Want to cook Turkish foods like kebap or Turkish lentil soup but do not know basic cooking terms in Turkish? No worries!
Turkey has always been considered one of the countries with the most delicious cuisine. Some of the best Turkish foods include lahmacun, yaprak sarma, roasted lamb, tavuk döner, mantı, stuffed lamb ribs, and kumpir.
In today’s blog post, I will teach you all the vocabulary commonly used in Turkish cooking so that you can easily follow Turkish recipes. You will also get an overview of the basic ingredients used in Turkish cuisine. So, let’s get started!
Let’s start learning from the flavors of basic Turkish food:
- Salty – Tuzlu
- Sweet – Tatlı
- Spicy – Baharatlı
- Bitter – Acı
- Sour – Ekşi
Common Kitchenware In Turkish Cuisine
Cooking Turkish food only requires basic kitchenware and ingredients. Before you learn all the commonly used terms for cooking Turkish food, here is a vocabulary list for common kitchenware (the Turkish word for kitchenware is mutfak gereçleri) in Turkish.
| English | Turkish |
|---|---|
| Pot | Tencere |
| Pan | Tava |
| Stove | Ocak |
| Oven | Fırın |
| Spoon | Kaşık |
| Teaspoon | Çay kaşığı |
| Tablespoon | Yemek kaşığı |
| Fork | Çatal |
| Knife | Bıçak |
| Cutting board | Kesme tahtası |
| Oven mitts | Fırın eldiveni |
| Kettle | Su ısıtıcısı |
| Rice cooker | Pilav makinesi |
| Soup pot | Çorba tenceresi |
| Whisk | Çırpıcı |
| Grater | Rende |
| Mixing bowl | Karıştırma kabı |
| Measuring cup | Ölçü kabı |
| Strainer | Süzgeç |
| Peeler | Soyacak |
| Tongs | Maşa |
| Spatula | Spatula |
| Colander | Süzgeç |
| Grill | Izgara |
| Mortar and pestle | Dövme ve havan |
| Skewer | Şiş |
| Brush | Fırça |
| Ladle | Kepçe |
| Rolling pin | Oklava |
| Basting brush | Fırça |
Cooking Terms In Turkish
Just like any other language, Turkish has its own unique words that are closely related to the country’s way of life. Although some English cooking styles are also used in Turkish cuisine, some cannot be translated directly. Below, you will find a list of some of these cooking styles with their direct translations:
| English | Turkish |
|---|---|
| To grill | Közlemek |
| To boil | Kaynatmak |
| To braise | Kısık ateşte pişirmek |
| To chop/mince | Doğramak |
| To coat | Kaplamak |
| To cook | Pişirmek |
| To cut | Kesmek |
| To dissolve | Çözmek |
| To melt | Eritmek |
| To fry | Kızartmak |
| To glaze | Kaplamak |
| To grill (alternative) | Izgara yapmak |
| To grind | Öğütmek |
| To knead | Hamur yoğurmak |
| To marinate | Marine etmek |
| To mix together | Karıştırmak |
| To peel | Kabuğunu soymak |
| To pinch | Kıvırmak |
| To pour | Dökmek |
| To roast | Fırında pişirmek |
| To bake | Fırınlamak |
| To sauté | Sotelemek |
| To scoop | Kazmak |
| To sift/filter | Eleme yapmak |
| To slice | Dilimlemek |
| To snip | Kesmek |
| To steam | Buharla pişirmek |
| To stew/simmer | Kısık ateşte pişirmek |
| To stuff | Doldurmak |
| To wrap | Sarmak |
Now that you already know some of the cooking styles, please be sure to check out our previous posts on popular Turkish foods so you can see which types of food use these styles. If you are already in Turkey and would like to order specific foods, check out this blog post about ordering food in Turkish.
