Handmade Turkish Gozleme (Savory Stuffed Flatbreads)
Sara Bell
Gozleme Flatbreads
Thin Turkish flatbreads filled with spinach, feta, and herbs—pan-cooked until crisp.
Nutrition (per serving)
Gozleme (often spelled gosleme) are thin Turkish flatbreads rolled paper-thin, filled with savory ingredients and cooked on a hot griddle. They’re joyful, hands-on food — crisp pockets of dough yielding to a warm, herby filling of spinach, feta and fragrant herbs. If you love simple doughs and big flavor, this is the recipe that will make you smile while you roll.
This version is approachable for home cooks: an easy oil-and-water dough that rests briefly, a classic spinach–feta filling brightened with parsley and lemon, and quick pan-cooking until golden. Serve with plain yogurt or a squeeze of lemon for a cozy lunch, snack, or weekend brunch that tastes like a Turkish market stall.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour:3 cups
- Warm water:1 cup
- Olive oil (for dough):1 tbsp
- Salt (for dough):1 tsp
- Extra flour for dusting:1/4 cup
- Fresh spinach, chopped:8 oz
- Feta cheese, crumbled:6 oz
- Yellow onion, finely chopped:1 pieces
- Fresh parsley, chopped:2 tbsp
- Lemon juice:1 tbsp
- Salt (for filling):1/2 tsp
- Black pepper, ground:1/2 tsp
- Olive oil (for cooking):2 tbsp
- Butter, melted (for brushing):2 tbsp
- Plain yogurt (for serving):1/2 cup
Instructions
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Make the dough: in a large bowl combine flour and 1 tsp salt, stir in 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 cup warm water until a shaggy dough forms; knead on a lightly floured surface for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
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Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes — this relaxes the gluten so you can roll it paper-thin.
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Prepare the filling: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and golden, about 6 minutes; add the chopped spinach and cook until wilted and any excess moisture evaporates, 2–3 minutes.
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Remove the spinach mixture from heat, let cool slightly, then stir in crumbled feta, parsley, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; taste and adjust seasoning.
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Divide the rested dough into 8 equal pieces and, on a lightly floured surface, roll each piece as thin as you can — aim for a large, nearly translucent circle about 8–10 inches across.
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Spoon 2–3 tbsp of filling onto one half of each rolled circle, leaving a small border; fold the dough over to enclose the filling and press the edges to seal. You can shape into semicircles or rectangles.
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Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and brush lightly with olive oil. Cook the filled flatbreads 2–3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until deeply golden and crisp.
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Brush the hot gozleme with melted butter, slice into portions, and serve warm with plain yogurt and an extra lemon wedge.
Tips & Notes
- Roll the dough as thin as possible — that thinness is what gives gozleme its signature crisp, flaky layers.
- Remove excess moisture from the spinach by squeezing it in a clean kitchen towel so the dough doesn't get soggy.
- Cook over medium-high heat so the exterior browns quickly while the filling heats through; adjust heat if the flatbread browns too fast.
