12 Yummy Turkish Breakfast Ideas

1. Tortilla (Spanish Omelet) 

Make your morning special with this Catalonian omelet that is now served across Spain. Made with just a few ingredients, this tortilla is a hugely popular Spanish breakfast. 

Serves 4 | Prep. Time 10 minutes / Cooking time 50 minutes 

Ingredients 

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 pound potatoes 
• 1 white onion, chopped 
• 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped 
• 6 eggs, beaten

Directions 

1. Slice the potatoes thick. Keep the skin if you prefer. 
2. Add the olive oil to a medium saucepan or skillet and heat it over medium heat. 
3. Add the potatoes and onions; stir and partially cover. Cook for 30 minutes until the potatoes soften, stirring occasionally. 
4. Drain the oil from the onions and potatoes and transfer them to a bowl. Keep the drained oil. 
5. Add the eggs to the potatoes; add the parsley and mix well. 
6. Grease a medium saucepan or skillet with a little drained oil and heat it over medium heat. 
7. Add the potato mixture and spread evenly to shape it into an omelet. Cook on one side until the eggs are set. 
8. Flip and cook until well set. 
9. Flip a couple of times more to cook evenly. 
10. Serve warm.

2. Chorizo Tortilla (Chorizo Omelet) 

This is another version of the iconic Spanish breakfast. Made with chorizo, this super Spanish breakfast offers extra flavors and brings a big smile with its vibrant appear-ance. 

Serves 4 / Prep. Time 5 minutes Cooking time 15-20 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 1 onion, sliced 
• 2 chorizo sausages, sliced 
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 
• 1 red bell pepper, trimmed and sliced thin 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided) 
• 8 eggs

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 
2. Add water and salt to a medium saucepan or skillet and heat over medium heat. 
3. Add the potatoes and cook until ten-der. Drain and set aside. 
4. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a medium saucepan or skillet and heat over medium heat. 
5. Add the onion and stir-cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. 
6. Add the chorizo and pepper. Stir-cook for a few minutes until the sausages are cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside. 
7. Add the eggs to a bowl and season to taste. Beat the eggs with a whisk until foamy, about 4-5 minutes
8. Add the chorizo mixture to the bowl. 
9. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a medium cast-iron skillet or any oven-proof pan and heat over medium heat.
10. Add the egg mixture and spread it to make a thick omelet. Let cook until set but the top is still soft. 
11. Place in the oven for about 5 minutes or until tortilla is puffy and set. 
12. Serve warm.

3. Pringas 

Chorizo, sausage, and chicken slow-cooked for hours produce fine tasting breakfast pringas. Hailing from Andalusia, this delicious meat combination is traditionally served over crusty bread as a breakfast, but it’s good to eat at any time of the day. 

Serves 6 | Prep. Time 8-10 minutes | Cooking time 2-3 hours 

Ingredients 

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped 
• 1 stick celery, chopped 
• 3½ ounces beef drippings or lard (divided) 
• 1 carrot, chopped 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 6 large chicken wings 
• 1 pig’s trotter 
• ½ pound pork belly, cut into strips 
• 5½ ounces beef shin 
• 5⅓ ounces cooking chorizo, skin split 
• 3½ ounces Morcilla sausage, crumbled 
• 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika 
• 2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• Crusty bread, sliced and toasted, to serve

 4. Salça Spinach Eggs 

Serves 2 | Prep. Time 10 minutes / Cooking time 15 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 10-11 ounces spinach, washed, stems removed and roughly chopped 
• 4 medium eggs 
• 1 dessert spoonful salça (tomato paste) 
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped 
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 
• ⅔ cup water Salt and ground pepper to season 

Directions 

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat. 
2. Add the onion and stir-cook until soft and fragrant. 
3. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts. 
4. Add the salça and combine well. Add the water and stir. 
5. Mix in the ground pepper, paprika, chili, and salt. 6. Turn down heat to low and cover. Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes. 
6. Create 4 wells in the spinach mix and crack the eggs into them. 
7. Allow to cook as egg whites separate and spread. 9. Serve with toasted bread or natural yogurt (optional).

 Nutrition (per serving) 

Calories 243, fat 16 g, carbs 9 g, protein 17 g, sodium 261 mg

5. Egg Muffins (A La Turka) 

Serves 12 | Prep. Time 10 minutes | Cooking time 30 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 12 medium eggs, beaten 
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped 
• 13 ounces salami or sucuk, chopped into small cubes 
• 1¾ ounces izmir tülüm cheese, chopped into small cubes Salt and ground pepper to taste
• Chili flakes to taste
• Melted butter or sunflower oil to grease 

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Grease muffin tins with some oil or butter. 
3. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the eggs. 
4. Divide the beaten egg mixture among the muffin tins, adding about 2 teaspoons to each well. 
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked well. 
6. Serve warm. 

Nutrition (per serving) 

Calories 98, fat 7 g, carbs 11 g, protein 8 g, sodium 117 mg

6. Yogurt Poached Eggs (Cilbir) 

Serves 2 | Prep. Time 10 minutes | Cooking time 5 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 2 cloves garlic, mashed 
• ½ cup white vinegar 
• 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt 
• 1 tablespoon dill, finely chopped 
• 4 eggs 
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper 
• Warm pita or country bread to serve 
• Salt and ground pepper to taste 

Directions

1. Combine the dill, garlic, yogurt, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl and stir well. 
2. Add salted water to a deep saucepan or cooking pot and bring to a boil. 
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the vinegar and stir. 4. Crack the eggs into the pot and poach for 2-3 minutes until the whites are firm and yolks are runny. 5. Remove eggs and drain on paper towels. Place them on serving plates. 
4. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat. 
5. Add the salt and pepper. 
6. Top the eggs with the yogurt mixture. Serve with warm bread. 

