Yağ somunu is a Turkish bread filled with cheese and other fillings. It is a traditional Turkish dish typical of the regional cuisine of the city of Konya. Yağ somunu is served freshly prepared, most often as breakfast, a snack, or quick street food.
The name “yağ somunu” can be loosely translated into English as “greasy bread” (yağ – fat, somun – roll or loaf of bread).
Historically, yağ somunu was a simple meal of local farmers and shepherds, who used readily available ingredients such as fresh bread, butter, cheese, and herbs. Over time, yağ somunu became a popular street food and a specialty unique to the Konya region.
Typical Ingredients of Yağ Somunu
The foundation of this delicious dish is a fresh Turkish flatbread called “somun”. This type of bread is made from white wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt. Somun is light, fluffy, and has a soft crumb with a crispy crust, achieved by baking it in a traditional stone oven.
An essential ingredient is butter (“tereyağı”) or traditional clarified butter (“sade yağ”). In some cases, sheep fat (“kuyruk yağı”) is also used. The fat is spread inside the warm, freshly cut bread, where it melts and infuses the dish with a rich flavor and aroma.
The typical cheese filling is the local moldy cheese Konya küflü, which has a strong moldy aroma, sharp, salty, and tangy taste, and a crumbly texture. Besides this regional cheese, other types of Turkish cheeses are commonly used.
The cheese filling is referred to as “classic,” but you can pay extra for the addition of Turkish spiced beef sausage sucuk or Turkish cured meat pastırma.
Preparation and Serving of Yağ Somunu
Yağ somunu is prepared by cutting open a freshly baked, slightly undercooked somun, into which melted butter or sheep fat is spread. Then, the selected cheese and optionally other fillings such as sucuk or pastırma are added. The yağ somunu is then returned to the oven for final baking.
Traditionally, yağ somunu is eaten fresh, straight from the oven. It is often accompanied by Turkish tea or the yogurt-based drink ayran.
Yağ somunu is one of the culinary symbols of the Konya region. I haven’t come across it anywhere else (though perhaps I just wasn’t looking hard enough).
The best yağ somunu I tasted was at the renowned establishment Yağ Somunu Pideci Hasan Şendağlı (see Where to Eat in Konya), where one freshly baked piece with a cheese filling cost 150 TRY (3.60 EUR). If you enjoy bold flavors and love dishes with melted cheese, you’ll be delighted by yağ somunu. Just like I was! 😁❤️
Bon appétit!
🇹🇷 Are you a fan of kebab or Turkish "pizza" pide? Want to discover more Turkish foods? Subscribe to my newsletter and I will send you for free everything you need to know about Turkish food and drinks.
