Name: Çılbır (Turkish Poached Eggs with Yogurt)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 8 min
Ingredients: 1 cup plain yogurt (at room temperature); 1 clove garlic (mashed); ½ teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped, optional); 2 eggs; 1 tablespoon vinegar (light coloured or lemon juice); 2 tablespoons butter; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (pul biber, Aleppo or crushed dried chilli); 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (pul biber)

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Çılbır, also known as Turkish eggs, is a traditional Turkish dish made with poached eggs served over creamy garlic yogurt and drizzled with warm, spiced butter. It might sound like an unusual combination if you've never tried it, but the flavors work so well together!

Poached eggs on Greek yogurt served with spiced butter sauce in a blueish bowl. Garlic cloves, toasted bread, pepper flakes and eggs in shell on the side.

Çılbır: From Humble Dish to Famous Turkish Eggs

We lived in Turkey for about 40 years before moving to the UK, and we have to say, we were surprised to see how popular çılbır is here! Back home, it wasn't nearly as famous, at least not when we were growing up. It was more of a humble, traditional home-cooked dish, something we associated more with rural kitchens than restaurant menus or popular breakfast spots.

We also find it a little funny that it's known as "Turkish eggs" here. After all, we have so many different egg dishes in Turkish cuisine!

And although çılbır is often served for breakfast or brunch in the UK, that's not really how we eat it. For us, it's more of a quick lunch or an easy dinner, especially on busy days when we want something delicious without spending much time in the kitchen.

Nigella Lawson featured çılbır in her 2017 cookbook At My Table and made it on her BBC show that same year. We think she may have played a part in making it better known in the UK. Either way, we're happy to see more people discovering this humble Turkish dish!

Turkish style poached eggs in a blue bowl, a bunch of fresh dill, eggs with shells in a bowl, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes and toasted bread on the side.

Want More Protein in Your Breakfast?

Çılbır is a great option! With eggs and thick, creamy yogurt, it's naturally a good source of protein. You don't need any fancy ingredients or much time to put it together. It's just as good for a filling brunch or a quick lunch!

And it's not just for breakfast in our house! Our son sometimes asks for çılbır when he gets home from karate practice. It's one of his favorite meals after training!

About the Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make çılbır. Here's what you'll need, along with a few tips.

Plain yogurt: Look for plain yogurt, natural yogurt or Greek-style yogurt at the supermarket. They all work well, as long as the yogurt is thick and creamy. We just wish Turkish yogurt, with its lovely tangy flavor, was easier to find here! If you can find Turkish strained yogurt (süzme yoğurt), that's a great option too. It's much thicker, though, so stir in a little water to loosen it. You can adjust the consistency to your liking.
Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the yogurt its lovely flavor. We like it garlicky, but you can use less if you prefer a milder taste.
Fresh dill: We love adding a little fresh dill to the yogurt. It's optional, though, so feel free to leave it out.
Eggs: Use the freshest eggs you can find. Fresh eggs hold their shape better when poached.
Vinegar: A little vinegar in the poaching water helps the egg whites set and hold together. Don't worry, you won't taste it in the eggs.
Butter and olive oil: We use both for the warm sauce that goes over the eggs. The butter adds richness, while the olive oil helps keep it from burning.
Spices: We use Turkish red pepper flakes (pul biber) and paprika for the buttery sauce. If you can't find pul biber, Aleppo pepper is a good substitute. Regular red pepper flakes work too, but they're usually hotter, so adjust the amount to your taste.

Eggs, Greek yogurt, fresh dill, butter, olive oil, red pepper flakes, paprika, garlic clove, salt in a teaspoon on a dark background.

How to Make Çılbır (Turkish Eggs)

Making çılbır is easier than you might think, even if you've never poached eggs before!

Start by mixing the yogurt with mashed garlic, salt and fresh dill (if using). Set it aside while you prepare the eggs.

For the poached eggs, we like to crack each egg into a fine-mesh strainer first to get rid of the watery part of the white.

Then gently slide the eggs into hot water with a little vinegar. Keep the water just below a simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

We like ours cooked for just 2 minutes. Try that with your first egg and see how you like it. You can always adjust the cooking time for the next one!

While the eggs are cooking, melt the butter in a small pan, add the olive oil, pul biber and paprika, and give it a quick stir. Don't let the spices burn!

Now spread the garlicky yogurt on a plate, place the poached eggs on top and drizzle that lovely spiced butter all over. Grab some bread and enjoy while it's warm!

A collage of six pictures showing how to make Turkish eggs.

Our Tips for the Best Çılbır

Keep the water at a gentle simmer. Don't let it boil rapidly, as this can break the eggs apart. You want just a few small bubbles in the water.
Use fresh eggs. The fresher the eggs, the better they hold their shape when poached.
Poach the eggs in batches. If you're making çılbır for several people, cook the eggs in small batches so they have enough room and don't stick together.
Watch the spiced butter carefully. Pul biber and paprika can burn quickly, so remove the pan from the heat as soon as you've stirred them in.
Serve immediately. Çılbır is best enjoyed fresh, while the eggs are warm, the yolks are runny and the spiced butter is still lovely and fragrant.

Serving Suggestions

For us, çılbır is one of those dishes that absolutely needs bread on the side! You don't want to leave any of that garlicky yogurt, runny egg yolk or buttery sauce on the plate.

We love it with warm Turkish pide bread or homemade bazlama. Simit is another great option, especially if you're having çılbır for brunch. But sourdough or any crusty bread works just as well.

And since we often have çılbır for lunch or dinner rather than breakfast, we like to serve it with some fresh tomatoes, cucumbers or a simple salad on the side.

Poached eggs on Greek yogurt served with spiced butter sauce in a blueish bowl. Garlic cloves, toasted bread, fresh dill, pepper flakes and eggs in shell on the side.

Make Ahead and Storage

Çılbır is best enjoyed fresh, especially when the eggs are warm and the yolks are still runny.

If you want to save some time, you can prepare the garlic yogurt a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Just give it a good stir before serving.

We recommend poaching the eggs and making the spiced butter right before serving. Once everything is assembled, it's best to enjoy it straight away rather than saving leftovers.

More Turkish Egg Recipes

Sucuklu Yumurta: Turkish spicy sausage with eggs.
Ground Beef and Eggs: Perfect meal on its own.
Turkish Eggy Bread: Savory Turkish style French toast.
Spinach and Eggs: Our go-to breakfast for dinner.
Turkish Egg Salad: Eggs with fresh herbs and spiced.
Yumurta Kapama: Boiled eggs cooked in a warm butter sauce.
Menemen: Scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers.
Or explore our list of Turkish egg recipes for breakfast.

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Çılbır (Turkish Poached Eggs with Yogurt)