In this recipe
- Why this recipe is great
- Istanbul’s Favorite Street Food Goes Viral on TikTok
- Turkish Kumpir Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions & Our Favourite Toppings
- More Easy and Quick Ideas for Kumpir Toppings
- Beyond the Basic Kumpir Recipe: More Tasty Potato Dishes
- How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Baked Potatoes
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Why this recipe is great
Discover the delicious kumpir – the Turkish version of jacket potatoes. But let’s take it a step further.
You don’t just bake whole potatoes until they’re crispy on the outside and soft inside. You get to load them with a variety of delicious toppings. It’s perfect as a main dish when you pair it with a quick salad. Or as a side dish. Especially alongside grilled cheese or other dishes at a barbecue.
Istanbul’s Favorite Street Food Goes Viral on TikTok
In Turkey, kumpir is one of the most beloved dishes. In Istanbul, there are numerous spots where you can buy these potatoes. There’s even an entire street known as ‘kumpir street.’ In turkish it’s called Ortaköy Kumpir Sokak. Locals claim you can find the tastiest versions of kumpir there. Kumpir recipes have also gained popularity through TikTok videos. There are so many of them! If you try a recipe from TikTok – make it kumpir!
So, what are kumpir potatoes?
It’s a baked potato in its skin until it’s crispy. They bake it in special ovens until it has a crispy crust. Once sliced open, they mix the hot potato flesh with a tablespoon of butter, cheese, and other toppings until it turns into a creamy mash.
That’s the first step.
Then comes the fun part. You get to choose from a variety of toppings and sauces to suit your taste. You can enjoy a different meal each time by switching up the toppings every day.
Turkish Kumpir Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions & Our Favourite Toppings
We’ve cracked the code to make the most mouthwatering Turkish kumpir you’ve ever tasted. Get ready to be amazed! Kumpir is a popular Turkish street food. It’s like tea and baklava. Walking through the streets of Istanbul, you’ll find it on every corner.
Today, you’ll learn how to make it at home. We’ll show you how to get that perfect fluffy interior and crispy skin. Ready to discover Turkish cuisine? Let’s dive in and make this popular street food together!
What You Need:
For the Base:
- Large potatoes (preferably long-shaped)
- Grated mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese (choose a cheese variety that melts well)
- Butter
- Sour cream for the sauce
- Your favorite toppings
- Olive oil
The best thing about Kumpir is that you can use a wide variety of toppings. We enjoy preparing the base—a baked potato with cheese and butter. Then, we switch up the toppings throughout the week. It’s a perfect way to meal-prep without getting bored. Check out the various fillings below. They’re hassle-free, quick, and extra delicious—our favorites!
Step 1: Bake the Potatoes
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (about 390°F).
- Wash and dry the unpeeled potatoes thoroughly.
You have two options for baking:
- With Foil: Wrap the potatoes in two layers of aluminum foil, shiny side in.
- Without Foil: Poke the potatoes with skewers (or a fork or toothpick) and brush them with olive oil.
- Place the potatoes on a rack on the lower level of the oven and bake at 200°C (about 390°F) for 60-90 minutes until soft inside. Baking time depends on the size of the potatoes and the potato variety.
Step 2: Make the Sour Cream Sauce
- Mix sour cream with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add 2 spoons of cold boiled water if the sauce is too thick.
Step 3: Prepare the Potatoes
We baked potatoes with and without foil. Do you want to know what tastes better? We prefer baking without foil because the skin gets nice and crispy! That’s not the case when you bake potatoes in foil. Now, let’s create a creamy base.
- If you bake potatoes without foil, place them in a small dish or make one from aluminum foil. This way, you won’t burn your fingers. Wrap the potato in foil to help handle the hot potato fresh from the oven.
- While still hot, cut the top off each potato. Gently mash the insides with a fork. Be careful not to break the skin. Add butter, salt and pepper. Mix well. Then add grated mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese and mix again.
Now you have the base for Kumpir. Creamy baked potatoes with butter and cheese inside the crispy potato skin.
Step 4: Add Your Favorite Toppings
Here are some of our favorite hassle-free toppings:
- Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped black olives, and feta cheese
- Red cabbage salad, corn, and vegan salami
- Dill pickles, corn, and grated cheese
Add toppings to the potato base. Sprinkle with sour cream sauce. Optionally, add mayonnaise, ketchup, or BBQ sauce.
