Aromatic Herbs in Turkish

Aromatic herbs in Turkish: the key word you need

The most common way to say “aromatic herbs” in Turkish is:

Otlar (herbs)
Aromatik otlar (aromatic herbs)

You may also see:

• Taze otlar = fresh herbs

• Kuru otlar = dried herbs

• Yeşillikler = greens (often includes herbs like parsley and dill)

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The most common aromatic herbs in Turkish (with English translations)

Here are the herbs you’ll see most often in Turkish cooking and markets.

1) Parsley — Maydanoz

Turkish: Maydanoz
Pronunciation: my-dah-noz
Common uses: salads, soups, kebabs, meze, stuffed vegetables

Parsley is one of the most essential herbs in Turkey. It’s used everywhere—especially in tabbouleh-style salads and meze plates.

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2) Dill — Dereotu

Turkish: Dereotu
Pronunciation: deh-reh-oh-too
Common uses: yogurt dishes, fish, stuffed vine leaves, salads

Dill is extremely common in Turkish home cooking, especially in dishes with yogurt or olive oil.

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3) Mint — Nane

Turkish: Nane
Pronunciation: nah-neh
Common uses: yogurt sauces, lentil soup, tea, salads

Mint in Turkey is used both fresh and dried. You’ll often see dried mint sprinkled over soups and yogurt dishes.

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4) Thyme — Kekik

Turkish: Kekik
Pronunciation: keh-kik
Common uses: grilled meats, roasted vegetables, marinades

If you love Turkish grilled food, you’ll definitely run into kekik. It’s one of the most popular herbs for seasoning meat.

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5) Oregano — Kekik (often the same word!)

In many Turkish contexts, kekik can refer to thyme or oregano, depending on the region.

This is important for cooking: Turkish “kekik” often tastes closer to oregano than mild thyme.

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6) Basil — Fesleğen

Turkish: Fesleğen
Pronunciation: fes-leh-en
Common uses: salads, tomato dishes, some modern Turkish recipes

Basil is less traditional than parsley or mint in classic Turkish cuisine, but it’s widely available.

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7) Rosemary — Biberiye

Turkish: Biberiye
Pronunciation: bee-beh-ree-yeh
Common uses: roasted meats, potatoes, marinades

Rosemary is common in modern Turkish cooking and is easy to find in supermarkets.

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8) Bay leaf — Defne yaprağı

Turkish: Defne yaprağı
Pronunciation: def-neh yahp-rah-uh
Common uses: stews, beans, soups

Bay leaf is used for slow-cooked dishes, especially with legumes.

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9) Sage — Adaçayı

Turkish: Adaçayı
Pronunciation: ah-dah-chai-uh
Common uses: herbal tea (very common), sometimes cooking

In Turkey, sage is famous mainly as a herbal tea, especially in winter.

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10) Tarragon — Tarhun

Turkish: Tarhun
Pronunciation: tar-hoon
Common uses: some regional dishes, sauces, pickles

Tarhun is less common nationally, but it appears in certain regions and specialty recipes.

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11) Chives — Frenk soğanı

Turkish: Frenk soğanı
Pronunciation: frenk soh-ah-nuh
Common uses: modern recipes, salads

Not a classic staple in traditional Turkish cuisine, but you can find it in larger cities.

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12) Coriander (cilantro) — Kişniş

Turkish: Kişniş
Pronunciation: kish-nish
Common uses: some regional dishes, modern cooking

Coriander isn’t as common as in Middle Eastern cuisines, but it exists in Turkish markets—especially in bigger cities.

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Fresh vs dried herbs in Turkish (important for recipes)

Turkish cooking uses both fresh and dried herbs, and the wording changes slightly:

• Taze nane = fresh mint

• Kuru nane = dried mint

• Taze kekik = fresh thyme/oregano

• Kuru kekik = dried thyme/oregano

In many Turkish recipes, dried mint and dried oregano are especially common.

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Useful Turkish phrases for buying herbs in Turkey

If you’re shopping at a market, these phrases are extremely handy:

• Maydanoz var mı?
  “Do you have parsley?”

• Bir demet nane alabilir miyim?
  “Can I buy a bunch of mint?”

• Taze mi?
  “Is it fresh?”

• Kuru kekik nerede?
  “Where is the dried thyme/oregano?”

• Ne kadar?
  “How much is it?”

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Aromatic herbs in Turkish cuisine (what they’re used for)

Turkish cuisine is very herb-friendly. Here are a few classic pairings:

• Mint (nane) + yogurt = very common in sauces and soups

• Parsley (maydanoz) + lemon = salads, fish, and meze

• Dill (dereotu) + olive oil dishes = stuffed vegetables, cold starters

• Thyme/oregano (kekik) + grilled meat = kebabs and marinades

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Quick recap: aromatic herbs in Turkish

If you want the essential vocabulary, start with these:

• Maydanoz = parsley

• Nane = mint

• Dereotu = dill

• Kekik = thyme / oregano

• Fesleğen = basil

• Biberiye = rosemary

• Defne yaprağı = bay leaf

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Final thoughts

Learning the Turkish names of aromatic herbs is one of the easiest ways to level up your Turkish vocabulary—especially if you love cooking or traveling.

Once you know words like maydanoz, nane, and kekik, you’ll start recognizing them everywhere: on menus, in markets, and in Turkish recipes.