Welcome to our 50 favourite Turkish vegetarian and vegan recipes that currently feature on the blog. And, first things, first; this is a list for everybody.
We’re not vegan. We’re not vegetarian. But we do love our vegetables.
And it’s thanks to Turkish cuisine that we’ve incorporated so much more variety into our diets.
Not just variety in the types of local seasonal food we’re buying, but the different meals we can cook, too.
More 5 A Day = More Variety
We all know that we should at least be trying to incorporate the ‘5 A Day‘ into our diets. And we love to experiment with different ways of doing that.
So, no processed ready meals in this list. It’s just one big happy celebration of the vibrant colours of Turkish vegetarian recipes, many of which are also vegan.
And, as it’s our 50 favourites, this list may change over time. There are so many more dishes out there that vegetarians and vegans – and those of us who just love all types of food – will enjoy.
There are also lots of other Turkish vegetarian and vegan recipes already on the blog that are not in this list. Check out our full collection of Turkish recipes for more.
So, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or you’re looking for ways to incorporate more 5 A Day into your diet, let this list of Turkish vegetarian and vegan recipes give you a helping hand.
50+ Turkish Vegetarian & Vegan Recipes
Turkish cuisine has a vast array of easy vegetarian recipes, many of which can also be enjoyed by vegans.
Here are over 50 of our favourites on the blog; from main meals to soups, salads and dips.
We love this spicy chickpea and aubergine stew. If you're looking for vegetarian and vegan recipes for dinner, this stew, served with rice is a great go-to.
Imam bayıldı is a classic Turkish aubergine recipe.
Again, perfect if you're looking for vegetarian and vegan recipes for dinner.
Vegans can skip on the serving of yoghurt for this dish.
Use kızartma as a side dish or as a main.
An easy recipe that is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans.
And who doesn't love the flavour of fried vegetables.
Another of the vegetarian and vegan recipes that can be used as a meze or as part of a main meal.
Serve with pasta for a more substantial offering.
Filling, wonderfully flavoursome, falafel is increasingly popular all over Turkey.
If you're looking for classic vegetarian or vegan recipes with chickpeas, falafel has surely got to be right up there.
In this recipe, we serve the falafel with a tahini and yoghurt sauce.
A simple drizzle of tahini will make the dish vegan.
If you're looking for Turkish vegetarian recipes and vegan dishes that are both healthy and filling, these baked stuffed peppers are always popular with our friends.
And if peppers are not your thing, kabak dolması - stuffed courgettes - are also easy and tasty vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Favourite Tuırkish vegetarian recipes - menemen can be eaten at any time of day.
It's not just for breakfast.
If you love eggs, check out our list of Turkish egg recipes.
Tasty, easy and healthy vegetarian and vegan recipes - karnabahar is a colourful winter dish.
We're all being encouraged to embrace beans at the moment.
No complaints from us.
Barbunya pilaki is a moreish meze that is perfect for those of you looking for healthy Turkish vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Another tasty option for those of you looking for vegetarian and vegan recipes for dinner.
The sour flavours this stew give it a delicious tang.
If you love sweet and sour dishes, this is perfect.
More embracing of the beans - this time, it's green beans.
Serve taze fasulye as a meze or as an accompaniment.
If you're looking for easy Turkish vegan recipes, this is one of the first Turkish dishes we ever cooked.
And it's still a regular on our menu.
Okra is not the most loved vegetable in the world but this Turkish vegan recipe - okra in olive oil - might convince you otherwise if you fall into the camp of okra avoiders.
If you're looking for a nutrient boost, okra is packed with them.
Give this a go. No slime in this one!
Vegetarian and vegan recipes with lentils? We've got you covered.
As Turkish vegan recipes go, mercimek köftesi is up there as one of the most moreish.
It's so easy to keep helping yourself to just one more!
This is another of the classic Turkish vegetarian recipes - but this time, it's oven baked rather than fried.
Courgettes and eggs pair so well together.
We don't know anyone who dislikes this dish.
Sigara has to be one of the most famous Turkish vegetarian recipes.
Loved by many and a regular on the Turkish meze table.
Serve hot so that they're still crisp and crunchy.
Yes, we know you can see meat on this photo.
But you can also see spinach.
Spinach-filled pide and other vegetarian fillings make perfect weekend meals for those of you looking for Turkish vegetarian recipes.
A perfect Turkish vegetarian recipe if you're looking for handheld food. Ideal for picnics and parties.
Spinach and potatoes are a great combo in these puff pastry rolls.
Turkish vegetarian and vegan recipes don't come much more colourful than çoban salatası - shepherd salad.
Kısır can be enjoyed by both vegetarians and vegans and makes great party food.
Your guests can wrap this tangy bulgur salad in fresh, crisp lettuce leaves before eating.
Green lentil salad - more colour, wholesome and healthy. If that's what you're looking for in Turkish vegan recipes, mercimek salatası is for you.
This is a favourite summer dish for us but it's perfect at any time of year.
Either skip the cheese or use a vegan alternative if you're vegan. Chickpea salad - nohut salatası - is another healthy, tasty and filling salad.
Again, this is a favourite of our Turkish vegetarian recipes for the summer months.
Okay, Antalya piyaz is a traditional accompaniment to grilled köfte.
However, we have experimented in the past and this is a really tasty filling for jacket potatoes, too.
