3 Turkish-Inspired Trader Joe’s Picks That Deliver on the Flavors of Istanbul

One of the best parts of growing up in Istanbul was being introduced to a rich blend of flavors from diverse cuisines. From traditional Turkish classics and Greek appetizers to Mediterranean meze and a variety of Middle Eastern dishes, I was lucky enough to have a childhood filled with them all. 

Now living in New York, I’m fortunate to have access to an impeccable range of global cuisines, but the Turkish side of me is always on the lookout for accessible ingredients to either recreate familiar Turkish flavors or satisfy nostalgic cravings from home.

When I say I’m craving Turkish food, I also refer to other beloved dishes and ingredients commonly found in Istanbul — some distinctly Turkish, some with origins elsewhere, and some shared across regions — that I often miss and seek out here. There’s one place that always seems to deliver when I need it most: Trader Joe’s. And with my mom visiting from Istanbul this week, we made a trip to TJ’s to see what we could find that might resemble some of our favorite bites from Turkey.

Here are our three favorite finds.

Dolmas 

Dolmas are grape leaves stuffed with a rice mixture, and occasionally, depending on where you’re enjoying them or who is making them, the filling may also include dried raisins or currants. When enjoyed cold, the dish tends to be vegetarian; however, when prepared to serve warm, the filling can be a mixture of rice and meat.

They are not the easiest to make, so for dinner parties or family gatherings, we’d often get dolmas from our favorite charcuterie store, Bebek Santral, in Istanbul. Luckily, the Trader Joe’s option is a pretty good match.

The grocery store’s version is prepared with cooked rice, vine leaves, soybean oil, chopped onions, dill, salt, mint, and black pepper — and it’s one of my Turkish mom’s favorite pre-made dolmas to get in New York. 

As stated on the grocery chain’s site, the canned Dolmas from Trader Joe’s “are crafted according to an age-old, Mediterranean recipe, using tender vine leaves,” and each can comes with 10 dolmas. They have the perfect balance of tanginess with a hint of spice, just like you’d find in Turkey. (Pro tip: If you’ve never had dolmas before, I recommend refrigerating these to enjoy cold and topping them with extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.)

Organic Turkish Dried Figs

My mom likes to think of herself as a fig connoisseur and enjoys these naturally sweet fruits fresh or dried. A bit drier and thick on the outside and jammy on the inside, figs are especially common in Turkey and are widely produced there, dating all the way back to the Ottoman Empire. Growing up, she’d always find ways to get me to eat them as they’re also known to have nutritional benefits, including regulating blood sugar levels and improving digestive health.

After coming across Organic Turkish Dried Figs in the dried fruit section at Trader Joe’s, my mom turned to me and said, “Did you know there’s a two-ingredient Turkish pudding you can make, using only dried figs and warm milk?”

She was referring to a Turkish fig pudding called Incir Uyutmasi, which loosely translates to “sleeping figs.” The name for this traditional dessert makes sense as the recipe calls for the figs to first sit (sleep) in warm water and then milk, so they can soften and create a jam-like texture, fermenting the milk. And once the warm fig-milk mixture is blended, your fig pudding is ready to chill in the refrigerator. One creator on TikTok even recreated this Turkish dessert using oat milk and also added cinnamon and cardamom for an extra kick.

Spanakopita

Börek is a savory pastry staple in Turkey, made with filo dough and typically prepared with a variety of fillings — sometimes including cheese and potatoes, meat, or a combination of both. It’s often shaped into triangles, rolls, spirals, or cut into squares. Though my favorite kind has always been ispanaklı börek (spinach börek), a dish made with a cheese and spinach filling. 

This savory pastry has many variations across different cultures and cuisines (for example, it’s called burek in the Balkans). So when I’m craving this dish but can’t get to my favorite bakery in Istanbul, I occasionally turn to the slightly different but similarly delicious Greek pastry, Spanakopita. And Trader Joe’s ready-to-bake Greek Spanakopita is a great frozen alternative. 

Shaped like a layered pie and cut into wedges, TJ’s Greek-style “spinach and cheese pie” features crisp filo pastry filled with spinach, onion, dill, parsley, and a blend of feta cheese, Myzithra, and hard cheese. 

Just bake your frozen pie for about 30 minutes until it’s crispy and puffed up. Once ready, my favorite way to enjoy any spinach-filled savory pastry — whether it’s Turkish börek or Spanakopita — is with a dollop of yogurt and a side of fresh tomatoes drizzled with olive oil. And it tastes just like home.