Turkish Mixed Vegetable Stew

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A beloved Turkish home-style stew, this turlu simmers a colorful medley of eggplant, zucchini, green beans, and tomato until silky and deeply seasoned. Every region keeps its own version, but the classic approach relies on olive oil, onion, and a slow braise to draw out the vegetables' natural sweetness.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 245 kcalCalories
• 15 gFat
• 2 gSaturated Fat
• 26 gCarbs
• 8 gFiber
• 12 gSugar
• 5 gProtein
• 890 mgSodium
• 720 mgPotassium
• 75 mgCalcium
• 1.5 mgIron
• 32 mgVitamin C
• 380 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the stew

• 2 small Italian eggplants (about 1 lb), cut into 1-inch chunks and salted 15 minutes
• 3 medium zucchini (about 1 lb), cut into 1-inch chunks
• 8 oz fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
• 3 ripe Roma tomatoes, grated (skins discarded)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1.5 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 0.25 tsp Aleppo pepper

For serving and finishing

• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1.5 cups warm water
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, torn
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Rinse the salted eggplant chunks under cold water and pat very dry with a clean kitchen towel; this removes bitterness and excess moisture for a creamier braise.
2. Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent, then stir in the garlic and bell pepper for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 90 seconds until darkened and fragrant, then mix in the grated tomatoes, salt, sugar, black pepper, and Aleppo pepper. Simmer 3-4 minutes to concentrate the base.
4. Add the eggplant, zucchini, green beans, and warm water; stir gently to coat everything in the sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 25-30 minutes until the vegetables are fork-tender and the juices are thickened to a glossy stew.
5. Uncover and cook 5 more minutes to tighten the sauce. Taste and adjust salt, then scatter the parsley and mint across the top. Drizzle generously with olive oil and serve warm with crusty bread and lemon wedges.

Cook’s Notes

• Salting the eggplant for 15 minutes draws out bitterness and helps the chunks hold their shape during the long simmer.
• For a heartier version, add 8 oz of cubed lamb shoulder in step 2 and brown with the onions before adding vegetables.
• Turlu tastes even better the next day once the olive oil and aromatics have had time to meld, so make it a day ahead if you can.
• If your tomatoes are not very ripe, add an extra teaspoon of tomato paste and a pinch more sugar to balance the acidity.
• Serve with warm pide or crusty sourdough to soak up every bit of the silky tomato-eggplant sauce.

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