Turkish Traditional Breakfast: The essential guide.

Traditional Turkish Breakfast: Introducion

I’m on a fascinating Turkish culinary journey that is inspired by its lively food culture. One of the great things about travelling around the country is the opportunity of trying different types of traditional Turkish breakfast. This traditional type of breakfast is called “Serpme kahvaltı” (Sprinkled breakfast) or “köy kahvaltısı. (Village breakfast) in Turkish.

It’s a huge and filling breakfast spread that brings Turkish families together in the morning. The meal includes a variety of dishes, and gives foreign travellers, like me, the chance to experience real homely Turkish cuisine.

These days, most Turkish people who live in big cities like Istanbul, only have time for a quick and basic breakfast before rushing off to work. However, at the weekend the traditional Turkish breakfast is still a special family treat. In many ways it is a lot more than just a breakfast, it is more like a part of the Turkish way of life.

Key Takeaways:

The traditional Turkish breakfast includes a wide range of different dishes, with both hot and cold items. There are also sweet and savoury options to choose from. with some items depending on the regional preferences.
Breakfast is an important part of Turkish culture. It´s a sit-down meal for families or friends to enjoy quality time together.
These days many Turks prefer a quick breakfast, consisting of cup of black tea and a simit (Turkish bagel) before going to work, but most of them look forward to the traditional Turkish breakfast. particularly on the weekends.
This guide will provide you with everything you need to know about the traditional Turkish breakfast experience.

The Importance of Breakfast in Turkish Culture

I love Turkish food, especially breakfast, which is called “kahvaltı” (KA-VAL-TUH) in Turkish. It’s much more than just a meal, I would describe it as more of a special occassion for Turkish families and friends to spend time together and enjoy each others company. In Turkey, breakfast is considered by some as the most important meal of the day. The delicious food is lovingly prepared and served on many small plates, (maybe 10-14) which are placed upon a large table. The spread typically includes different types of bread, cheeses, cured meat, eggs. jams, clotted cream, butter, olives, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, etc.

Kahvaltı:”Before Coffee”

The name “kahvaltı” comes from the Turkish term ‘before coffee’. However, these days most people prefer to drink a cup of Turkish black tea with their breakfast and not Turkish coffee. Not many people outside Turkey know that the Black sea region is famous for its tea plantations.

Tea is the most important drink in the country, offering tea is a way of welcoming people and showing hospitality. It is served in a small tulip-shaped class and not a big mug. Try not to refuse it when you are offered it, (unless you really don´t like it), as some people may feel offended. If you are British or Indian, don´t expect to get milk in your tea, it will always be served black. You could always ask for some milk, but maybe you will get some strange looks when you add it to your tea.

If you don´t like tea, then you might be offered a Turkish coffee, (Türk Kahvesi). Turkish coffee is usually served either very sweet (şekerli- Shekerly), or without sugar (şekersiz- Shekersiz). Herbal tea is not so easy to find, unless you go to a fancy coffee shop.

Bread (Ekmek): The Foundation of a Turkish Breakfast

Bread is at the heart of a Turkish breakfast. It can be a typical Turkish crunchy loaf, with a fluffy white texture. Wholemeal bread is not so easy to find unless you go to a speciality bakery. The famous sesame-covered simit is a must. it could be described as a Turkish bagel and is available just about everywhere. You can even find vendors selling them on the street corners in big cities.

Açma is another favourite and has a bun-like appearance and soft interior. It is a good option especially if you don´t like sesame seeds. In the Black sea region of Turkey, you may also be offered Bazlama, which looks like a thick tortilla and is cooked in a frying pan. You may also be given Mısır ekmeğı (Corn bread) which is quite heavy and very filling. In Southeast Turkey you may also be given Lavaş (lavash), a large piece of wafer thin bread, which is light and delicious.

Gözleme: Savoury Stuffed Flatbread

Gözleme is a flatbread that is filled with a variety of different ingredients. It’s most famous in central Anatolia, although these days you can find it in most parts of the country. The flatbread can be filled with minced meat, cheese, or veggies, normally spinach. They are rolled out and then cooked on a griddle for a few minutes. They are very filling.

Turkish Pastries: Börek and Poğaça

Turkish people love pastries for breakfast, one of the most famous type of pastry is called Börek and it comes in various different styles and shapes. They can be made of ground beef, cheese or spinach. It is made using flaky pastry which is typically layered. Some of the most famous types include:

Su Börek – The dough is boiled and then layered like a lasagne, usually with a white cheese inside. It is very filling. However, in my opinion it looks nicer than it actually tastes.
Sigara Börek – As the name suggests they look like cigars, they are crispy and filled with melt cheese. One of my favourites.
Gül Börek – The typical way that börek is sold in bakeries is maybe one of the most popular types of börek and easy to find.
Laz Börek – This is a sweet type of börek that is a speciality from the Black Sea region of Turkey. It is filled with cream and coated wıth sugar.
Poğaça – Thıs ıs a fluffy and usually cheesy tastıng small round pastry. It can be found in most parts of the country and is another one of my favourites.

