Vegan & Vegetarian Turkish and Cypriot Food: A Plant-Based Guide

Quick answer:Many Turkish and Cypriot dishes are vegan by tradition. They includezeytinyağlıvegetables cooked in olive oil (green beans, stuffed vine leaves, artichokes),imam bayıldı,çiğ köfte(the commercial version is meat-free),mercimek köftesi,hummus, Cypriotfava,piyazand most lentil soups. Vegetarians can add dishes with yogurt, cheese and eggs, such as menemen, çılbır, börek and gözleme.

Key takeaways

• Thezeytinyağlıfamily, vegetables slow-cooked in olive oil and served at room temperature, is the heart of plant-based Turkish cooking.
• Commercially soldçiğ köftein Turkey has been meat-free since the Health Ministry banned public sale of the raw-meat version in 2008.
• Look out forbutter, meat stock and yogurt, which sometimes find their way into dishes that seem vegan.
• Cyprus adds its own plant-based dishes: fava, wild greens, kolokas and bulgur pastries.

Why these cuisines are so plant-friendly

Both cuisines grew from seasonal village cooking. Meat was expensive and saved for celebrations, and religious fasting traditions in the region encouraged dishes made from olive oil, vegetables, pulses and grains. The result is a large body of recipes that happen to be vegan without being designed as "vegan food". The eating pattern is also close to the traditional Mediterranean diet, which UNESCO lists as intangible cultural heritage, with Cyprus among the recognised communities (UNESCO).

Naturally vegan Turkish and Cypriot dishes

The zeytinyağlı family

Zeytinyağlımeans "with olive oil". These dishes are slow-cooked in plenty of good olive oil with onion, a little sugar and lemon, then cooled and served at room temperature. The flavour develops as they rest, which makes them good for meal prep. Start with ourgreen beans in olive oilandcabbage rolls. When you're ready, try ourstuffed vine leaves guideandartichokes in olive oil.

Vegan mains and street food

İmam bayıldı

The name means "the imam fainted", supposedly at how delicious (or how oily) it was. Whole aubergines are stuffed with slowly softened onions, tomatoes and garlic and baked until meltingly soft. See ourimam bayıldı recipe.

Çiğ köfte

Traditionally çiğ köfte was made with raw minced meat. In 2008 Turkey's Health Ministry banned public sale of the raw-meat version for food safety reasons, and street and shop çiğ köfte became a spicy vegan mix of fine bulgur, pepper paste, isot pepper, herbs and pomegranate molasses (background). Wrap it in lettuce with lemon. Make ourmeat-free çiğ köfte.

Mercimek köftesi

Red lentils and fine bulgur are kneaded with spring onions, parsley and spices and shaped by hand. They're a favourite at picnics and gatherings. Try ourlentil köfte.

Vegan meze and salads

• Hummus, and its Cypriot hot baked cousin in ourhot hummus guide(skip the butter topping for a vegan version)
• Cypriot fava with red onion
• Antalya-style tahini piyaz
• Babagannuş (smoky aubergine salad)
• Gavurdağı salad with walnuts
• Acılı ezme (spicy tomato relish)

For the complete salad list, see ourTurkish salads guide.

For vegetarians: eggs, yogurt and cheese

If you eat dairy and eggs, the choice gets much wider:menemen,Turkish eggs (çılbır), every kind ofbörek,courgette fritters (mücver), halloumi dishes and yogurt soups. Check the rennet if that matters to you.

How to order vegan in Turkey and North Cyprus

• "Vegan"is widely understood in cities. In villages, describe what you don't eat.
• Etsiz: without meat.Et suyu yok mu?: Is there no meat stock?
• Tereyağı olmadan: without butter.Yoğurtsuz: without yogurt.
• Zeytinyağlıon a menu usually means a cold olive-oil dish, and it's often your safest choice.

In Cyprus and on Turkey's coasts, the easiest vegan meal is often a meze order. Ask for the cold plates (soğuk mezeler) and choose the olive-oil dishes, bean purées, salads and pickles, then add grilled vegetables or mushrooms as a main. Market stalls are good for fresh fruit, nuts, olives and simit.

Chef's tip:Zeytinyağlı dishes need generous olive oil and a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and lemon. Let them cool in the pot. Moving them while they're hot breaks the vegetables, and they taste better after a night in the fridge.

A 3-day vegan Turkish and Cypriot meal plan

For dessert,pumpkin with tahini and walnutsis naturally vegan, and so are most fruit compotes. Cook two or three zeytinyağlı dishes on a Sunday and they'll last most of the week in the fridge.

Frequently asked questions

Is Turkish food vegan-friendly?

Yes. Turkish cuisine has a large tradition of vegetable, pulse and grain dishes cooked in olive oil. Many meze, salads, soups and zeytinyağlı dishes are naturally vegan.

Is çiğ köfte vegan?

Commercially sold çiğ köfte in Turkey is vegan, made from bulgur, spices and pepper paste, because selling the raw-meat version was banned in 2008. Homemade versions may still contain meat.

Is hummus Turkish or Cypriot?

Hummus is eaten across the Eastern Mediterranean, including Turkey's south and Cyprus. Cyprus also has a hot baked version served in tavernas.

What can vegans eat in North Cyprus?

Meze such as hummus, fava, tahini, salads, stuffed vine leaves, olives and grilled vegetables, plus seasonal wild greens and fruit. Ask about butter and stock in cooked dishes.

Are stuffed vine leaves vegan?

Zeytinyağlı yaprak sarma, stuffed with rice, onion, herbs and spices and cooked in olive oil, is vegan. Versions filled with minced meat (etli sarma) are usually served hot, often with yogurt, so ask which one you're getting.

Is Turkish bread vegan?

Most everyday Turkish breads such as loaves, pide and lavaş are made from flour, water, yeast and salt, so they're vegan. Some pastries and breakfast breads contain milk, yogurt, butter or egg, including poğaça, some simit glazes and bazlama made with yogurt.

Sources

• Çiğ köfte: 2008 Health Ministry ban on raw-meat sales
• UNESCO: Mediterranean diet (intangible cultural heritage)

Written by the House Chef Cyprus editorial team, Cyprus. Last reviewed: September 2026.