Turkish cuisine is a beautiful balance of humble essential ingredients in Turkish cooking, rich history, and vibrant regional flavors. In this first part of our new series, we’re opening the doors to the Turkish pantry and exploring the foundational ingredients that give everyday dishes their signature depth and warmth.
Whether you’re new to Turkish cooking or grew up with the aromas of simmering salça and sizzling butter sauces, these staples are the heart of the kitchen. Let’s dive into the flavorful world of Turkish oils, pastes, yogurt, and essential spices.
🌿 Olive Oil & Butter: The Dual Foundation of Turkish Cooking
In Turkey, cooking begins with oil—and most often, that means extra virgin olive oil, butteror a combination of both. Olive oil is especially dominant in the western and Aegean regions, where olive trees flourish. It’s not just for salads; it’s the soul of many dishes from “zeytinyağlı” (olive oil-based vegetable stews) to lentil soups and even desserts.
In contrast, butter is celebrated in the Black Sea and Southeastern regions. Rich, aromatic, and golden, it adds a creamy, comforting depth. In fact, many Turkish home cooks blend olive oil and butter to combine the flavor of butter with the high heat tolerance of olive oil.
Classic examples include:
- Rice (Rice Pilaf): Started with butter and finished with a touch of olive oil.
- Plateau Soup (Yogurt Soup): Finished with a drizzle of butter infused with mint and pul biber.
- Well: A Black Sea specialty made by browning corn flour in butter and melting local cheese into it.
As one Turkish mother-in-law famously put it, “If you put that much butter on me, I’d taste good too.”
🌾 Tomato & Pepper Pastes (Tomato paste): Layers of Umami
Tomato and red pepper pastes—known collectively as tomato paste—are at the core of Turkish cuisine. These deeply concentrated ingredients are used year-round, especially when fresh tomatoes or peppers are out of season.
Traditionally, these pastes are homemade in large batches and sun-dried in rural areas during late summer. But good-quality store-bought versions work well too.
They are:
- Sautéed with onions to create a rich base for soups, stews, and pilafs.
- Turned into tomato sauces for dishes like meatball or Kebabs.
- Blended into spreads like they are in action (a spicy walnut and paste-based dip).
Turkish cuisine uses salça not just for flavor, but also for color and body.
Curious about how to make your own tomato or pepper paste? We have full-length tutorials linked below.
Ingredients for Acuka / Muhammara
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 3 heaped tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp sweet red pepper paste (I used 1 tbsp of it, homemade sweet red pepper paste. Recipe will be in the next episode)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp each thyme, hot red pepper flakes, cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp all-spice (optional)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
- 2 tbsp bread crumbs
- a handful of coarsely chopped walnuts
Instructions For Turkish Appetizer Acuka:
- In a medium-size pan add olive oil, tomato and pepper pastes, sesame seeds, spices, and roughly chopped garlic.
- Heat and cook stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes. Check the taste and add more spices if you prefer.
- The pastes can be salty so add salt if needed after tasting the spread.
- Add bread crumbs and walnuts, stir and cook for about 1-2 minutes and turn off the heat.
- Serve after cooled down, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle some sesame seeds.
🥛 Yogurt: A Versatile Staple with Nomadic Roots
Did you know the word “yogurt” comes from Turkish? Fermenting milk into yogurt began centuries ago with Central Asian Turkic nomads as a way to preserve dairy while traveling.
In the Turkish kitchen, plain yogurt is everywhere—and it’s one of the most essential ingredients in Turkish cooking:
- As a side dish with pilaf or grilled meats.
- As a sauce base for dishes like manti or crazy.
- Whisked into Plateau soup with rice and mint.
- Thinned with water and salt to make ayrana refreshing drink.
Other yogurt-based recipes include:
- Tired: A cool cucumber and yogurt dip, seasoned with mint and garlic.
- Haydari: A thicker, tangier version often found on meze platters.
Whether you make your own or buy it, plain unsweetened yogurt with a creamy texture is a must-have in any Turkish-inspired kitchen.
✨ Spices: Adding Character with Simplicity
Turkish cooking doesn’t rely on heavy spice blends. Instead, it celebrates a handful of fragrant, warming spices that enhance ingredients without overpowering them. These spices are some of the most essential ingredients in Turkish cooking, used daily in homes across the country.
Here are some essentials:
- Money pepper (crushed red chili flakes): Mild to hot, smoky or bright. Used everywhere.
- Sweet pepper: For color and gentle heat.
- Cumin: Earthy and warm, great in meatballs and legumes.
- Black pepper: Often used with tomato-based dishes.
- Dried mint & thyme: Mint for yogurt dishes and soups; thyme for meats and vegetables.
Examples in action:
- Chicken fat marinade: Paprika, pul biber, cumin, and black pepper.
- Ramköfte: Cumin and isot pepper kneaded into bulgur.
- Arabian pan: A tray-bake with meat, vegetables, and a simple spice mix.
Don’t forget the iconic butter sauces made with pul biber or mint—drizzled over soups, eggs, and dumplings like manti.
Ready to Stock Your Turkish Pantry?
These ingredients aren’t just building blocks—they’re reflections of Turkish culture, geography, and hospitality. Starting your pantry with these staples means you can cook hundreds of recipes from across Anatolia and beyond.
In the next episode, we’ll be exploring grains and legumes like bulgur, rice, lentils, and a few lesser-known but essential dry goods.
Be sure to subscribe, and check the recipe links below for how to use each of these in traditional and modern ways!
Stay tuned for Part 2 of Turkish Pantry Essentials!