Enjoy making your own kumpir with these delicious fillings! It’s one of the most delicious Turkish recipes ever. The best part is that you can choose your favorite ingredients for toppings. Which one did you pick?
More Easy and Quick Ideas for Kumpir Toppings
So you’ve prepared the popular Turkish dish kumpir and are now looking for delicious fillings? We’ve got you covered! Here’s a list of even more toppings that are easy and quick:
- Yogurt with dill and pickles
- Black or green olives
- Corn kernels
- Red cabbage salad
- Green onions
- Mushrooms
- Marinated beets
- Russian salad
- Sliced sausages
- Bulgur salad
- Pickled jalapeños
- Salsa
- Diced tomatoes
- Spicy sauce, yogurt or sour cream sauce, or simple ketchup or mayonnaise
That makes kumpir so appealing—you can enjoy a different topping daily.
Beyond the Basic Kumpir Recipe: More Tasty Potato Dishes
So, if you’re searching for a kumpir recipe, you must love potatoes, right? Well, we’ve got plenty of delicious recipes for you.
Try our crispy potato salad. We’ve added a few tips to make the potatoes extra crispy. And the dressing is wonderfully creamy and delicious.
Or how about potato noodles? They’re thick and chewy, and you only need a few ingredients. We’ve added broccoli, but you can use any veggies you like. Don’t forget to add your favorite sauce!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Baked Potatoes
So, you’ve prepared a big batch of baked potatoes and want to know how to store them. It’s actually pretty easy! The best part? If you do it correctly, you’ll still get that creamy base and crispy skin when you reheat them.
Storing in the Fridge:
If you want to store baked potatoes in the fridge, check out our step-by-step guide. We’ve also included the best way to reheat baked potatoes after storing them in the fridge.
Storing in the Freezer:
Put your baked potatoes in the freezer for longer storage. Refer to our guide for storing baked potatoes in the freezer and learn the best way to reheat them.
Kumpir Recipe: Baked Potato with Easy Toppings
Ingredients
- 3 potatoes each weighing 300 g
- 60 g butter
- 60 g mozzarella cheese
- olive oil for greasing
- salt and pepper
For the sour cream sauce:
- 90 g sour cream 25% fat
- 10 g cold boiled water
- salt
- pepper
For the fillings: Potato 1:
- 10 g sun-dried tomatoes
- 15 g olives
- 20 g feta cheese
Potato 2:
- 15 g pickled red cabbage
- 10 g corn
- 20 g vegan salami
Potato 3:
- 15 g grated cheese
- 10 g corn
- 20 g pickled cucumber
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Wash and dry three 300-g unpeeled potatoes thoroughly. Choose large, long-shaped potatoes.
- Poke the potatoes with skewers (or a fork/toothpick) and brush them with olive oil.*
- Place the potatoes on a rack on the lower level of the oven. Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 60-90 minutes until tender. Baking time varies based on potato size and type.
- Make the sour cream sauce. Mix 90 g sour cream (25% fat) in a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, add 10 g cold boiled water and mix well.
- Remove potatoes from the oven. Place them in a small dish or craft one from aluminum foil to handle the heat. While hot, cut the top off each potato. Gently mash the insides with a fork, careful not to break the skins.
- Mix in 20 g butter in each potato until creamy. Add salt and pepper. Then add 20 g grated cheese and mix well.
- Add Your Favorite Toppings.*Potato 1: Sprinkle 10 g sun-dried tomatoes, 15 g olives, and 20 g feta cheese over each potato. Drizzle with around 30 g of sour cream sauce. Optionally, add mayonnaise, ketchup, or BBQ sauce for extra flavor.Potato 2: Add 15 g pickled red cabbage, 10 g corn, and 20 g vegan salami. Drizzle with around 30 g of sour cream sauce. Sprinkle with mayonnaise, ketchup, or BBQ sauce.Potato 3: Add 15 g grated cheese, 10 g corn and 20 g pickled cucumber. Drizzle with around 30 g of sour cream sauce. Add mayonnaise, ketchup, or BBQ sauce.
Video
Notes
- You don’t need to wrap potatoes in foil before baking them. We tested baking potatoes with and without foil. Without foil, they taste better and get extra crispy skin.
- Choose toppings based on your taste or diet.
Nutrition
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Delicious!