A Turkish breakfast without cheese is hard to imagine. Almost every region has its own speciality. Here are the best-known Turkish cheeses, their German names, how they are eaten and how to store them.
Turkish cheese varieties
| Cheese | German name | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Tulum | Tulum-Käse | Traditionally ripened in a skin bag; crumbly and full-flavoured. → Erzincan Tulum Cheese 500 g |
| Ezine | Ezine-Käse | Classic white breakfast cheese named after Ezine near Çanakkale. → Çanakkale Ezine Cheese 600 g |
| Kuymaklık | Kuymak-Käse | Melts and stretches when heated; for kuymak and künefe. → Trabzon Kuymak Cheese 400 g |
| Çeçil (civil) | Fadenkäse | Braided string cheese from Erzurum. → Erzurum Çeçil Cheese 500 g |
| Beyaz peynir | Weißkäse in Salzlake | White cheese in brine, the most common Turkish cheese. |
| Kaşar | Kaşar-Käse | Yellow sliceable cheese for toasties and pide. |
| Lor | Molkenkäse | Soft whey cheese for börek and desserts. |
How to eat Turkish cheese
- Breakfast: Ezine, beyaz peynir and tulum with tomatoes, cucumber, olives and tea – see our guide to Turkish olives.
- Kuymak: toast cornmeal in butter, add water and kuymak cheese and stir until it stretches – ideally with Trabzon butter.
- Baking: tulum, beyaz peynir and lor as börek or gözleme fillings; kaşar melted on toast and pide.
- With eggs: crumbled white cheese suits menemen.
Storage
Keep cheese in the fridge. Store beyaz peynir in its brine, wrap tulum and kaşar airtight and follow the label once a vacuum pack is opened. Regional cheeses like tulum or çeçil are rare in German supermarkets; ours are in the Regional Specialities collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cheese in Turkish?
Cheese is peynir; white cheese is beyaz peynir, string cheese tel peynir or çeçil.
What is tulum cheese?
A Turkish cheese traditionally ripened in a skin bag (tulum); Erzincan tulum is the best known.
Which cheese is used for kuymak?
A cheese that melts and stretches when heated, classically Trabzon kuymak cheese.
More guides
- Menemen recipe
- What is pekmez?
- Turkish sweets
- Turkish nuts & dried fruit
- Turkish olives
- Turkish tea & tea varieties
- Turşu: Turkish pickles
- Tropical fruits list
- Tahini & nut butters
- Rosemary oil & rosemary water
- How to store garlic
- What is propolis?
- Date varieties
- Turkish salça: pepper & tomato paste
- What is sucuk?
- Turkish foods in German – glossary
