Some meals naturally find their place on a weekend table, when everyone is around and the oven can stay on a little longer. Meatballs baked with potatoes, green peppers, and tomato sauce is one of those meals for me. Familiar flavors, one baking dish, and leftovers that quietly take care of the next day. Ingredients For the meatballs 500 g ground beef 1 small onion, finely grated, juices included 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon salt Black pepper 1 teaspoon paprika or chi

For Hünkar Beğendi, the name already sets expectations. It means “the sultan liked it,” and refers to a much-loved Turkish comfort food that pairs a rich meat stew with a silky, smoky eggplant purée. The dish comes from the Ottoman palace kitchens, where eggplant was used with confidence and care, and where simple ingredients were turned into something elegant and deeply satisfying. Even today, it remains one of the most recognizable examples of classic Ottoman cuisine. In my

Slow Sunday cooking has its own kind of comfort. It is the kind of day when the kitchen finally feels calm, the Dutch oven stays on the stove without hurry, and everything has time to come together slowly. The beef softens until it almost falls apart, the mushrooms bring a deep earthiness, and the creamy mustard sauce wraps around everything with a cozy richness. It is simple to prepare, but the result tastes like a meal you linger over on a cool fall evening. Ingredients 850

Whenever I sit down at a nice kebab restaurant in Istanbul, Ali Nazik is the dish I always order. The smoky roasted eggplant blended with garlicky yogurt makes the creamiest base, and the tender meat on top with a drizzle of butter turns it into something truly special. It is rich yet light, and to me it captures the heart of Turkish food: simple ingredients layered into deep, comforting flavors. Ingredients For the garlic yogurt eggplant base: 2 medium eggplants 300 g strain

Moving out of my Turkish Mediterranean comfort zone into something completely new: Pan-Seared Duck. This is the kind of dish I used to save for special dinners at restaurants, thinking it was far too complicated to attempt at home. But the truth? Cooking duck breast is surprisingly simple and so rewarding. You don’t need any olive oil or butter; duck renders its own fat as it cooks, leaving the skin beautifully crispy and the meat tender and juicy. The leftover fat in the pan

Homemade cheeseburgers don’t need to be complicated to be amazing. With juicy beef patties, melted cheddar, and a few simple tricks, this recipe brings all the comfort of a classic burger to your kitchen. Whether you stack them high or keep them classic, these burgers are guaranteed to satisfy. Ingredients 500g ground beef (20% fat if possible) 1 small onion, finely grated with its juices 2 teaspoons soy sauce ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or natural vinegar – just a splash

This dish may look like something you’d only make for guests, but it’s one of the easiest and most satisfying dinners I’ve made lately. It’s basically a rolled meatloaf — soft, savory ground beef wrapped around a creamy mashed potato center, then baked until golden and crisp on the outside. Serve it warm, sliced straight from the oven, or enjoy the leftovers the next day. They reheat beautifully! Ingredients For the meatloaf: 500g ground beef 1 small onion, grated A little l

Kuru fasulye is what I make when I want dinner to taste like home. Tender beef, soft white beans and a tomato sauce that slowly deepens...

When velvety beğendi meets sizzling köfte, you’re tasting a signature of Turkish cuisine. Beğendi—smoky roasted eggplant whisked into a...

Cooking a perfect steak at home doesn’t have to be intimidating or complicated. With just a simple pan and a few key ingredients, you can...

Being a working mom means planning ahead wherever I can—and these freezer-friendly meatballs are one of my favourite ways to stay...

If there’s one dinner that’s guaranteed to make everyone at the table happy, it’s a bowl of creamy orzo loaded with juicy meatballs and...

Kadınbudu Köfte is one of those classic Turkish dishes that quietly holds its place in everyday home cooking. It’s not flashy, but it’s deeply familiar. Made with a mix of cooked and raw ground beef, plus a small amount of rice, these patties are soft on the inside, crisp on the outside, and incredibly satisfying. This is the kind of recipe that’s often prepared ahead of time, shaped calmly at the kitchen counter, and fried just before serving. It works equally well for a si

There are evenings when I want the comfort of a proper stew but don’t have hours to let it simmer on the stove. This is the recipe I reach for on those days. The pressure cooker does the slow work for you, turning beef tender in a short time, while mushrooms and carrots soften into a rich, savory sauce. It fills the kitchen with a familiar smell and feels grounding by the time you sit down. A small spoon of butter stirred in at the end gives the stew a gentle richness that ma

Karnıyarık is one of those classic Turkish home-cooking dishes that always feels like a proper meal. Soft eggplants, a simple minced meat filling, and a light tomato sauce that keeps everything juicy in the oven. It’s familiar, comforting, and very doable at home, even if you don’t make Turkish food often. The eggplants are peeled in stripes, softened, then filled generously. The filling is straightforward: onion, garlic, ground meat, and tomato. Nothing complicated, just the

Ciğer tava is one of those dishes that doesn’t need much explaining if you grew up with Turkish food. Thinly sliced liver, lightly floured, fried quickly, and served hot. Crisp on the outside, tender inside. Nothing complicated, nothing hidden. This is the kind of food you eat standing up at a small table, with onion salad on the side and maybe a piece of bread to soak up what’s left on the plate. It’s bold, direct, and best eaten right away. Ingredients 500 g of fresh beef o

Cottage pie is one of those dependable dinners that feels like it takes more effort than it actually does. A warm, savory meat filling, a thick layer of mashed potatoes, and a little cheese on top, baked until golden. That’s the whole idea. This version stays mild and family-friendly, the kind of meal that works on a regular weekday, and also holds up when you want something comforting on the table. It’s also a great prep-ahead dish. You can make the filling and mash earlier