Turkish Sephardic Cuisine
THE SEPHARDIC CUISINE IN TURKEY
Turkish Sephardic Cuisine
A 500-Year-Old Culinary Heritage in Anatolia
In 1492, following the Spanish Inquisition, the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile ordered all Jews and Muslims in Spain to either convert or leave the country. Nearly 200,000 Jews were exiled. Many found refuge in the Ottoman Empire, where Sultan Bayezid II welcomed them, recognizing the knowledge, skills, and craftsmanship they brought.
These Jewish communities settled primarily in Istanbul, the Aegean region, Thrace, and the Balkans. In Hebrew, Spain is called Sefarad, and the Jews who came from there called themselves Sephardim. Their culinary traditions became known as Sephardic cuisine — a rich blend of Iberian heritage and Ottoman flavors.
A Cuisine of Migration and Adaptation
Sephardic cuisine cannot be defined by a single region. As Sephardim migrated — sometimes through France, Italy, and the Balkans before reaching Ottoman lands — they adapted to local ingredients, cooking techniques, and tastes. Yet they preserved their Iberian roots and religious traditions.
Unlike ghettos in other parts of Europe, Jewish communities in the Ottoman Empire lived in their own neighborhoods by choice, not by force. Cultural interaction was natural and constant. Jews, Greeks, Armenians, and Muslim Turks exchanged recipes, techniques, and festive foods. Stories tell of neighbors visiting one another during religious holidays, sharing sweets, savory dishes, and celebrations.
Recipes were passed down from mother to daughter, forming a culinary treasury that survived for centuries.
The Essence of Sephardic Cooking
Two major influences define Sephardic cuisine in Turkey:
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Spanish-Iberian heritage
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Ottoman and broader Mediterranean culinary culture
Sephardic cooking is deeply seasonal, resourceful, and vegetable-focused. Historically, meat was expensive, so vegetables were used creatively and completely — even their peels.
Vegetable Dishes
Some iconic examples include:
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Kashkarikas – A cold dish made from squash peels, dressed with olive oil, lemon, and dill.
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Red Beet Leaf Pie – Chopped beet greens baked with cheese, eggs, and breadcrumbs into a nourishing savory pie.
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Armi de Tomat – A summer tomato and rice stew with onions and parsley; a distinctly Sephardic dish not widely found in mainstream Turkish cuisine.
And of course, the undisputed king of summer vegetables:
The Aubergine (Eggplant)
Both Sephardic and Turkish cuisines celebrate aubergine in countless forms — fried, stuffed, baked, or turned into pies.
Spanish empanadas evolved into borekas or borekitas, borrowing the Turkish word börek. A tapada is a tray-baked pie filled with vegetables — especially aubergine — showcasing Iberian roots with Ottoman influence.
Meat and Koftes
When meat appears, it is often minced and transformed into flavorful meatballs.
The most beloved example is:
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Koftes de Prasa – Leek meatballs, one of the signature dishes of Turkish Sephardic cuisine.
Beef and lamb are grilled, baked, or stewed with vegetables and spices. Nothing is wasted — the cooking juices are reused to flavor rice, pasta, or vegetables.
The Love of Sour Flavors
One of the most distinctive characteristics of Sephardic cooking is its use of sour sauces — especially lemon.
Vegetables such as okra, artichokes, spinach, and cabbage are often cooked with generous amounts of lemon, more so than in mainstream Turkish cuisine.
A particularly iconic dish is:
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Gaya kon Avramila – Fish in sour plum sauce, a hallmark of contemporary Sephardic cooking.
Hidden Jewish Influences in Turkish Cuisine
Even some well-known Turkish ingredients may carry Sephardic connections.
The popular cheese kaşar, enjoyed throughout Turkey today, is believed by some scholars to have linguistic ties to the Ladino word kaşer (kosher), brought by Jews from Spain.
Sweet Traditions
Sephardic cuisine is also rich in sweets and preserves.
Spain’s famous quince paste (membrillo) lives on as:
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Bimbriyo (quince paste)
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Helva de Bimbriyo
These desserts reflect centuries-old Iberian traditions preserved in Ottoman lands.
A Living Heritage at Risk
Over generations, Sephardic culinary traditions evolved, adapted, and blended with surrounding cultures. Yet modern lifestyles and migration have led to their gradual disappearance.
Today, preserving and sharing these recipes is more important than ever. They are not only dishes — they are stories of exile, resilience, cultural exchange, and coexistence.
