Turkish Breakfast

Photo by Kaan Yavalar ’25. 

A traditional Turkish breakfast is a staple in many households. It is a time for family members to sit together and start their day surrounded by loved ones. Usually, it is served on a Sunday because it requires a little extra time to prepare. While there are many ways to prepare this breakfast, it generally consists of five main components: eggs, spreads, vegetables, bread and sujuk, which is a spiced and fermented beef sausage you can find at any Middle Eastern market. This is my family’s version of the classic meal.

Ingredients (for one serving):

  • 2 eggs
  • 2-inch piece of sujuk
  • 1 fresh tomato, rinsed
  • Handful of green olives
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp. dried mint
  • 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ tbsp. butter
  • 1 slice bread, toasted
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Slice the sujuk into round pieces around 5 mm thick.
  2. Heat pan over medium heat.
  3. Place sujuk into a pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned and crispy. Set aside.
  4. Chop tomatoes into small chunks.
  5. Place into a small bowl and toss with olive oil and salt and set aside.
  6. Heat butter over medium heat.
  7. Crack eggs into the pan.
  8. Cook for 2 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for 30 seconds on the other.
  9. Place yogurt onto a plate.
  10. Top with dried mint, aleppo pepper and 1 tsp. olive oil.
  11. Add sujuk, eggs, tomatoes, toast and olives to the plate.
  12. Enjoy!