Top Ten Breakfasts in the World
- Turkish Breakfast
- -10. Eh who cares – it's all about Turkish Breakfast!
Turkish breakfastis the best way to get your day started anywhere in the world. It's filling, giving you the energy you need, but light, so you're not weighed down all day like some other popular breakfasts we could name (***cough. English breakfast. Cough***). It's got tons of variety, so the picky eaters among us can pick and choose what they like and what they don't. It'sorganic-friendly,vegetarian-friendly(but still with some lovely meats for the carnivores amongst us), and even vegan-friendly. In short, it's got something for everyone and is the perfect way to get your day started. So what's all in it? Let's find out!*
Note:Regional differences are broad, with different things served in different spots. This is an AVERAGE Turkish breakfast. Different places will add a local flavor to the base listed below.
Start Your Day With A Freshly Brewed Turkish Tea
More tea is consumed in Türkiye than any other country in the world, and it starts at breakfast.Black teais much more common than any other kind of tea, and in Türkiye it's made in something called açaydanlık, which separates a concentrated form a tea and boiled water. It's strong but never bitter, and studies have shown thatTurkish teahelps regulate blood vessels and the heart, lowering the chance of a stroke or heart attack. It's served in beautiful fluted glass cups, adding to the aesthetics of the breakfast.
Salad Of Tomatoes And Cucumber
Peppers are often added, but tomatoes and cucumbers are essential to any Turkish breakfast, particularlyÇengelköy Cucumbers, which are smaller and tastier than normal cucumbers. Obviously salad is typically served with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor.
Cheese
White cheeseis an absolutely must at any breakfast, and typically there's a variety of anywhere between 1-4 different types of cheese. Aged Kaşar, Çeçil, Tulum, Lor, and other cheeses are common, though white cheese (similar to feta) is the only cheese that is more or less required.
Olives
Usually both black and green olives will be served. Be prepared forTurkish olivesto be better and more flavorful than any you've ever had before. 😉
Eggs
You'll find eggs cooked in some form at almost every Turkish breakfast. HOWEVER, the way might vary. Probably most common is the dish cooked in a traditional pan calledMenemen, made of eggs, tomato, green peppers, and spices, with salt and oregano sprinkled on top. Cheese or meat can be added to it and it's sweet and delicious regardless of how you have it.
But if that's not to your taste, then boiled eggs, omelets, and fried eggs with beef sausage (called sujuk) are all very common over Turkish breakfast.
Breads
Breadis another critical part of Turkish breakfast. Standard Turkish white bread, called "ekmek," with a crispy crust and a light fluffy inside is always hot and freshly baked. Sesame bread calledSimitis also present at just about every Turkish breakfast. From there,açma and poğaçabreakfast rolls, often stuffed with anything from cheese to meat to olive paste, are common to go with the food and the bread is used to eat with the salad and soak up any juices from either a menemen or the olive oil or some of the other delectable dips on the breakfast menu...
Bal Kaymak - Honey And Clotted Cream
This is a luxury at most breakfasts, but it's an absolute must. The clotted cream of "kaymak" is as good a cream as you'll find anywhere in the world, and Turkish honey is also famed as amongst the best, with hundreds of different types on offer (depending on the flowers they're pollinated from), all of them100% naturalof course. In fact, honey straight off the comb is very common in Türkiye, with locals heading to the store and buying an entire honey comb rather than a jar.
Acuka
This varies region to region, but some form of tomato paste and nuts, often walnuts and spices, is part of breakfast all over the country. It's often got a bit of a kick to it, so watch out! 😊
Jam And Marmalade
Finally,Turkish jamsare famous, in large part because its fruits are so wonderful. Most regions have a variety of jam that they're most famous for, so you'll find different locally made products wherever you happen to be and they'll all be equally all natural and wonderful. Often-times sugar isn't even added at all, allowing the flavor of the fruits to stand by themselves!
FAQs
Probably most common is the dish cooked in a traditional pan called Menemen, made of eggs, tomato, green peppers, and spices, with salt and oregano sprinkled on top. Cheese or meat can be added to it and it's sweet and delicious regardless of how you have it.