Turkish Cheese (Peynir)

A selection of good cheese is key to any good Turkish breakfast. Turkey is well-known for its dairy culture, with lots of delicious types of hard and soft cheeses. They include the tangy and often salty Feta as well as the creamy and extremely popular Kasseri cheese.

Beyaz peynir (white soft cheese) and Lor (cottage cheese made from goat´s milk) are also popular choices around the country.

You will find Tulum cheese, a semi hard cheese that is often mixed with walnuts, as well as Ezine Cheese, a medium-hard cheese that is made using a mix of sheep, cow and goat´s milk.

Clotted Cream (Krema)

This is another popular item that you might find on the turkish breakfast table. It is unlike cream in the west, I have never really tasted anything like it anywhere on my travels. It is perhaps high in cholesterol and fattening but, it is insanely delicious, especially if you eat it together with honey or jam.

Eggs (Yumurta): Cooked in Various Delicious Ways

Eggs are a big deal in Turkish breakfasts, You will find them cooked in many in many different tasty ways. Here are two of the most typical Turkish breakfast dishes with eggs:

Menemen: A Spicy Scrambled Egg Dish

Menemen is a top pick for many people at breakfast time. Some people say it originates from the Turkish Aegean, while others disagree. It is a colourful dish that combines scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and oregano. This dish is not only tasty but also full of flavour. It’s a great way to start your day.

Sucuklu Yumurta: Eggs with Spicy Sausage

Sucuklu yumurta is another favourite, especially in Central Turkey. It’s made with just fried eggs and the delicious sucuk garlic sausage as well as spices like red pepper. This mix of eggs and sucuk gives breakfast a special, spicy flavour.

Spreads, Honey and Jams: Sweet and Savoury Delights

Spreads, honey, tahini (sesame paste) and jams bring sweetness and flavour to the breakfast table. They are usually left until the end of the meal, unless you have a sweet tooth, like me. You will find a range of fruit jams, fig jam is one of my favourites. There are also savoury options such as black olive spreads. If you are lucky enough to be in Eastern Turkey or the Black Sea region, you will be able to try some of the best organic honey in the world.

Fresh Vegetables: Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumber, etc

If you prefer to stick to a healthier option, there are always vegetables on the menu in your Turkish breakfast. You will find Turkish tomatoes (a fruit) that actually taste like real tomatoes, like they used to taste in the west 30 years ago. You will also find tasty cucumber slices and perhaps some finely chopped red peppers. You will also definitely be given either black or green olives, or both.

Where can you eat a traditional Turkish breakfast?

If you are on holiday travelling around Turkey, it may be difficult to get invited to someone´s house for a real family breakfast. In that case, the next best thing is to stay at a family run guesthouse outside the big holiday resorts. Normal hotels often have a buffet where many of the items in a typical breakfast will be served in the form of a self-service buffet. It´s ok but not the same.

Another alternative is to find a turkish restaurant that just specialises in serving breakfast. They are known as “kahvaltı evi” or “kahvaltı salonu.” and you can find them all over the country, and especially in big cities like Istanbul because many Turkish people like to go there on the weekends, for a special treat. These are all-day breakfast restaurants and are not only open in the morning time, so if you are not a big breakfast lover you can try it at lunch time. Just remember, if you are travelling alone, or a couple with a small appetite, a full Turkish breakfast will probably be too much for you.

Van Breakfast

The ethnically Kurdish city of Van, which is located in South Eastern Turkey is famous for its breakfast. You can find many specialities, such as cheese and sausages. Many Turkish people who visit the city make a point of trying the famous Van breakfast, many lakeside restaurants serve the famous Van Breakfast, overlooking the picturesque shores of Lake Van.

Artvin Breakfast

Artvin is a small town in the mountains in North East Turkey, not far from the border of Georgia. It is famous for the quality of its produce, including many types of cheese and organic honey and they will be on your breakfast menu. If you are a nature lover and want to spend time in the mountain, this is the ideal place to start a holiday. It is also a great place to experience some of the region´s wonderful cuisine.

Conclusion

The traditional Turkish breakfast is a unique culinary and cultural experience. There is freshly baked bread, cheeses, tasty pastries, perfectly cooked eggs, vegetables, jams, etc as well a lots of Turkish tea. Depending on the region you may be able to try some local specialities.

This ultimate guide to Turkish breakfasts aims to show you that it is not only a great way to start the day, not only because you won´t feel hungry for hours, but also because of the social aspects that are related to sharing and caring. If you go to Turkey, try to have a traditional Turkish breakfast at least once. It will be a great experience that you will remember for a long time.