Pin The first time I tasted cilbir, I was sitting in a small Istanbul apartment on a foggy morning, watching my host's mother work her magic in a cramped kitchen. She moved with the quiet confidence of someone who'd made this dish a hundred times, spreading cool yogurt across a plate like she was painting a canvas. When those poached eggs landed on top and she drizzled that nutty brown butter over everything, I understood why this simple dish had survived centuries. There's something about the contrast—the chill of the yogurt, the warmth of the butter, that runny yolk breaking into silk—that feels like pure comfort.
I made this for my roommate one Sunday after she mentioned she'd been eating cereal for a week straight. Watching her face light up when she saw it on the table—really saw it, not just glanced at it—reminded me that sometimes the best meals aren't the most complicated ones. She tore into the bread, mixed the yogurt and egg together, and asked me to write down how to make it. That's when I knew this recipe was a keeper.
Ingredients
- Greek yogurt (1 cup, full-fat): Use the thick, creamy kind—it's the foundation here, and full-fat means it won't break when the warm butter hits it. I learned this the hard way with a watery version that turned grainy.
- Garlic (1 small clove): Mince it fine or grate it so it dissolves into the yogurt rather than sitting in chunks. The goal is a whisper of garlic, not a shout.
- Eggs (4 large): Fresh eggs poach better, and you want that runny yolk—it's the whole point, so don't cook them to death.
- White vinegar (1 tablespoon): This helps the egg whites set quickly in the water; it's a small thing that makes a real difference.
- Butter (3 tablespoons): Unsalted is key so you control the salt, and you're going to brown it until it smells nutty and looks golden, like liquid gold really.
- Aleppo pepper (1 teaspoon): This is the soul of the spiced butter—if you can't find it, mix equal parts mild chili flakes and sweet paprika, though the real thing has a different warmth to it.
- Cumin (1/2 teaspoon, optional): I skip this sometimes depending on my mood, but when I include it, it adds an earthy note that makes everything feel more rounded.
- Fresh dill: Scatter it over at the end—it's not just decoration, it's a bright, fresh counterpoint to all that richness.
Instructions
- Prepare the yogurt base:
- Stir your Greek yogurt with minced garlic and salt until smooth, then spread it across two shallow plates or bowls. Let it sit at room temperature so it's cool but not cold when the hot eggs arrive.
- Bring the water to a gentle simmer:
- Fill a medium saucepan about three-quarters full with water, add vinegar and a pinch of salt, then heat it until you see small bubbles rising gently—not a rolling boil, which will tear your eggs apart.
- Poach the eggs:
- Crack each egg into a small bowl first (this prevents shell fragments and lets you see what you're working with). Swirl the water with a spoon to create a gentle whirlpool, then slide the egg in and let it cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until the whites are set but the yolk still jiggles slightly when you nudge it with a spoon. Remove with a slotted spoon and let it drain on paper towels for a moment.
- Brown the butter and spice it:
- While the eggs cook, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Watch it carefully—it'll foam, then the foam will subside, and you'll see the milk solids turn golden brown at the bottom. That's when it smells incredible and tastes like toasted nuts. Pull it off the heat and stir in your Aleppo pepper and cumin, which will bloom in the warmth.
- Assemble and serve:
- Set two poached eggs on top of each yogurt plate, then pour that spiced brown butter over everything, scraping the gorgeous brown bits from the pan. Scatter fresh dill across the top and serve immediately with warm bread if you want something to soak up the sauce.
Pin There was a morning when everything went wrong—I burned the butter, oversalted the yogurt, and one of my eggs came out with a broken yolk. I almost threw it away, but my partner said, "just try it," so I plated it anyway. It was still delicious. That's when I realized cilbir is forgiving enough to survive small mistakes, which is part of its charm.
The Magic of the Brown Butter
Brown butter is what transforms this from a simple breakfast into something that feels luxurious and intentional. The moment the milk solids caramelize, you get this deep, nutty flavor that complements the cool yogurt and rich yolk in a way that regular melted butter just can't match. The Aleppo pepper blooms in that heat and becomes spicy without being aggressive, adding warmth rather than sharp kick. When you hear people talk about Turkish breakfast being an art, this is part of what they mean.
Variations Worth Trying
Once you understand the framework of cilbir—cool yogurt, hot egg, spiced fat—you can play with it. I've added a squeeze of lemon to the yogurt for brightness, scattered torn herbs like mint or parsley instead of just dill, even topped it with crispy breadcrumbs for texture once. A friend of mine adds a tiny drizzle of pomegranate molasses under the eggs, and now that's her version. The dish is flexible enough to welcome your own touches while staying true to what makes it special.
Timing and Service
Cilbir is best served the moment everything comes together, so have your plates ready and your diners waiting—don't make it and then wait fifteen minutes for someone to show up. The contrast between temperatures is part of the whole experience, and it fades if you let it sit. That said, if you're cooking for yourself, there's something nice about eating slowly and letting the yogurt warm up slightly as you go, watching the textures change on your plate.
- Set your table and call everyone to the kitchen before you start poaching the eggs.
- Have your butter on the stove when the first egg hits the water so everything finishes around the same time.
- Serve with warm, crusty bread that you can use to soak up the last of the yogurt and brown butter from the plate.
Pin This is one of those dishes that reminds you why people gather around food in the first place. It's unpretentious but feels like a gift, simple but completely satisfying.
Recipe Q&A
- → What makes the yogurt base unique in this dish?
The yogurt is mixed with finely minced garlic and sea salt, creating a creamy and tangy base that balances the richness of the poached eggs and the spiced butter.
- → How are the eggs cooked to maintain a runny yolk?
Eggs are gently poached in simmering water with added vinegar to help the whites set quickly while keeping yolks runny and silky.
- → What spices are used in the brown butter topping?
Aleppo pepper is the primary spice, often substituted with a mix of mild chili flakes and sweet paprika, combined with optional ground cumin for warm complexity.
- → Can this dish be served with bread?
Yes, crusty bread such as pide, sourdough, or flatbread pairs perfectly for dipping and soaking up the yogurt and spiced butter.
- → Is this dish suitable for special diets?
It fits vegetarian and gluten-free diets when bread is omitted or substituted with gluten-free options.