Turkish Yogurt Eggs with Brown Butter, Aleppo, and Dill
Thick, garlicky yogurt is the bed, and two perfectly poached pasture-raised eggs are the crown. A pour of sizzling brown butter spiked with Aleppo pepper ties the whole thing together in about fifteen minutes flat. This is the Turkish dish called cilbir, and once you try it you will wonder why you ever made plain eggs again.
Cilbir is weekday simple and weekend worthy all at once.
Cilbir has been a Turkish breakfast staple for centuries, but it is having a real moment right now, and honestly it deserves every bit of the attention. The combination of cool garlic yogurt, soft poached eggs, and sizzling spiced brown butter is one of those things that sounds almost too simple until you taste it and realize it is just exactly right.
Our pasture-raised eggs are the reason this recipe really sings. The yolks run a deep, almost orange yellow, and when they break into that yogurt and butter, the whole bowl becomes something special. This one comes together in under half an hour, which means it works on a slow Saturday morning just as well as a busy Tuesday. You can read how we raise them here.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Pull the yogurt out of the fridge at least 20 minutes before you start so it comes closer to room temperature. Stir the grated garlic and a good pinch of salt into the yogurt until smooth. Divide it among four shallow bowls, spreading it in a thick, swooping layer.
- 2
Bring a wide saucepan of water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add the white wine vinegar. Crack each egg into a small cup first, then slip them into the water one at a time. Work in two batches of four if your pan is not wide enough to give each egg some room. Poach for 3 minutes for a runny yolk or 4 minutes for a jammy one, then lift out with a slotted spoon and let the water drain off on a folded kitchen towel.
- 3
While the second batch of eggs poaches, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Keep cooking, swirling the pan every so often, until the butter turns a deep golden brown and smells nutty, about 4 minutes. Pull it off the heat and immediately stir in the Aleppo pepper. It will sizzle and bloom in the hot butter.
- 4
Set two poached eggs on top of the yogurt in each bowl. Spoon the brown butter generously over everything, making sure each bowl gets a good share of those red pepper flakes.
- 5
Scatter the fresh dill over the top and finish with a small pinch of flaky salt. Serve right away with warm crusty bread or pita for swiping through the yogurt.
Notes from our kitchen
- The yogurt base can be made up to two days ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Just let it come up to room temperature before serving so the hot butter does not cool down the moment it hits the bowl.
- Aleppo pepper is fruity and only moderately hot. If you cannot find it, a mix of sweet paprika and a small pinch of cayenne gets you close. Plain red pepper flakes work in a pinch but will be sharper.
- Fresh eggs from the farm poach better than older ones because the whites stay tight around the yolk. If you are ever unsure how fresh an egg is, this recipe will show you the difference.
Common questions
Can I use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt?
Full-fat sour cream works in a pinch, but Greek yogurt has the thick, tangy body that makes this dish. Thin yogurt will pool under the eggs rather than hold them up, so go full-fat if you can.
What do I serve on the side?
Warm pita or a crusty sourdough slice is the classic move. You want something sturdy enough to drag through all that garlicky yogurt and pooling butter. A simple cucumber and tomato salad on the side keeps it a full, light meal.
My brown butter burned. What went wrong?
Brown butter moves fast once it gets going. Stay right next to the stove, keep the heat at medium rather than medium-high, and pull it the moment you see a deep amber color and smell toasted nuts. When in doubt, pull it a few seconds early.