There are few breakfasts that I know of that are as irresistible as these Turkish poached eggs (çılbır)! Picture creamy, thick, garlicky labneh (yoghurt), perfectly oozy poached eggs, drizzled with chilli butter, toasted walnuts, and fresh herbs. This is easily a breakfast (or brunch) that I can eat on repeat, with absolutely zero complaints!

I first had Turkish poached eggs (çılbır) at a quaint little café in Sydney with my husband many years ago. As someone who eats a lot of eggs, I thought I'd basically tried every flavour combo that was out there! But after trying this phenomenal dish, there was a quiet moment where I was left wondering... where have Turkish poached eggs (çılbır) been all my life?!

What are Turkish Poached Eggs (Çılbır)?

There are essentially 3 components to Turkish poached eggs (çılbır). There's the creamy, garlicky labneh base (or yoghurt), the chilli butter or oil, and of course, the poached eggs! For how it looks, and tastes, it's incredibly easy to throw together, and very quick to make. By the time you flavour the labneh (yoghurt), heat the butter, and poach the eggs, you'll have a flavourful, delicious breakfast or brunch ready in 15 minutes! And who can resist a perfectly poached, oozy egg?!

Serve with some crusty homemade sourdough bread to make it even more special! Honestly, the entire dish looks so fancy that people will think you put in way more effort than you actually did. Yet another reason to absolutely love this dish!

Ingredients

This Turkish poached eggs (çılbır) recipe calls for 2 large eggs. With 2 eggs, there is going to be a lot of sauce! If this is no problem for you, and you have plenty of crusty bread to mop up all that delicious sauce, then stick with 2. But I think there's enough sauce here for up to 4 eggs, if you don't want the dish to be too saucy. You've got creative freedom here!

For the garlicky yoghurt base, you'll need garlic, the zest of a lemon, some salt, and labneh. Labneh is a Middle Eastern yoghurt (although some people call it a cheese - I suppose it's a bit like cream cheese)! It's made by straining off the liquid whey from yoghurt. So you end up with a deliciously thick, creamy spread that is perfectly salty and tangy. Here's the one I buy from Woolies. Labneh is an unhealthy obsession of mine - I can easily eat a whole bowl of it! I always order it when we eat at Lebanese restaurants - delicious with Lebanese bread! If you want a thinner sauce for the base, you can use Greek yoghurt instead.

For the chilli butter, you'll need unsalted butter. Alternatively, you can also use olive oil if you prefer. Traditionally, Aleppo peppers are used to flavour the butter, but they're hard to come by! So I use red chilli/pepper flakes, sweet paprika, and salt. And for a hint of background warmth, a smidge of cumin powder!

Of course, the chilli butter is the main topping for the poached eggs. But I like to layer toppings in this dish - not only for how beautiful it looks, but for flavour and texture! For some much-needed crunch, top the Turkish poached eggs (çılbır) with toasted crushed walnuts and Nigella seeds. Nigella seeds are those little black seeds you see on traditional Turkish bread. They have a peppery, sharp, somewhat floral taste, and have a range of health benefits! And for some equally much-needed freshness, top with fresh mint, and fresh dill. And for a final burst of bright citrusy flavour, a generous sprinkling of sumac!

How to Make Turkish Poached Eggs (Çılbır)

Grate the garlic and the zest of a lemon into the labneh, add the salt, mix, and set aside!

Do not refrigerate - you want the labneh to be room temperature! Since we are drizzling hot butter on top, the butter might start solidifying if the labneh is fridge-cold.

Plus, we don't want to lay hot, poached eggs on top of cold yoghurt since that'll cool down the eggs too much. You can even make the labneh sauce a few days ahead of time and keep in the fridge if you like. (I suppose you can also make the chilli butter ahead of time and reheat when needed)! Perfect for those emergency cravings for Turkish poached eggs (çılbır) that strike at the last minute!

Then, it's time to multitask (things will move quickly at this point)! Poach the eggs while you toast your bread, toast and crush the walnuts, and make the chilli butter.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Add a splash of vinegar, and with a wooden spoon, create a whirpool in the water. Immediately drop in your cracked eggs, and let them sit for 2-2½ minutes for perfectly poached eggs. With a slotted spoon, gently lift them out and place them on some paper towels on a plate to drain.

Many recipes will tell you to strain the excess liquid off the eggs before poaching them. This avoids the wispy bits of egg white, and give you a perfectly-looking, oval-shaped poached egg. This might be something to do if your eggs are really old, but mine are from our lovely hens, so they're as fresh as can be. Besides, because we're covering the eggs with chilli butter, and so much more, I don't think it matters for this recipe! Plus, I don't mind a rustic-looking egg!

Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a dry pan for a minute or two until the oils are released and intensified. Give them a slight bashing in a mortar and pestle.

In the same pan, melt the butter and let it foam and become bubbly.

The goal here is to make brown butter (called a buerre noisette in French). This is when the milk solids begin to toast, and you end up with a beautifully nutty, caramel-like aroma and taste to the butter, and it turns a golden colour. Then, simply add your red chilli/pepper flakes, sweet paprika, cumin, and salt!

Finally, assemble your Turkish poached eggs (çılbır)! Spread the labneh base onto a plate, place the eggs on top, and drizzle on the chilli butter while hot! Scatter on your crushed toasted walnuts, Nigella seeds, fresh mint, and plenty of fresh dill. And of course, crusty bread for mopping up all that delicious oozy goodness is mandatory! Why not try your hand at some homemade crusty sourdough bread to make this a truly special dish?

I truly hope you enjoy this recipe! xxx