Nutrition (per serving) 

Calories 524, fat 29 g, carbs 25 g, protein 17 g, sodium 316 mg

7. Eggy Bread (Yumurtali Ekmek) 

Serves 2 | Prep. Time 8-10 minutes Cooking time 6 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 4 thick slices bread 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1-2 tablespoons butter 
• ¼ teaspoon cumin 
• ¼ teaspoon dried mint 
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional) 
• Salt and ground pepper to taste 

Directions

1. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl. 
2. Mix in the mint, ground pepper, chili flakes, cumin, and salt. Combine well. 
3. Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat. 
4. Coat the bread slices on both sides with the egg mixture. 
5. Add the slices to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. 
6. Serve warm. 

Nutrition (per serving) 

Calories 358, fat 14 g, carbs 36 g, protein 17 g, sodium 435 mg

8. Turkish Shakshuka (Saksuka) 

Serves 2-4 | Prep. Time 10 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 1 medium-size eggplant, peeled and diced 
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced 
• 1 cubanelle pepper, cut into bite-size pieces 
• ½ cup sunflower oil 
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed with some salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided) 
• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced 
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped 

Directions 

1. Soak the diced eggplant in salty water for about 20 minutes. 
2. Squeeze to remove water and dry using paper towels. 
3. Heat the sunflower oil in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat. 
4. Add the eggplant, potatoes and green peppers; stir-cook until soft and tender. 
5. Drain over paper towels. 
6. In the pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. 
7. Add the garlic and cook until fra-grant. 
8. Add the tomatoes and stir-cook for 8-10 minutes.
9. Add the eggplant mixture and stir-cook for 2-3 minutes. 
10. Transfer to serving plates and top with the remaining olive oil and parsley.
11. Serve warm with cucumber yogurt dip (cacik) (optional).

Nutrition (per serving) 

Calories 307, fat 23 g, carbs 21 g, protein 4 g, sodium 218 mg

9. Stuffed Tomato with Eggplant 

Serves 4 | Prep. Time 10 minutes / Cooking time 30 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 1 eggplant, peeled and cubed 
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped 
• 1 tablespoon basil, chopped 
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 
• ⅓ cup feta cheese, cubed 
• 1 slice day-old Turkish (or French or Italian) bread, crust removed and crumbled 
• 1 egg, beaten 
• ½ teaspoon oregano 
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper 
• Salt and ground pepper to taste

10. Oats Idli Recipe 

Serves 4 | Prep. Time 15 minutes / Cooking time 25 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 4 cups oats 
• 1 tablespoon oil 
• 1 tablespoon mustard seed 
• 1 tablespoon black grams 
• 1 tablespoon chickpeas 
• 4 teaspoons green chilies, finely chopped 
• 2 cups carrots, grated 
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder 
• Water, as needed
• A pinch of Eno fruit salt 
• 2 tablespoons salt 1 cup curd/yogurt (slightly sour) 

Preparation 

1. In a blender, grind the oats to a fine powder. 
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the oil, mustard seed, black grams, and chickpeas. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the chickpeas are golden. 
3. Add the chopped chilies, grated car-rots, and cilantro. Add the turmeric powder and cool for about a minute. 
4. In a bowl, mix the oat powder, Eno fruit salt, salt, and yogurt. Add water, if needed to get a smooth but thick batter. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes. 
5. Put this mixture in a greased idli tray and steam for about 10-12 minutes.

11. Flattened Rice (Poha) 

Serves 4 | Prep. Time 10 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups poha (flattened rice) 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• A handful of unsalted peanuts 
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 
• 5-6 curry leaves 
• 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise (optional) 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• A pinch of turmeric 
• 1 large potato, sliced very thin 
• Half a lime (juiced) 
• Salt to taste 
• Chopped cilantro for garnish

Preparation 

1. Put the poha (flattened rice) in a sieve and wash it under running water for 2 minutes. Set it aside to drain. 
2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and add the peanuts. Fry them until they begin to brown. Set them aside. 
3. To the same pan, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chilies. Sauté for 30 seconds, and then add the onion. Fry until it is smooth and translucent. 
4. Add the turmeric, and mix. Sauté for two minutes, then add the potato. Stirring often, cook for 2-3 minutes. 
5. Add the poha and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat. Pour the lime juice over the poha and mix well. 
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

12. Semolina Porridge (Upma) 

Serves 4 | Prep. Time 20 minutes / Cooking time 25 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons oil 
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds 
• 1-inch piece of ginger 
• 15-20 curry leaves 
• 2 teaspoons black grams, skinless 
• 1 medium onion, diced 
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 3 cups water 
• 1 ½ cups semolina 
• 3 green chilies 
• Salt to taste 
• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1-inch cubes and blanched
• 6 green beans, cut into ¼-inch cubes and blanched
• ¼ cup green peas, blanched 
• ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro and/or shredded coconut for garnish 

Preparation 

1. Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, ginger, curry leaves, and black grams and saute for 1 minute. 
2. Add the onion and fry for 2 minutes. Add the turmeric and cook for an additional minute. 
3. Heat 3 cups of water in a saucepan or kettle. 
4. When the onion is browned, add the semolina to the same pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 
5. Add the green chilies and salt, and cook for 1 minute. 
6. Add the hot water to the pan and simmer until most of the water is ab-sorbed. Add the carrots, beans, and peas, and mix. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the semolina is cooked.
7. Serve hot, garnished with freshly grated coriander leaves and/or coco-nut.