What does a typical Turkish breakfast consist of? ›
Traditionally, Turkish breakfast consists of cheese, olives, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, jam, honey, fruit, sausage, and Turkish tea. The first meal of the day is a breakfast fit for a king. The Turkish word for breakfast, kahvaltı, means “the food you eat before coffee.”
What do Turkish people drink for breakfast? ›
Traditional Turkish Kahvalti (breakfast)
The word kahvalti originates from two words meaning “before coffee”. Traditionally, Turkish coffee is strong, usually served after breakfast to aid in digestion. The Turks typically drink tea with their breakfast. The Turkish people love their tea.
Why is Turkish breakfast healthy? ›
There's adequate protein from the cheese, egg, hummus and yogurt. There's healthy fat from the olives and olive oil. there's phytonutrients from the tomato, parsley, cucumber and olives. The various components of this breakfast not only have diverse flavors, but varying textures as well.
What is the best Turkish cheese for breakfast? ›
Feta cheese (beyaz peynir) is a true standby, and other contenders include kasseri, a hard cheese made from unpasteurized sheep milk, as well as lor, an uncured goat-milk cheese that's like Turkey's version of cottage cheese.
Do Turkish people eat soup for breakfast? ›
Breakfast in Ottoman Cuisine
Soup was usually drunk in the morning. Moreover, this habit still continues in rural areas of Anatolia. Soups with different ingredients are cooked according to the regions. For example: ezogelin, tarhana or yogurt soup.
Do Turks drink coffee or tea? ›
Tea is an important part of Turkish culture, and is the most commonly consumed hot drink, despite the country's long history of coffee consumption. Offering tea to guests is part of Turkish hospitality. Tea is most often consumed in households, shops, and kıraathane – social gatherings of men.
How do Turks like their coffee? ›
Turkish coffee is often served with a small sweet morsel such as a piece of lokum (Turkish delight) and a glass on water on the side. Sip the water to cleanse your palate while waiting for the coffee to cool slightly and the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup.
What do Turks eat for lunch? ›
Lunches in Turkey are usually made of seasonal dishes, soup, salad, etc. Dishes that require time and effort to prepare are not common at this meal. Meat-based dishes, as well as desserts, aren't served at lunches.
What is the name of the breakfast bread in turkey? ›
Some well-known Turkish breads include: Simit: A popular circular bread coated with sesame seeds, often compared to a bagel. It is widely enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack throughout Turkey. Pide: A boat-shaped, thick flatbread typically topped with ingredients like cheese, minced meat, vegetables, or eggs.
Cheese: Swiss, provolone, and cheddar cheeses all pair well with turkey. Buy slices directly from the deli counter, or slice off the block with a cheese slicer. Lettuce: Green leaf or romaine lettuce adds much needed crunch.
What is Turkish cheese called? ›
Below we've charted the five most popular and tradition Turkish cheeses: beyaz, kaşar, tulum, lor, and mihalıç.
What is a standard Turkish diet? ›
A typical meal starts with soup (especially in wintertime), followed by a dish made of vegetables (olive oil or with ground meat), meat or legumes boiled in a pot (typically with meat or minced meat), often with or before Turkish pilav, pasta or bulgur pilav accompanied by a salad or cacık (diluted cold yogurt dish ...
How many meals a day do Turkish people eat? ›
Turkish people eat three meals a day, with a few snacks in between. They tend to have a full home-cooked meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also sit down for hot tea with cake or cookies, usually in the late morning or midafternoon, when neighbors commonly stop by for a visit.
Why is Turkish breakfast famous? ›
Turkey is famous for its elaborate breakfasts, featuring a huge spread of a wide variety of foods that can take hours to eat. Critics say the traditional breakfast is indulgent and leads to food waste. Others say it's part of the culture and here to stay.
What is the name of the breakfast bread in Turkey? ›
Some well-known Turkish breads include: Simit: A popular circular bread coated with sesame seeds, often compared to a bagel. It is widely enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack throughout Turkey. Pide: A boat-shaped, thick flatbread typically topped with ingredients like cheese, minced meat, vegetables, or eggs.
