This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure.
This 15-minute Turkish eggs recipe (cilbir) pairs creamy garlicky yogurt, spiced butter sauce, poached eggs, and fresh dill for a dish that’s satisfying for breakfast or any meal of the day.
Fiery spiced melted butter, thick and creamy garlicky yogurt, runny poached eggs, and fresh dill. It sounds like a strange mash-up of flavors, but there’s something completely deliciously addictive about Çılbır!
I first had this dish for brunch at Zaytinya in D.C. As much as I loved it, I forgot all about it until a craving hit a couple months ago. I made it and realized it needed to go on my blog.
If this dish is new to you, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make, and it comes together in just 15 minutes. With swirls of garlicky yogurt, runny egg yolk, and bright ruby-red spiced butter sauce, it’s impressive, both in flavor and in presentation. This is one egg recipe that’s just too easy and too good not to become a staple in your kitchen, whether for breakfast, brunch, or any other meal.
What is Cilbir?
Cilbir is a Turkish eggs recipe containing three main components: thick garlicky yogurt, runny poached eggs, and a warm melted butter or olive oil sauce that’s spiced with Aleppo pepper or paprika. It’s very easy to whip up!
You can serve this egg dish with simit (a sesame coated Turkish bread ring that’s similar to a bagel), flatbread (such as pita bread; or try it with sourdough naan!), toasted sourdough bread, or even toasted keto bread to keep the carbs down. Anything that will help you soak up every last delicious drop will work well.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Garlic Yogurt Ingredients
- Yogurt – The best yogurt to use in this recipe is a thick, creamy yogurt. Plain Greek yogurt (which is readily available here in the U.S.) works well. Or if you can find Turkish yogurt, of course use that instead. If you only have regular yogurt on hand, you can strain it to make it thick and creamy. To do so, string the yogurt up in cheesecloth so the whey drips out, or put it in a cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl with a weight on top to press out the whey.
- Fresh garlic – Garlic is a key ingredient in this dish and adds a ton of flavor that beautifully compliments the tangy yogurt.
- Salt – To season the yogurt so it isn’t bland.
Spiced Butter Ingredients
- Butter – Salted or unsalted butter will work here.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – I like to use a mix of butter (for its rich, nutty flavor when toasted) and extra-virgin olive oil (for its peppery, fruity flavor) for the best of both worlds.
- Aleppo pepper – Use a scant 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper here. Or if you can’t find Aleppo pepper, use 1/4 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika + 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or hot paprika) for a similar flavor profile.
Other Ingredients
- Eggs – The traditional version of this dish features poached eggs. Soft-boiled eggs also work well.
- Dill – Dill is an essential ingredient in traditional cilbir. It adds a pop of green color and fresh, bright flavor to balance the rich, creamy yogurt and spicy butter sauce. Use fresh dill if you can for the best flavor, but in a pinch you can substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill weed instead of 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill. (Note that if your dried dill weed is finely ground, use closer to 1/4 teaspoon instead of 1/2 teaspoon.)
- Salt and black pepper – To season the dish.
Instructions
Here are step-by-step instructions for how to make cilbir; to watch me make it, please see the video in the recipe card below.
- For the Garlic Yogurt: Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- For the Spiced Butter: Melt the butter with the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the spices and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Set aside. (TIP: Now is a good time to make the poached eggs.)
- To Assemble and Serve: Spread the garlic yogurt out in a shallow bowl. Place the poached eggs on top. Drizzle on the spiced butter. Sprinkle on the dill. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
How to Poach Eggs
Time needed: 7 minutes
If you’re a fan of runny yolks but have never made poached eggs, get ready for your new favorite way to cook eggs. It’s easy and takes less than 10 minutes. And bonus, they’re poached in water, so you won’t be scrubbing any pans!
- Prep
Fill a shallow saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 tablespoon distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar, and turn the heat down to medium to medium-low so it’s simmering.
