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Turkish cuisine offers countless ways to enjoy grilled meat, yet few dishes command the reverence that İskender Kebab receives. This isn’t your ordinary kebab wrapped in flatbread and eaten on the go.
İskender Kebab arrives at your table as a carefully composed plate, where thin slices of döner meat rest on a bed of pita pieces, all bathed in a vibrant tomato sauce and crowned with cool, creamy yogurt. Melted butter sizzles over the top at the last moment.
The dish hails from Bursa, a city in northwestern Turkey known for its Ottoman heritage and culinary prowess. Here, food isn’t merely sustenance but an art form passed down through generations of skilled cooks who understand balance and harmony.
What makes İskender special is how each component plays its part. The meat provides savoury richness, the yogurt brings cooling tang, the tomato sauce adds brightness, and the butter ties everything together with luxurious depth.
Want to dive deeper into Turkish Cuisine? Don’t miss our post on 44 Traditional Turkish Foods to Try
What Is İskender Kebab?
İskender Kebab consists of thinly shaved döner meat, typically lamb or a lamb and beef blend, arranged over pieces of pita bread that have been cut into bite sized portions. The bread soaks up all the delicious juices and sauces.
A generous coating of tomato sauce gets spooned over the meat, followed by a substantial dollop of thick, creamy yogurt placed alongside or on top. The final flourish involves hot melted butter, often infused with paprika, drizzled over everything.
Some restaurants bring the dish to your table and perform the butter pouring ceremony right before you, creating a bit of theatre that heightens anticipation. The butter should be genuinely hot, creating a gentle sizzle when it meets the other ingredients.
The presentation matters greatly in Turkish dining culture. İskender arrives on an oval metal plate, with each element visible and distinct yet ready to mingle. You’ll often receive grilled peppers and tomatoes on the side as accompaniments.
Unlike döner eaten in a wrap, İskender demands your full attention. You sit down with knife and fork, taking time to enjoy each layered bite where bread, meat, sauce, yogurt and butter combine in different proportions.
Ingredients and Taste
The döner meat forms the foundation, traditionally made from lamb or a combination of lamb and beef that’s been marinated with spices, stacked on a vertical rotisserie, and slow cooked as it turns. The outer layer gets shaved off in paper thin slices.
Pita bread, slightly toasted or fresh, gets cut into small squares or strips. This bread serves a crucial purpose beyond being a base; it absorbs the various liquids and becomes flavourful, preventing any waste.
The tomato sauce brings bright acidity and sweetness, made from ripe tomatoes cooked down with butter, sometimes garlic, and a touch of sugar to balance the acidity. It should be smooth and coat the meat without drowning it entirely.
Turkish yogurt, known for its thickness and tangy flavour, provides cooling contrast. This isn’t thin, watery yogurt but a substantial dairy element that’s often made from full-fat milk and strained to achieve a dense, spoonable consistency.
The melted butter, frequently mixed with a bit of paprika or red pepper flakes, adds a final layer of richness. When poured hot over the dish, it carries aromatic spices and creates little pockets of flavour throughout.
The taste experience offers remarkable complexity despite simple ingredients. Your first bite might give you tender, well spiced meat with the cooling relief of yogurt, whilst the next brings tomato-soaked bread with a hint of buttery spice.
Everything works in balance. The yogurt tempers the richness of the meat and butter. The tomato sauce provides acidity that cuts through fat. The bread adds texture and ensures every element gets enjoyed together rather than separately.
A Taste of History
İskender Kebab takes its name from İskender Efendi, a cook from Bursa who created this dish in the late 19th century, around 1867. His innovation was combining existing elements in a new way that elevated the humble döner.
Döner kebab itself had existed for some time, with meat cooked on a vertical spit being a practical solution for feeding many people. However, İskender transformed it from street food into something worthy of sitting down for.
