Kumpir is a popular Turkish street food in the form of a stuffed baked potato. The base of the dish is a large baked potato, which is cut open at the top after baking. Inside the potato, a creamy mashed potato is created by mixing it with butter. The potato is then filled with additional ingredients according to the customer’s choice.
In Turkey, kumpir is especially popular in Istanbul.
Kumpir: Turkish Stuffed Baked Potato
The Origin of Kumpir
The origin of the name “kumpir” likely comes from the Balkans, from the region of the former Yugoslavia. Kumpir arrived in Turkey in the 1980s. In Turkey, kumpir is most closely associated with the Istanbul neighborhood of Ortaköy, where it has become one of the symbols of local gastro-tourism. At first glance, it is a visually appealing dish.
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Typical Ingredients Used in Kumpir Preparation
The base of kumpir is a large potato baked in the oven. The skin must be crispy, and the inside perfectly soft. After baking, the top of the potato is slit open, and the inside is mashed with salt and butter (sometimes also with kaşar cheese). This creates a creamy mixture. Next, the potato is filled with various ingredients of your choice. The most common ones include:
- corn
- peas
- pickles
- black or green olives
- stewed mushrooms
- sausages or hot dogs sliced into rounds
- cabbage or carrots – often in the form of a salad
- tomatoes or tomato salad
- mayonnaise, ketchup, yogurt, or garlic sauce
- fermented cabbage (in Turkish “turşu”)
- seasoned bulgur or couscous
Each customer can combine the ingredients as they like. Kumpir pairs perfectly with ayran.
Similar Dishes in Other Countries
Similar dishes based on stuffed baked potatoes also exist in other countries worldwide:
- United Kingdom: “jacket potato” or “baked potato.” This British dish is traditionally filled with butter, beans in tomato sauce, cheddar cheese, tuna, or chicken.
- USA: “stuffed baked potato.” Typical ingredients include sour cream, cheddar, bacon, and chives.
- Russia and Ukraine: “kartoška v mundire” (картошка в мундире). Baked potato often served with butter, dill, herring, or sour cream.
Even I couldn’t resist, and when I saw kumpir for the first time, I tried it. I love mashed potatoes, as I’ve mentioned here many times before.
Kumpir is truly a very filling dish that keeps you satisfied for a long time. The option to combine your own fillings is promising, but in my opinion, Istanbul offers much more interesting Turkish dishes. When I guided my parents through Istanbul on one of my trips, they also wanted to try kumpir, just like everyone who saw it for the first time. However, they eventually agreed that it wasn’t anything extraordinary.
If you love mashed potatoes and unconventional combinations, kumpir might be an interesting choice for you.
Bon appétit!
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