- Cook
Crack each egg into a small bowl 1 at a time (so you can remove any shell pieces), and gently slip the egg into the water. Cook until the eggs reach your desired level of runniness, about 3 minutes.
- Serve
Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, patting the bottom with paper towels to absorb the liquid.
Tips For the Best Turkish Eggs Recipe
- Make ahead. You can make the garlic yogurt up to 4 days in advance and store it covered in the fridge. However, the spiced butter and poached eggs are best made right before you want to serve cilbir.
- Easy to scale. This recipe makes just one serving so it’s perfect for a solo breakfast anytime, but it’s easy to scale up if you’re feeding multiple people.
- If you like spicy-hot foods. Feel free to add more cayenne pepper, hot paprika, or Aleppo pepper to taste.
Cilbir (Turkish Eggs Recipe) Frequently Asked Questions
The yogurt for cilbir should be slightly warm or at room temperature. I find that its temperature is perfect if you mix up the garlic yogurt first and let it sit at room temperature while you make the spiced butter and poached eggs.
Aleppo pepper is a spice that comes from Halaby chile peppers that are ground or crushed. It typically has a medium heat level with 10,000 SHU on the Scoville Scale, and a fruity, subtly smoky, earthy flavor. This type of pepper is named after the city of Aleppo in northern Syria, and is commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Aleppo pepper is available on Amazon.
You can read more about it on Wikipedia and Bon Appetit.
More Egg Recipes to Make
- Cheesy Mushroom Baked Eggs
- Herbed Eggs Baked in Cream with Feta
- Sumac-Spiced Baked Eggs with Kale
- Cheesy English Muffins with Smoky Balsamic Red Pepper Compote and Fried Eggs
Let’s Connect
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
To stay up-to-date, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!
Cilbir (Turkish Eggs with Yogurt Recipe)
Email This Recipe
Get this recipe link emailed straight to your inbox!
Ingredients
Garlic Yogurt:
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or Turkish yogurt if you can find it, or any type of thick yogurt (at room temperature)
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Spiced Butter:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
- 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika (see Notes to use Aleppo pepper instead)
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot paprika (more or less to taste; see Notes to use Aleppo pepper instead)
Other:
- 2 large eggs poached (see Notes for instructions)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Garlic Yogurt:
- Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
For the Spiced Butter:
- Melt the butter with the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the spices and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Set aside. (TIP: Now is a good time to make the poached eggs; see Notes for instructions.)
To Assemble and Serve:
- Spread the garlic yogurt out in a shallow bowl. Place the poached eggs on top. Drizzle on the spiced butter. Sprinkle on the dill. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- Net Carbs: 6g per serving (whole recipe)
- How to Poach Eggs: Fill a shallow saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 tablespoon distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar, and turn the heat down to medium to medium-low so it’s simmering. Crack each egg into a small bowl 1 at a time (so you can remove any shell pieces), and gently slip the egg into the water. Cook until the eggs reach your desired level of runniness, about 3 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, patting the bottom with paper towels to absorb the liquid.
- Aleppo Pepper Instead of Sweet Paprika and Cayenne Pepper: The spiced butter sauce is traditionally made with Aleppo pepper, which has a fruity medium-level heat with an underlying smokiness. If you can find it (or if you want to buy Aleppo pepper on Amazon), use it instead of the sweet paprika + cayenne pepper.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
Share it with me on Instagram and leave a comment to let me know your thoughts!
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on June 3, 2020 and updated on February 27, 2026.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
Made it for my son who said it was delicious!
Perfect! I’m not a very good cook and tried a different cilbir recipe that didn’t turn out at all. This one was easy and delicious. Will make again!
So incredibly delicious! Making it for the second time so I thought I should leave a review. New favourite! We did cut back on the butter and oil, but it was still very tasty.
Try putting curry spices in your water when you poach your eggs! It’s so delicious!
Hi, made this for breakfast today- it was delicious!