Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism records Şafak Çorbası as a tomato soup finished with beaten egg and milk. This four-portion home version keeps that method, uses water rather than meat stock and serves the bread toasted without extra oil.
Şafak Çorbası — Recipe Card
Tomato soup finished with an egg-and-milk liaison
Makes 4 servings · 4 starter portionsUS cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Şafak Çorbası
Make the soup base
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden. Gradually whisk in the hot water until smooth. Add the tomatoes and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very soft.
Toast and blend
Meanwhile, toast the bread cubes on a tray in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 8–10 minutes until dry and lightly golden. Set aside. Take the soup off the heat and blend smooth with an immersion blender, keeping its head submerged to avoid hot splashes.
Temper and finish
In a bowl, whisk the milk with the beaten egg. Slowly whisk about 200 ml (¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon) hot soup into this mixture. Return the pan to low heat and slowly stir the warmed mixture back in. Stir for about 2–4 minutes until the soup reaches 74°C (165°F) throughout; check with a food thermometer and avoid a rolling boil. Add the black pepper and serve promptly in four bowls with the toasted bread.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-creamy-tomato-soup-safak-corbasi. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Dietary notes
Vegetarian with the specified bread and water. Contains wheat gluten, milk and egg; not gluten-free or vegan. Check bread labels for additional allergens and animal fats.
Heat level
No added chili; black pepper gives gentle warmth. A pinch of hot pul biber can be added to an individual bowl for more heat.
Texture
Use an immersion blender off the heat rather than filling a sealed blender with boiling soup. If the finished soup becomes too thick, stir in a little hot water and bring it back to 74°C (165°F).
How to store and reheat Şafak Çorbası
Refrigerate in shallow containers at 4°C (40°F) or below within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C (90°F). Use within 2 days. Keep toasted bread separately. Reheat only the soup portion needed, stirring gently until it reaches 74°C (165°F) throughout.
Şafak Çorbası: questions and answers
Why did the egg form little strands?
The egg mixture may have met very hot soup too quickly. Whisk in the hot soup gradually during tempering, then stir it back into the pan over low heat.
Can I use cream instead of the egg and milk?
Cream makes a different version of tomato soup. Keep the egg-and-milk mixture for this Şafak recipe and its stated quantities.
