Kumpir is a large foil-baked potato whose fluffy inside is mashed with butter and cheese, then loaded with fresh salads and toppings. For this kumpir recipe, heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and bake the potatoes for 60 to 75 minutes. Expect about an hour and a half from start to finish.
What is kumpir?
Kumpir is Turkish street food: an XXL baked potato with a crispy skin and a light, creamy interior. It is Turkey’s answer to the loaded baked potato. On the streets of Istanbul, especially in the Ortaköy neighbourhood, kumpir stalls line up side by side with sometimes twenty bowls of toppings on the counter. You choose your own filling and eat it straight from the skin with a fork.
The concept is simple but brilliant. The baked potato gives you a warm, neutral base. Butter and cheese make the inside rich and smooth. And the toppings, from sweetcorn to pickled red cabbage to bulgur salad, give every bite a different flavour and texture. That is why kumpir works so well for a crowd: everyone builds their own potato.
Kumpir ingredients (serves 4)
The heart of every kumpir recipe is the same: potato, butter, cheese. The rest is up to you. Start with this classic Turkish setup.
For the potatoes:
- 4 large floury baking potatoes (russet works well)
- olive oil
- salt
- 4 tablespoons butter (about 60 to 80 grams total)
- 100 to 120 grams grated cheese (kaşar, or a mild cheddar or mozzarella)
For the garlic yoghurt sauce:
- 200 grams Turkish-style yoghurt
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- pinch of salt and pepper
For the toppings (pick what you like):
- 1 small can of sweetcorn, drained
- 100 grams grated carrot
- 40 grams black or green olives, sliced
- 4 dill pickles, chopped
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, diced
- finely shredded red cabbage
- fresh parsley
- chilli sauce or Aleppo pepper (pul biber) to taste
How to make kumpir: step by step
Making kumpir comes down to one thing: a potato fluffy enough inside to mash. So give it plenty of time in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Scrub the potatoes well under running water and pat them dry.
- Prick each potato a few times with a fork. Rub them with a little olive oil and salt, then wrap each one loosely in aluminium foil.
- Place the potatoes on a baking sheet in the centre of the oven. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, turning them over halfway through. They are done when a knife slides in without resistance.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce and prep the toppings. For the sauce, stir together the yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper, then chill it. Chop all the toppings and set them out in separate bowls.
- Take the potatoes out and remove the foil. Slice each one open lengthwise, without cutting all the way through. Gently push the sides so it opens up.
- Fluff the inside with a fork. Add a tablespoon of butter, a generous tablespoon of cheese and a pinch of salt to each potato. Mash well into a creamy purée while keeping the skin intact. The potato must still be hot, or the cheese will not melt.
- Load the kumpir with your toppings, finish with the garlic yoghurt sauce and some fresh parsley, and serve right away.
Tip: put the potatoes and all the topping bowls on the table and let everyone build their own. That is when a kumpir night really comes alive.
Kumpir fillings and variations
The filling makes your kumpir. The butter-and-cheese base stays the same, but on top you can go in any direction. These are the most popular routes.
- Vegetarian: the classic. Sweetcorn, grated carrot, red cabbage, olives, pickles, tomato and a bulgur salad (kisir) or couscous salad. Finish with yoghurt sauce.
- Vegan: swap the butter for vegan butter or a drizzle of olive oil and use vegan cheese. Make the sauce with plant-based yoghurt. The vegetable toppings are already plant-based.
- With chicken: add grilled or seasoned chicken strips on top of the vegetables. Great with a garlic or yoghurt sauce.
- With tuna: mix drained tuna with a little mayonnaise and red onion, then spoon it over the potato. Brighten it with pickles and corn.
Want a lighter version? Make the kumpir with sweet potato instead of regular potato. The baking time is usually a bit shorter, so check after 45 minutes whether it is tender.
Tips for the perfect kumpir
A few details make the difference between an ordinary baked potato and a real kumpir.
- Choose large, floury potatoes. The bigger the potato, the more room for toppings. Floury varieties turn fluffier inside than waxy ones.
- Wrap them in foil. The foil traps steam, which makes the inside extra soft and fluffy and easier to mash.
- Work fast while the potato is hot. Butter and cheese only melt properly in a hot potato. Slice it open and mash straight away.
- Prep the toppings ahead. Many salads, like pickled red cabbage or kisir, can be made a day in advance. That frees you up while the potatoes bake.
- Keep the skin intact. The skin is your edible bowl. Do not cut too deep, and mash gently.
No time to wait an hour and a half?
A kumpir is worth making at home, but you do not always have that hour-and-a-half of oven time. We get it. At Potaé, the first and only kumpir chain in the Netherlands, we bake the real thing fresh for you in Amsterdam and Almere. Large, steaming hot, with a generous topping of fresh salads.
You choose from vegetarian, vegan, chicken or tuna. Check out our menu for all the combinations, or read why our potatoes are exactly right for a kumpir: large, floury and with a sturdy skin. Ready for a bite? Order now.
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Frequently asked questions about kumpir
What goes inside a kumpir?
A kumpir consists of a baked potato whose inside is mashed with butter and cheese. On top come fresh toppings: often sweetcorn, grated carrot, red cabbage, olives, pickles, bulgur salad and a yoghurt or garlic sauce. You choose which filling you want.
How long does a kumpir need in the oven?
Allow 60 to 75 minutes at 200°C (400°F). Large potatoes take longer. The kumpir is ready when a knife slides in without resistance and the inside is completely soft. Wrap the potatoes in foil for the best result.
Which potato is best for kumpir?
Use large, floury baking potatoes such as russets. Floury varieties turn nicely fluffy inside and are easy to mash into a creamy purée. The bigger the potato, the more room you have for toppings.
Which cheese goes in a kumpir?
Traditionally you use kaşar, a Turkish cheese similar to a mild cheddar. If you cannot find it, use a mild cheddar or mozzarella. What matters is a cheese that melts well and makes the inside creamy.
Can you make a vegan kumpir?
Yes. Swap the butter for vegan butter or olive oil and use vegan cheese. Make the sauce with plant-based yoghurt. Most toppings, such as sweetcorn, carrot, red cabbage and olives, are already plant-based.
Can you make kumpir with sweet potato?
Yes, it is a popular variation. The method is the same, but the baking time is usually a bit shorter. Check after about 45 minutes whether the sweet potato is tender and adjust the time as needed.