RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
Breakfast

Turkish Eggs with Garlic Yogurt and Aleppo Butter

Soft poached eggs over cool garlicky yogurt, drizzled with warm butter infused with Aleppo pepper and finished with dill.

Why you'll love Turkish Eggs with Garlic Yogurt and Aleppo Butter

Çılbır, as Turkish eggs are called in Turkey, is one of the great breakfasts of the world: soft poached eggs set on a pool of garlicky whole-milk yogurt, with butter warmed with Aleppo pepper poured over the top until it turns brick red. Break the yolks and they run into the cool, tangy yogurt and the spiced butter. It is rich, bright, and unlike any other way of eating eggs.

The contrast of temperatures is the whole idea, so the yogurt should sit at room temperature while the eggs poach. Very fresh eggs hold together best in the water, and a splash of vinegar in the barely simmering water helps the whites set around the yolks. Aleppo pepper is a mild, fruity chile flake from Syria and Turkey; warmed in butter, it blooms and colors the butter without much heat.

Serve it with cucumber, tomatoes, and olives on the side, the way a Turkish breakfast table looks, and a spoon for the yogurt.

Quick overview: This Turkish Eggs with Garlic Yogurt and Aleppo Butter takes 10 min of hands-on time and about 20 min in all and makes 4 servings, each 2 eggs with yogurt. You'll need a saucepan.

Jump to recipe

Turkish poached eggs over garlic yogurt with red Aleppo butter
Prep 10 minCook 10 minTotal 20 minServes 4Serving 2 eggs with yogurtYou'll need Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 8 very fresh large eggs
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, for the poaching water
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper Label: Aleppo pepper, and salt if any, with no oil
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
  • 1 small English cucumber, sliced, to serve
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, to serve
  • Make it from scratch: Aleppo Butter, Herbed Yogurt Sauce

Instructions

  1. Make the garlic yogurt: Stir the yogurt with the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and spread it into four shallow bowls. Let it come to room temperature while you cook.
  2. Heat the water: Bring a wide saucepan of water about 3 inches deep to a bare simmer, with small bubbles rising gently, and add the vinegar.
  3. Poach: Crack each egg into a small cup. Stir the water gently to make a slow whirlpool and slide in 4 eggs, one at a time. Poach for 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft. Lift them out with a slotted spoon onto a towel. Repeat with the rest.
  4. Make the Aleppo butter: Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat until it foams. Take it off the heat and stir in the Aleppo pepper, which will color the butter red.
  5. Assemble: Set two eggs on the yogurt in each bowl, spoon the warm Aleppo butter over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining salt and the dill.
  6. Serve: Serve right away with cucumber and tomatoes on the side.

Storage and leftovers

Turkish eggs are best eaten the moment they are made.

The garlic yogurt keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. Poached eggs can be held in ice water for a day and rewarmed in hot water for 1 minute.

Variations

  • Soft-boiled: Use soft-boiled eggs, peeled and halved, if you would rather not poach.
  • Mint: Use mint in place of the dill.
  • Red pepper flakes: Use a pinch of red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika if you cannot find Aleppo pepper.
  • With greens: Wilt a handful of spinach in a little butter and set it under the eggs.

Notes and tips

  • Use very fresh eggs: Fresh eggs hold together in the water; older eggs spread.
  • Keep the water gentle: A hard boil breaks the whites apart.
  • Warm the yogurt: Room-temperature yogurt contrasts with the hot eggs without chilling them.
  • Check the Aleppo pepper label: It should list Aleppo pepper, and salt if any, with no oil.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Eggs bring protein, choline, vitamin D, and B12, and the yolk carries most of those nutrients.
  • Whole-milk Greek yogurt adds more protein, real fat, and live cultures.
  • Butter is the real fat that carries the Aleppo pepper's fruity warmth.
  • Cucumber and tomatoes on the side bring water, fiber, and vitamin C to the plate.
  • As you eat, notice the warm yolk, the cool yogurt, and the spiced butter mingling in each spoonful, and check in at lunchtime to see how steady your energy stayed all morning.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Turkish Eggs with Garlic Yogurt and Aleppo Butter? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

What is Aleppo pepper?

A mild, fruity chile flake from Syria and Turkey, sold in spice shops and online.

How do I keep poached eggs from spreading?

Use very fresh eggs, crack them into a cup first, and keep the water at a bare simmer.

Why is the yogurt at room temperature?

So the contrast with the hot eggs is pleasant rather than cold.

What should I serve with it?

Cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and a few slices of avocado.

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Tags: Breakfast, Turkish, 30 Minutes or Less