Çilbir (Turkish Eggs With Yogurt)
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:2 servings
- 1cup thick, strained yogurt (such as Greek yogurt), at room temperature
- 1small garlic clove, finely grated
- 3tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil (or a combination of both)
- 1tablespoon Aleppo pepper (or 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, to taste)
- 4large eggs
- 2tablespoons white vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- Chopped fresh dill or parsley leaves (optional), for garnish
- Toasted crusty bread or flatbread, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
521 calories; 36 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 27 grams protein; 735 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer over medium heat.
- Step 2
Prepare the garlic yogurt: In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and garlic. Divide between two shallow bowls, using the back of a spoon to spread it out.
- Step 3
In a small saucepan or skillet, heat the butter or olive oil over medium. Add the Aleppo pepper and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds; remove from heat.
- Step 4
Crack the eggs into four separate small bowls. Add the vinegar to the simmering water. (You want the water to be at a low simmer, with very small bubbles rising to the top. Reduce the water temperature to medium-low if need be.) Using a slotted spoon, give the water a swirl, then gently add one egg at a time, trying to space them evenly apart. (Swirling the water helps the egg whites form tight, round nests as they cook.) Cook the eggs just until the whites are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 5
Using the slotted spoon, transfer 2 eggs to each bowl of yogurt, lifting out one at a time and dabbing underneath the spoon with a folded paper towel to remove excess water.
- Step 6
Season the eggs with salt and pepper, then drizzle with the spiced butter and sprinkle with herbs, if using. Serve with bread.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Jane, Portland
Very similar to a recipe I've been making for years. Instead of the pepper flakes, make a spoonful of the butter-olive oil sauce with smoked paprika and mint that gets drizzled on top of the garlic-yogurt and egg. I also use garlic paste from a tube, which is easy in the morning and not quite as pungent. A favorite breakfast!
Nbennison
This is even easier if you poach the eggs in the oven. Add a Tablespoon of water to each well in a muffin pan—even the ones that won’t get an egg. Crack an egg in to a muffin cup. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes (depending on your oven and how runny you like your yolks. They all finish at the same time and require no minding while they cook.
Ddy
Delicious. I would reduce garlic by half. Also , easier and cleaner to melt butter in microwave glass cup vs stove top
Scott, Cambridge
Stop fiddling around with vinegar and swirling. Follow Kenji’s advice and drain the excess watery whites from the eggs in a fine strainer, then slide the drained eggs into the simmering water. Perfect results every single time.
JAK
Try mincing the garlic finely, then add some Salt to mince it finer. Then smash with the side of your chefs knife to form into a paste. Add TT (to taste)
Ctswanson
Found the grated garlic a bit overwhelming as the juices are releases. A little goes a long way. Otherwise this was fabulous.
jac
Saw this recently on America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) where I learned that palace chefs in the Ottoman Empire auditioned for the royal kitchens by making an egg dish such as this one. Poached eggs can go so wrong, so making a perfect one could get you high rank in the palace kitchen. The poaching method ATK used: strain the egg then slide it into just-boiled water with salt and vinegar for about three minutes with the lid on and heat turned off. Best-looking poached egg ever!
Es
Saw this recipe just before lunchtime and I had to have it. Not the neatest poached eggs I've ever made but I would put the butter-aleppo pepper mix on anything. I used labne and did not find the garlic overwhelming. Absolutely delicious.
Paul
The flavor is outstanding
Misty
After mincing/grating your garlic you can squeeze in a little lemon juice and let it set for a few minutes before adding it to the yogurt; this mellows the garlic.
LW
This was scrumptious - and quick. In the future - I know I'll be making it again! - I would change just one thing: I wish I had salted the yogurt a bit, as thee dish needed a bit more oomph.
Leo & Dodo
We also add turmeric to the butter, and sometimes garnish the bowl with thin avocado slices. As for the garlic, we alternate between mixing fresh garlic into the yogurt before or topping the dish with fried garlic.
Gaby
This was so delicious. I did substitute the aleppo pepper for hot paprika, tho.
Mary Jo Powell
I have been making this dish for years, except--confession here--I fry the egg. Keep the yolk runny and it tastes great, and I find fried egg easier to handle than poached.
tenacious calculus
Incredibly tasty, more than the sum of its parts. I accidentally browned the butter, but it was a happy accident—tasted so good I could have easily eaten twice as much as I did. I topped it with dried dill and mint, black pepper, and flaky sea salt. I didn’t think the garlic was too much—ended up frying the last little heel of it that was too hard to grate in the butter with the Aleppo pepper. Can’t wait to try this again with fresh herbs to top it.
MK
I love these eggs. But sometimes I just use a gentle fried egg (with runny yolks intact!) when I don’t feel like poaching. Works really well.
julie
This is even better if you add ground cumin to the melted butter sauce.
Laureen
Super delicious. Made with fried egg with soft yolk. I have a Lebanese restaurant around the corner from me that makes absolutely amazing hot sauce. I have used that in place of the Aleppo butter. Going to try it with chimichuri next time.
JenReady
This was good! Would add lemon and more salt to the yogurt base next time
Teresa
I love poached eggs and I love yogurt, but for the life of me I could not figure out how this could make sense. Let me tell you, this is so cosy and fulfilling, after a long day at work it will make you feel your soul again.
Christina
This is delicious. Used Dahi yogurt. Poached eggs in the microwave. Used flat iron chiles smoky blend instead of Aleppo. Ate with some toasted Italian bread I need to use up.
Annie J
I liked this! Had a bunch of leftover yogurt and put it to good use :) I didn't have Aleppo so I made a spice mix with paprika, cayenne, and cumin; and I just fried my eggs in the pan after I was done with the spice-butter. Loved the garlic-yogurt as-is! Turned out nice!
mommywhorebucks
I make this 2-3 times per week. I do not think the garlic is overwhelming, but I would suggest letting it sit for a little while to mellow out. There’s an Italian butter made from Parma cows that’s a bit pricey but has a light grassy taste to it that I think really compliments the pepper! Favorite herbs I’ve used: chives/scallions, dill, parsley, and mint. Ideally a combo of all of them is just an amazing burst of freshness.
Meghann, Atlanta
This was delicious. I had it with sautéed spinach and it was perfection.
Rebecca S.
This is a quick and rewarding dish with a nice kick. I microwaved the butter mixture with some chilli flakes and it turned out great. Next time I will do some fried potato and a rocket side salad to round out this meal.
suggestion to myself
Add ginger and green onions to chili oil Mix the dill into the yogurt
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