Food Ingredients In Turkish
If you have tasted traditional Turkish dishes, you probably understand when I say that there is something unique with how they bring out flavors, whether in the meat, soup, or vegetables cooked. Here are some of the common ingredients used in Turkish foods:
| English | Turkish |
|---|---|
| Butter | Tereyağ |
| Melted butter | Erimiş tereyağ |
| Cabbage | Lahana |
| Carrot | Havuç |
| Celery | Kereviz |
| Cucumber | Salatalık |
| Leek | Pırasa |
| Potato | Patates |
| Pumpkin | Kabak |
| Tomato | Domates |
| Bell pepper | Dolmalık biber |
| Eggplant | Patlıcan |
| Mushroom | Mantar |
| Cauliflower | Karnabahar |
| Broccoli | Brokoli |
| Corn | Mısır |
| Pea | Bezelye |
| Parsley | Maydanoz |
| Dill | Dereotu |
| Cilantro | Kişniş |
| Basil | Fesleğen |
| Thyme | Kekik |
| Rosemary | Biberiye |
| Sage | Adaçayı |
| Mint | Nane |
| Green beans | Yeşil fasulye |
| Garlic | Sarımsak |
| Onion | Soğan |
| Shallot | Arpacık soğan |
| Ginger | Zencefil |
| Dried mint | Kuru nane |
| Green pepper | Yeşil biber |
| Red pepper | Kapya biber |
| Red pepper powder | Pul biber |
| Lemon | Limon |
| Lime | Limon |
| Orange | Portakal |
| Apple | Elma |
| Pear | Armut |
| Peach | Şeftali |
| Apricot | Kayısı |
| Plum | Erik |
| Cherry | Kiraz |
| Strawberry | Çilek |
| Raspberry | Frambuaz |
| Blueberry | Yaban mersini |
| Blackberry | Böğürtlen |
| Grape | Üzüm |
| Watermelon | Karpuz |
| Cantaloupe | Kavun |
| Honeydew melon | Kavun |
| Pineapple | Ananas |
| Mango | Mango |
| Papaya | Papaya |
| Kiwi | Kivi |
| Banana | Muz |
| Coconut | Hindistancevizi |
| Avocado | Avokado |
| Olive | Zeytin |
| Olive oil | Zeytinyağı |
| Almond | Badem |
| Walnut | Ceviz |
| Hazelnut | Fındık |
| Pistachio | Antep fıstığı |
| Cashew | Kaju |
| Peanut | Fıstık |
| Sunflower seeds | Ayçiçeği çekirdeği |
| Sesame seeds | Susam çekirdeği |
| Flaxseed | Keten tohumu |
| Poppy seeds | Haşhaş tohumu |
| Chia seeds | Chia tohumu |
| Quinoa | Quinoa |
| Bulgur | Bulgur |
| Couscous | Kuskus |
| Lentil | Mercimek |
| Chickpea | Nohut |
| Bean | Fasulye |
| Kidney bean | Barbunya fasulye |
| Black bean | Siyah fasulye |
| Lima bean | Lima fasulye |
| Soybean | Soya fasulyesi |
| Chicken | Tavuk |
| Beef | Biftek |
| Meat | Et |
| Minced meat | Kıyma |
| Almond milk | Badem sütü |
| Soy milk | Soya sütü |
| Oat milk | Yulaf sütü |
| Rice milk | Pirinç sütü |
| Cashew milk | Kaju sütü |
| Yogurt | Yoğurt |
| Garlic yogurt | Sarımsaklı yogurt |
| Tomato paste | Domates salçası |
| Pepper paste | Biber salçası |
If you want to learn more Turkish vocabulary, why don’t you use Ling? It is a language-learning app that teaches 60+ languages, like the Turkish language and many more, making hard languages easy to learn!
Final Words
In conclusion, this blog post is your go-to guide for diving into cooking terms in Turkish without feeling lost in translation. It lays out all the essential terms, kitchen tools, and ingredients you need to whip up some authentic Turkish flavors right in your own kitchen. Whether you’re craving a juicy köfte or a comforting bowl of lentil soup (mercimek çorbası), this post has got you covered with practical tips and straightforward explanations. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to spice up your culinary repertoire with a taste of Turkey!
Since you have read this blog post, you may also be interested in learning Turkish food vocabulary. So, go ahead and check it out!
