Go Back
Buttered eggs with dill and red pepper flakes on blue patterned plate, toasted bread slice above

Çılbır: Turkish Poached Eggs Recipe

Donnie
No ratings yet
Çılbır is a traditional Turkish dish of poached eggs served over garlicky yogurt and finished with a drizzle of spiced oil. Once a favorite in the Ottoman palace kitchens, it has endured for centuries as both a comforting home recipe and a dish that showcases the elegance of Turkish cooking.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Turkish

Jump To

IngredientsMethodVideoNotes
Donnie Dodson

Don’t lose this one.

I’ll email it to you so it’s waiting when you’re ready to cook.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 eggs poached
  • 1 cup whole milk yogurt
  • 4 cloves garlic finely diced
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • Fresh dill for garnish
  • Toast for serving

Instructions
 

  1. In a bowl, mix yogurt with diced garlic and salt until smooth. Spread onto a plate.
  2. Poach 2 eggs until whites are set but yolks remain runny. Place them gently on top of the yogurt.
  3. In a small pan, warm olive oil and add paprika and crushed red pepper. Simmer briefly until fragrant.
  4. Drizzle the spiced oil over the eggs and yogurt.
  5. Garnish with fresh dill and serve immediately with toast.

Video

Notes

  • Perfect Poaching: For tender eggs with runny yolks, poach in barely simmering water with a splash of vinegar to help the whites set cleanly.
 
  • Garlic Intensity: Raw garlic in yogurt packs a punch. If you want a milder flavor, sauté the diced garlic briefly in olive oil before mixing it into the yogurt.
 
  • Spiced Oil Variations: Traditional Turkish versions often use butter instead of olive oil and Aleppo pepper for a milder, smoky heat. Adjust the fat and spice blend to your taste.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!