His restaurant in Bursa became legendary, and his descendants still operate establishments there today, fiercely protecting the family recipe and maintaining standards set over 150 years ago. They’ve even trademarked the name in Turkey.
The dish spread throughout Turkey and eventually worldwide, though Bursa remains its spiritual home. Many Turks consider a pilgrimage to the original restaurant an essential culinary experience, much like visiting a historic landmark.
İskender’s innovation reflected broader changes in Ottoman dining culture during that period. The late 19th century saw increasing sophistication in Turkish restaurants, with dishes becoming more elaborate and presentation gaining importance.
What began as one man’s creative approach to serving döner became a national treasure. The combination proved so successful that it inspired countless variations, yet the original formula remains largely unchanged.
How to Make İskender Kebab
İskender Kebab is a beloved Turkish dish from Bursa that celebrates tender slices of lamb layered over pieces of pita bread, dressed with warm tomato butter sauce and cooling yogurt. It combines savoury, smoky, and tangy flavours in perfect harmony. Patience in marination and proper layering are the keys to its authentic taste. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the Meat:
- 600 g lamb leg or shoulder, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp plain yoghurt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 100 ml hot water
- Pinch of salt
For Serving:
- 4 pieces Turkish pide or plain flatbread, cut into cubes
- 200 g plain yoghurt
- 2 tbsp butter (for drizzling)
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Marinate the Meat
Place the thinly sliced lamb in a large bowl. Add yoghurt, olive oil, tomato paste, crushed garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly so every slice is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, to tenderise the meat and deepen its flavour.
Step 2: Prepare the Tomato Sauce Base
In a small saucepan, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes until aromatic. Slowly pour in hot water while whisking to create a smooth sauce. Season with a pinch of salt and keep warm over low heat.
Step 3: Warm the Bread Base
Preheat your oven to 180°C. Arrange the cubed flatbread or pide on a baking tray and heat for about 5 minutes until lightly crisped. This prevents the bread from becoming soggy once topped with sauce and meat. Set aside while you cook the lamb.
Step 4: Cook the Lamb
Heat a large heavy pan or griddle over high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then cook the marinated lamb slices in batches for 2–3 minutes on each side until browned and slightly crisp at the edges. Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure even searing.
Step 5: Assemble the Bread Layer
Place the warmed bread cubes onto serving plates. Drizzle a spoonful of tomato sauce over them to soften slightly and infuse flavour. The sauce acts as a savoury base for the meat.
Step 6: Add the Meat
Layer the hot lamb slices evenly on top of the sauced bread cubes. Spoon over more of the tomato sauce so that the flavours blend through the layers. Keep everything warm while preparing the final touches.
Step 7: Prepare the Butter Drizzle
In a small pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter until it begins to foam. For an authentic touch, add a pinch of paprika or red pepper flakes to infuse colour and aroma. Remove from heat once lightly golden.
Step 8: Plate the Yogurt
Place a generous spoonful of yoghurt beside each serving of kebab. The cool tang of the yoghurt balances the rich tomato and buttery lamb.
Step 9: Final Drizzle and Garnish
Pour the hot butter over the meat just before serving. Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley for colour and freshness.
Step 10: Serve and Enjoy
Serve immediately while hot. İskender Kebab pairs beautifully with a simple salad or roasted vegetables. Take care to enjoy each bite with a bit of bread, meat, sauce, and yoghurt together for the full flavour experience.
Variations and Substitutions
- Meat substitute: Chicken thighs can replace lamb if preferred, though the flavour will be lighter.
- Bread: Turkish pide is traditional, but naan or pita bread can be used if unavailable.
- Tomato paste: Substitute with puréed fresh tomatoes simmered down for a rustic version.
- Yoghurt: Use strained Greek yoghurt for a thicker, creamier consistency.
Cooking Tips for Perfect İskender Kebab
- Slice the meat thinly while partially frozen for cleaner, even cuts.
- Marinate overnight to allow the flavours to penetrate deeply.