Are you looking for vegetarian and vegan recipes with potatoes?
If you're anything like us, potatoes will be a constant presence in your food stores. An essential.
This potato salad is another dish that falls into the category of Turkish vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Vegetarians can add hard boiled egg to the mix as many people here in Turkey do.
Once more, we celebrate beans - this time it's broad beans.
Use orzo that hasn't been made with eggs to make this a substantial springtime salad that makes for a welcome addition to our bank of Turkish vegan recipes.
What did we say about colour?
Gavurdağı salatası has to be one of the most vibrant Turkish vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Walnuts give us extra texture and goodness whilst pomegranate - both the seeds and the molasses - pack this salad with flavour.
Pack a jacket potato with crunch and colour with this mor lahana salatasi - coleslaw made with red cabbage.
This is one for you if you are looking for Turkish vegetarian recipes.
Summer, fruit, nuts, cheese - a perfect combo.
Try these two melon salads for some refreshing, light summer eating.
Make these into Turkish vegan recipes by using vegan cheese.
We love the sweetness of chayote - or Rodos Kabağı as it's called on the local markets around Fethiye.
Deep fry this squash and make a yoghurt dip for this Turkish vegetarian recipe.
Brussels sprouts are not just for your Christmas food table.
They're a vegetable to be enjoyed throughout the winter months and we buy them as soon as we see them at the local markets.
Both vegetarian and vegan recipes in this article. And if you don't like sprouts but you've never had them roasted, give these recipes a go.
There are so many dishes in Turkish cuisine - vegan or not - that really do a top job of simply celebrating the main ingredient.
This tasty broccoli salad is a perfect example of that - the most simple of Turkish vegan recipes?
Don't ignore this salad, however. It's a regular for us.
This is Turkey.
Turşu - pickled vegetables - is a must on most tables.
Gözleme and turşu are a perfect pairing.
Pickled red cabbage is usually served separately, too.
Ask for your gözleme to be filled with green herbs or spinach and you have yourself a real vegan treat.
Another meze dish that is one of the summery Turkish vegetarian and vegan recipes.
We love this aubergine salad generously spooned onto fresh, toasted bread.
Not one of the quickest of Turkish vegan recipes.
But Antep ezmesi is definitely worth your time and effort if you are entertaining friends.
It's always a crows pleaser.
The end of summer in southwest Turkey sees a glut of tomatoes and peppers.
Lose the processed ketchup and make your own - you won't regret it.
Mmmm, one of the more indulgent Turkish vegetarian and vegan recipes.
We love this dip - sweet, sour and nutty!
Spread onto fresh bread and you'll soon be dipping in for more.
Around the middle East, baba ganoush has differing looks and ingredients.
Made with yoghurt and aubergine - and a little tahini if you like - this version is a popular Turkish vegetarian recipe.
Perhaps the most common addition to our meze table where dips are concerned - Turkish garlic yoghurt with carrots.
Top with walnuts for some extra texture.
A favourite Turkish vegetarian recipe for us.
If you're looking for quick and easy Turkish vegan recipes, this fasulye ezmesi uses tinned beans.
No cooking necessary.
Along with falafel, hummus has to be one of the most popular vegan recipes with chickpeas.
If you're reading this as a meat eater, there's an alternative recipe in this post where you can add some pastırma.
Cacık is a famous and much loved Turkish vegetarian dip.
How could we not include it?
We love it when we're in the final throes of summer and the first hint of autumnal weather makes its present felt.
That's our cue to dig the big pan out and make the first soup of the autumn-winter season - even if it's still a tad too warm.
Hearty, warming, comforting - spicy red lentil soup made with vegetable stock or water is always first on the list.
Your vegetarian and vegan friends will love this one.
For our tomato soup recipe, we use chicken stock, as is common in Turkish soups.
Make a vegetarian or vegan recipe by using vegetable stock or water.
Şehriye (orzo) makes this soup more filling.
There are numerous Turkish vegan recipes with lentils and this green lentil soup is one to really enjoy in the colder winter months.
Leave some of the lentils whole to make a wholesome soup.
And if you want to head even deeper into the comfort food zone, throw in some orzo, too.
A time-consuming process to make the tarhana mix (best left to those in the know as far as we're concerned).
But the finished mix can then be stored in large quantities to give a natural fast food soup mix.
Tarhana is a famous Turkish soup that is suitable for vegetarians. (The mix contains yoghurt).
We buy the mix from local markets.
More soup and more Turkish vegan recipes with potatoes!
We're also using our winter vegetables here, too, with broccoli.
If you've used lots of your broccoli florets and have stalks and stems leftover, chop these up and use them in your soup.
Suitable for both vegetarians and vegans, courgette soup, with it's lemon and mint garnish is a lighter dish that we enjoy year round.
Bulgur pilaf can be a side dish or a main meal. In this recipe, the bulgur is paired with spinach.
Of course, we need to have the famous 'Turkish rice' in this list.
In lokantas around Turkey, this pilaf is an extremely popular accompaniment.
And if you don't have rice in a lökanta, you usually opt for the domatesli bulgur pilavı.
Make this with vegetable stock or water to make it a vegan recipe.
With cheese or without cheese? We're one of each in our house for this traditional Turkish vegan or vegetarian dish - the vegetable güveç.
Vegans can use vegan cheese in this recipe - or leave it out completely.