Vegan Dishes in Turkey

Turkey is a heaven for vegan travelers even though most of the time it is on the news with the kebaps. Yes, our people love meat a lot, but we have lots of vegan dishes with the legumes and vegetables that are cooked at homes. Eastern and southeastern regions are more in favor of dishes with meat as those regions are the ones suitable for animal breeding. Even though you can find those vegan dishes in most of the cities; especially, Agean cities are popular with the olive oil dishes.I will just mention the few of the dishes as I won’t be able to put all of them together in just one post.

Cig Kofte (Spicy Bulgur Kofte)

Çiğ köfte is a traditional dish from Southeastern Anatolia. Although the original recipe contains meat, shops that sell çiğ köfte now make it without meat, using only bulgur, due to health risks and the legal ban on selling the meat version. This makes çiğ köfte a vegan and affordable delicacy. It’s prepared by mixing bulgur with various spices, tomato paste, and pomegranate molasses, then kneading it for a long time. Of course, in chain stores, this process has been automated. Some shops also add different types of nuts to the mixture. Traditionally, it’s served wrapped in lavash (flatbread) with lettuce and a squeeze of lemon, but nowadays you can find various versions of it. My favorite is still the simple one, as some ingredients (like pickled beets) make it too watery. You can either buy the wrapped version or the different grams in boxes with lavash and lettuce aside.

It’s typically enjoyed with turnip juice, or with ayran if you’re vegetarian. Although it’s illegal to sell the meat version in chain stores, some kebab shops and gourmet çiğ köfte places still offer the original meat-based version.So it would be better to ask to make sure you are eating the meat-free version.

We generally eat cigkofte from the cig kofte chains as it requires a lot of effort kneading at home. During the pandemics, I have tried to make cigkofte a couple of times; even though it was not as smooth as the ones at the shops, the taste was delicious. Also, if you visit a Turkish friend from Southeast Anatolia region, they generally make cigkofte with meat at home.

Red Lentil Kofte

Red lentil kofte is one of my favorites, and my mother used to make them incredibly well; I can’t seem to match her skill. While they’re typically made as a treat when guests are coming over, they can also make an appearance at the dinner table whenever the craving strikes. The main ingredients are lentils, bulgur, onions, tomato paste, green onions, and spices. Some people enjoy wrapping them in lettuce and squeezing lemon on top, just like with çiğ köfte, while others prefer to eat them without wrapping them in anything.

Stuffed Grape Leaves (Yaprak Sarma)

Stuffed grape leaves (yaprak sarma) are one of the most popular and beloved olive oil-based dishes. The filling, made from rice and onions, is rolled inside the grape leaves with the precision of a fine pen and then cooked. Some people add ingredients like pine nuts, currants, and cinnamon for extra flavor. Personally, I’m not a fan of the version with currants, but taste is subjective, and many people enjoy it that way too.

Fine Bulgur Salad (Kisir)

Kısır is one of the dishes commonly made when guests are coming over, much like red lentil kofte. In fact, you’ll usually find either kısır or red lentil kofte on the plate. The main ingredients are finely ground bulgur, parsley, and tomato paste. Other commonly used additional ingredients include green onions, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, lemon juice, cucumber, pickles, and various spices. I usually add just a little bit of grape molasses for extra flavor.

Olive Oil Braised Artichokes

This dish is prepared by filling the center of the artichoke with either a vegetable medley of potatoes, peas, and carrots or a mixture of rice, pine nuts, currants, and dill for an olive oil-based version. Since artichokes are widely grown in Izmir, it’s possible to find different variations of this dish in the region.

Olive Oil Braised Celery

Olive oil-braised celery (zeytinyağlı kereviz) is another popular vegan dish. It’s typically prepared with celery, carrots, orange juice, and olive oil, and is served cold.

Olive Oil-Braised Green Beans

Olive oil-braised green beans (zeytinyağlı taze fasulye) is one of the most popular dishes during the summer months. It’s made with onions, tomatoes, green beans, and olive oil. It is typically served cold.

Olive Oil-Braised Borlotti Beans

Olive oil-braised borlotti beans (zeytinyağlı barbunya) are also widely consumed during the summer. To prepare for winter, they’re often bought in the summer and stored in the freezer. Sometimes carrots are added to the dish as well. It can be served either hot or cold.

Dried Stuffed Eggplant

Dried stuffed eggplant (kuru patlıcan dolması) is a dish from the Southeast region that can be prepared with either a meat-based or olive oil-based filling. The dried eggplants and sometimes dried tomatoes as well, commonly sold in spice shops, are filled with a mixture of rice, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, and various spices, giving the dish a slightly sour flavor. It can be enjoyed with or without yogurt.