Spinach-Artichoke Çılbır (Turkish Poached Eggs)
A cross between Turkish eggs and warm spinach-artichoke dip, this cilbir recipe features perfectly poached eggs in a comforting, creamy Greek yogurt dip with crispy sourdough toast—it’s everything you need in a breakfast!
What is Çılbır?
Çılbır (pronounced “chill-bur”) is a traditional Turkish breakfast made from poached eggs and chili butter sauce, served on a garlicky yogurt base. Today we’ll be making a variation on this dish, but my recipe for the classic çılbır is here if you want to check it out!
I put my own spin on the classic by taking the yogurt base and turning it into a quick spinach-artichoke dip. With a bit of feta or parmesan and sourdough bread, it’s the perfect breakfast!
What You’ll Need
You won’t need very much for this recipe—most items may already be in your fridge or pantry, but here’s a guide on what you’ll need (plus their substitutes).
- Olive oil.
- Yellow onion.
- Garlic. You can substitute with garlic powder if needed.
- Spinach.
- Artichoke hearts. I used marinated, but feel free to use plain artichokes if that’s what you prefer.
- Greek yogurt. Make sure it’s plain Greek yogurt—no one wants their çılbır to taste like garlicky vanilla.
- Red wine vinegar. To balance the tartness of the yogurt.
- Eggs.
- Feta/parmesan. Use whichever you like.
- Sourdough. For serving.
Tips for Perfect Poached Eggs
I know the idea of poaching eggs can be daunting, but it’s not as difficult as it seems! If you prefer a boiled or fried egg, you can always use that method instead, but here are some of my top tips and tricks when it comes to poaching eggs.
- Use fresh eggs (or as fresh as you can find). This allows for a better formed egg yolk and egg white.
- Use a fine mesh sieve to separate egg whites. There are two parts to an egg white: the whites right around the yolk, and the looser, outer whites. By straining the egg, you get rid of the looser whites. This step doesn’t change anything about the poached eggs themselves, but it makes them look prettier; if you don’t strain the egg, you’ll end up with thin wisps of egg whites attached to the main egg, as opposed to a neat circle. I often skip this step, since it’s not necessary.
- Create a vortex with your spoon. By swirling the poaching water, you create a vortex. Once you drop your egg into the water, this vortex will hold the egg together and allows for a neater poached egg that holds its shape.
- Test for doneness. To test the eggs, carefully lift one out of the water and poke it in the center. A runny egg will be very soft and squishy to the touch, whereas a jammy egg will be a little firmer (though still soft)—keep in mind that the yolks set up more once they cool.
If you have any questions, let me know—hope you guys give this one a try!
Spinach-Artichoke Çılbır (Turkish Poached Eggs)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup diced yellow onion, about ¼ onion
- 1-2 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1 packed cup spinach
- ⅓ cup chopped artichoke hearts, marinated or plain is fine
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar, optional
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Crumbled feta/parmesan and toasted sourdough, for serving
Instructions
- Make the eggs. Fill a small pot with water, enough for an egg to be fully submerged. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar (not required, though it helps the eggs hold their shape), and bring to a boil.
- In the meantime, crack the eggs over a fine mesh sieve, one at a time, to discard the loose egg whites (this step is optional). Place the eggs into a ramekin or small bowl until ready to cook.
- Once ready, reduce the heat of the water to medium-low; it should be steaming, not boiling during the cooking process. Stir the water with a spoon to create a vortex. Immediately drop one egg in the center of the pot. Repeat this step with the remaining egg and cook to the desired doneness, about 3 minutes for a runny yolk and 5 minutes for a jammy yolk. To check for doneness, gently lift the egg from the water and poke it in the center—you will be able to feel the firmness of the yolk and can cook to your liking.
- Once done, remove the eggs from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a paper towel to cool.
- Prepare the yogurt dip. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion to the hot pan and saute until soft and translucent. Add in the minced garlic and chopped artichoke hearts and cook 1-2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add in all of the spinach, stirring frequently until wilted. Once cooked, scrape everything into a bowl. Add the Greek yogurt and red wine vinegar to the spinach-artichoke mixture, stirring until well combined. Season to taste (if the dip is too tart, add a pinch of sugar to balance it out).
- Carefully set the eggs on top of the prepared yogurt, sprinkle over the cheese, and serve warm with toasted sourdough bread.
