving, give it a good stir to make sure all the ingredients are well combined. For the best flavor, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.