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Turkish

Turkish tea

Vegetarian

Türk çayı

Strong black tea brewed in a two-tier pot and diluted to taste with hot water, served in small tulip-shaped glasses throughout the day.

Turkish tea is a Turkish hot drink from Türkiye, ready in about 22 minutes and made with black tea leaves. It serves 12 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Glass of traditional Turkish tea on a branch outdoors with nature background.
Photo: mehmet teke / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
2 min
Cook
20 min
Total
22 min
Serves
12
Level
Beginner
Calories
0

Ingredients

12 tulip glasses (about 100 ml)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Bring water to the boil in the bottom kettle (opens in a new tab) of a çaydanlık (or any kettle). Put the loose tea in the small top pot and set it on top so the leaves warm in the steam.

  2. Step 2

    Pour enough boiling water over the leaves to fill the top pot. Return it to the kettle (opens in a new tab), turn the heat to low and let the tea steep over the steam.

    • 15 min
    • low heat

  3. Step 3

    Pour a little concentrate into each glass — less for light (açık), more for strong (demli) — and top up with hot water from the kettle (opens in a new tab). Offer sugar (opens in a new tab) cubes on the side.

    • 2 min

About this dish

Origin
Türkiye · Well documentedMost Turkish tea is grown around Rize on the eastern Black Sea coast.Also popular in AzerbaijanMore food from Türkiye
Dish
Breakfast · Snack · Hot drinks
Cooking method
Boiled
Taste
bitter, aromatic / warmly spiced, mild
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · Low-sodium
Without the optional extras: Whole-food focused, Paleo-style, No added sugarWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Black tea leaves
Techniques
Boiling

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

0 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 100 g · recipe makes 12

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 0%
  • Carbohydrate 0%
  • Fat 0%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy0 kcal0 kcal
Protein0 g0 g
Carbohydrate0 g0 g
Net carbohydrate0 g0 g
Sugars0 g0 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0 g0 g
Fat0 g0 g
Saturated fat0 g0 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium2 mg2 mg
Salt equivalent0 g0 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
0 mg
Calcium
10 mg
Iron
0 mg
Magnesium
2 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
0 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
0 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: sugar.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): black tea leaves.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Keep topping up the kettle so there is always hot water for the next round of glasses.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling the leaves directly makes the tea harsh and bitter — they should only steep over steam.

Serve with

  • With simit, white cheese and olives for breakfast, or alongside baklava.

Storage

  • Drink within about an hour of brewing; after that the concentrate stews and turns bitter. Store loose tea airtight, away from light.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & Blend

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

The body of the dish

Gravy, sauce & base

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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