Kumpir-Turkish Stuffed Potatoes

Whether you’ve gotten a chance to visit turkey (yet) or not, you’ll love these delicious Turkish inspired stuffed baked potatoes

It seems to be a very versatile dish-one where you add whatever toppings you’d like-but l usually has cheese, butter, protein, veggies, and pickles.

The process is relatively easy and surprisingly filling! One of my sons filled the potato with the toppings he likes and folded it and ate it like a sandwich while the other took out all the potato filling, mixed it around with the toppings, and ate it like platter. It’s definitely fun to play around with-and so delicious!

Many recipes use a Russian salad called Salad Oliver. To make that, simply boil peeled chopped potatoes, carrots, and green peas until tender. Then mix with chopped cucumber, mayonnaise, dill, salt, black pepper, and sugar.

I always try to have protein in my dinners so I included Turkish inspired chicken in this too! To make that I cut up 4 large chicken breasts very small. Then marinated it in pomegranate molasses, yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, Aleppo chili flakes (alternatively use sumac or relight red chili flakes), cilantro, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper). Then fry it in batches on high heat and set aside till you’re ready to assemble your Kumpir!

Ingredients

  • Large baking potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon of butter for each potato
  • A sprinkle of cheddar cheese for each potato
  • Oliver salad (see notes) *
  • Protein of choice (I used chicken-see notes) *
  • Optional toppings that I used: chopped turnip pickles, corn, cucumber, and dill pickle.

Directions

1. Wash and dry your potatoes and then bake in an air fryer or oven at 375° for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through-depending on how big your potatoes are. Insert a small knife through the middle-if it goes in easily it’s ready!

2. While potatoes are still hot cut in half and place in a chunk of butter and cheese and mix together with the potato while still leaving inside the skin

3. Top with all your toppings and serve immediately. Enjoy!


Notes:

* Make a simple version of Salad Oliver by boiling peeled chopped potatoes, carrots, and green peas until tender. Then mix with chopped cucumber, mayonnaise, dill, salt, black pepper, and sugar.

* For the chicken I cut chicken breasts into very small pieces. Then marinated it in pomegranate molasses, yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, Aleppo chili flakes (alternatively use sumac or relight red chili flakes), cilantro, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper). Then fry it in batches on high heat and set aside until ready to use.

* Feel free to use any protein of choice. Tuna or shredded chicken are great options when you’re in a pinch.

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