Turkey has a rich history in its cuisine. With a wide range of ingredients at hand, the Turkish culinary art has developed a wide range of incredibly delicious dishes. Here are our 5 favorite traditional Turkish dishes.

Yaprak Dolma
Dolma is food wrapped up in a grape leaf. Grape leaves are edible and have a mild flavor to them, which combines nicely with the rich filling. In the case of Yaprak dolma, the filling usually consists of rice, parsley, tomatoes, olive oil, onions, and various seasonings.
The result is a delicious, yet surprisingly healthy dish. If you’re looking for something with a bit of greenery to it, this one is melt in your mouth good.

Kebabs
Chances are you have delighted in kebabs at one time or another in your life. Kebabs are an important part of Turkish cuisine and have many different possible combinations. They most often include meat such as lamb, and sometimes vegetables as well.
Meat for kebabs is carefully cooked and may be sliced off a spit that has been slowly cooking for as long as 12 hours. The result is a succulent and tender meal well worth the wait.

Baklava
One of the most iconic Turkish desserts is Baklava. This delicious pastry dish is best made in a temperature-controlled room, while layer after layer of tissue thin pasty sheets are drizzled with honey syrup and sprinkled with pistachio.
If you’ve never had Baklava this is certainly a dish you will want to try at least once in your life. It is a delicious combination of flavors from the sweetness of the honey, the crunchiness of the pistachio, and the flakey layers of pasty sheet.

Manti
Nearly every culture in the world has some sort of dumpling included in their cuisine. Turkey is no different, and Manti is their answer to that bread and meat filled food. Served in butter flavored with mint, the dumpling is packed with seasoned meat.

Baba Ghanoush
Baba Ghanoush comes from the Eastern Mediterranean but is still considered a Turkish dish. It’s an eggplant dip usually served as a starter and usually includes yogurt, garlic and olive oil as well. It’s often paired with meat dishes or olive oil inspired dishes.
Baba Ghanoush is similar to hummus, and is used the same way. Pita and fresh, raw vegetables are some options commonly dipped in it.

Köfte
Rounding up our list is Köfte, or Turkish meatballs. These delicious balls of meat are typically served in wraps, or with a salad. Köfte is usually made from beef or lamb, and sometimes a mixture of both. Despite it most commonly being made this way, there’s even a few vegan variants that taste just as good.

Turkish cuisine is filled with amazing flavors. You can expect delicious spices, tender meats, and healthy vegetables in every meal. If you’ve never tried Turkish cuisine and are curious about it, head on down to Aladdin’s to try some here.

We serve many different types of Turkish cuisine and are happy to help make some recommendations to you.