30-Minute Turkish Eggs in Yogurt (Cilbir)

These 30-minute Turkish Eggs in yogurt (Cilbir) will be your new favorite way to start the day. A fragrant garlic-herb yogurt base, topped with perfectly poached eggs and an Aleppo pepper-spiced butter sauce. This classic Turkish breakfast is a culinary treat, typically served with fresh herbs and a slice of crusty bread.

If you’re a fan of Mediterranean flavors for breakfast, these Turkish eggs (also known as Cilbir) are about to be your new go-to.

This Turkish dish is both impressively beautiful in presentation and surprisingly easy to make, coming together in under a half hour.

There’s something really special about the contrasting cold garlic-herb yogurt sauce topped with silky smooth poached eggs and a warm spiced butter that gets the tastebuds tingling every time.

Plus, the tangy yogurt sauce, perfectly runny egg yolks and rich Aleppo butter is something everyone needs to experience at least once. Running a piece of crusty bread through the entire thing feels like a luxuriously cozy adventure.

If you enjoy this savory egg dish, you must try this Moroccan-style Shakshuka.

What You’ll Need

• Plain greek yogurt
• Garlic, grated
• Fresh dill and/or parsley, minced + more for garnish
• A pinch of salt
• Butter, unsalted
• Olive oil
• Aleppo pepper
• Eggs
• Vinegar

If you can’t get your hands on Aleppo pepper, chili flakes will work too. Just note that the Aleppo pepper gives the butter sauce that signature red color and a really wonderful chili flavor.

Find the full ingredient list with exact quantities in the recipe card below.

Step by Step Instructions

Here’s the rundown on how to make these poached eggs in yogurt:

3 Tips for Perfectly Poached Eggs

If you’re new to poaching eggs, there are a few tricks that help achieve success. And nailing the poached eggs is really important when it comes to Cilbir.

Here are my tips:

1. Use a wide pan with a tall border (like a sauté pan) that can hold enough water to cover the eggs and poach multiple eggs at a time without crowding.
2. Mix vinegar with the water. This trick helps keep the egg whites solid, resulting in a more uniform poached egg shape.
3. Crack eggs into mesh strainer. Using a mesh strainer also helps remove any whites that would otherwise break off in the water. Crack the eggs into the mesh strainer, remove any shells, then gently add the eggs into the water.

Let’s Talk Herbs

One of the most common variations you’ll see when it comes to Turkish eggs are the herbs used. These will vary both in the yogurt sauce and as a garnish.

The most commonly used herbs I’ve seen are dill and parsley, but you will also see people using fresh mint, cilantro, and occasionally even chives or green onions.

I think dill does a beautiful job at complimenting the garlic and yogurt, and parsley is really delicious with the Aleppo butter sauce, so I tend to stick to those two.

Use what you have and feel free to experiment here!

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