- Always warm the bread and sauce before layering to maintain heat throughout the dish.
- Use lamb fat or butter for authentic richness and aroma.
- Serve immediately once assembled to preserve texture and temperature balance.
How to Store and Reheat
Storing Leftovers Properly
İskender Kebab presents storage challenges because it combines multiple components that don’t all keep equally well. If you have leftovers, separate the elements if possible before refrigerating anything.
Store the meat in an airtight container, separate from the bread which will become soggy if kept with wet ingredients. The yogurt should go in its own container as well, and any remaining tomato sauce can be kept separately.
Everything should be consumed within 24 hours for best quality. The bread particularly suffers from refrigeration, becoming tough and chewy rather than soft and absorbent as intended in the original dish.
Reheating for Best Results
Reheating İskender requires a gentle approach to avoid drying out the meat or making the bread rubbery. Your oven set to about 160°C works better than a microwave for preserving texture.
Place the meat and any bread together in an oven safe dish, cover with foil to prevent drying, and warm for about 10 minutes. Check frequently to ensure nothing overcooks or becomes tough.
Heat the tomato sauce separately in a small pan on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if it’s thickened too much. The yogurt should never be heated; instead, let it come to room temperature whilst other components warm.
Reassembling the Dish
Once everything reaches the right temperature, reassemble the dish as it would be served fresh. Arrange the warmed bread on a plate, top with the heated meat, spoon over the warmed tomato sauce.
Add your room temperature yogurt and finish with freshly melted butter if you have some available. Whilst reheated İskender won’t match a freshly prepared version, this method gets you reasonably close.
Honestly though, this dish truly shines when eaten immediately after preparation. The contrast between hot meat and cool yogurt, the sizzling butter meeting everything else, these elements lose something essential when stored and reheated.
İskender Kebab (Döner Kebab with Yogurt and Tomato Sauce)
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Saucepan
- Oven or grill
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper (optional)
- Small pan (for melting butter)
- Serving platter
Ingredients
For the Meat:
- 600 g lamb leg or shoulder thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp plain yoghurt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 100 ml hot water
- Pinch of salt
For Serving:
- 4 pieces Turkish pide or plain flatbread cut into cubes
- 200 g plain yoghurt
- 2 tbsp butter for drizzling
- Fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Place the thinly sliced lamb in a large bowl. Add yoghurt, olive oil, tomato paste, crushed garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly so every slice is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, to tenderise the meat and deepen its flavour.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes until aromatic. Slowly pour in hot water while whisking to create a smooth sauce. Season with a pinch of salt and keep warm over low heat.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C. Arrange the cubed flatbread or pide on a baking tray and heat for about 5 minutes until lightly crisped. This prevents the bread from becoming soggy once topped with sauce and meat. Set aside while you cook the lamb.
- Heat a large heavy pan or griddle over high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then cook the marinated lamb slices in batches for 2–3 minutes on each side until browned and slightly crisp at the edges. Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure even searing.
- Place the warmed bread cubes onto serving plates. Drizzle a spoonful of tomato sauce over them to soften slightly and infuse flavour. The sauce acts as a savoury base for the meat.
- Layer the hot lamb slices evenly on top of the sauced bread cubes. Spoon over more of the tomato sauce so that the flavours blend through the layers. Keep everything warm while preparing the final touches.
- In a small pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter until it begins to foam. For an authentic touch, add a pinch of paprika or red pepper flakes to infuse colour and aroma. Remove from heat once lightly golden.
- Place a generous spoonful of yoghurt beside each serving of kebab. The cool tang of the yoghurt balances the rich tomato and buttery lamb.
- Pour the hot butter over the meat just before serving. Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley for colour and freshness.
- Serve immediately while hot. İskender Kebab pairs beautifully with a simple salad or roasted vegetables. Take care to enjoy each bite with a bit of bread, meat, sauce, and yoghurt together for the full flavour experience.
