Turkish cuisine is quite rich in its use of vegetables. Both the use of a wide variety of vegetables as well as a wealth of manners of preparation are indicative of the richness of Turkish cuisine.

Arugula / Rocket
Roka

A plant in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) with leaves resembling those of radishes. Its leaves are made into salad, and also are a popular accompaniment to fried or grilled fish. It is frequently used as a garnish as well.

Asparagus
Kuşkonmaz

An plant in the Lily family with several upright or vining, smooth stems. Its Turkish name means “birds do not alight.” Its leaves are small and needlelike. The flowers are borne singly or doubly in the leaf margins. Used regionally in soups and salads, it is also commonly eaten raw.

Artichoke
Enginar

In the daisy family (Compositae), the artichoke is a large thistle-like plant 50 - 100 cm in height with tough grey-green leaves and large blue/purple flowers. The flowers which appear above the leaves as well as the stems are meaty and dense. In Turkish cuisine it is mostly known in Aegean and Istanbul. Prepared in “olive oil” dishes with celeriac, fava beans or stuffed, it is classified as a meze or appetizer.

Beets
Pancar

In the same family as spinach (Chenopodiaceae), the original species of this herbaceous plant grows wild along the shores of the Aegean and Mediterranean. Its leaves are substantial with thick stems. There are several varieties with widely differing characteristics:
Beetroot (Kırmızı Pancar):A variety with a thick root used as a vegetable.
Sugar Beet (Şeker Pancarı):A variety with large heavy roots, commonly grown in Turkey for the production of sugar.
Chard (Pazı): A variety bearing large flat leaves similar to those of spinach.

Cabbage
Lahana
A plant in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) with large flat leaves, raised as a fall and winter vegetable. There are many different varieties, several of which are used in Turkish cuisine. White and red cabbage are two common varieties. The wide leaves are ideal for stuffing, but are also used in other main dishes and soups. Kale, another variety of the same species, is known as “black cabbage” (kara lahana) is the sine qua non food of the Black Sea region. Red cabbage is only used in salads. The pickles made from white cabbage is an important item in Turkish cooking.

Carrots
Havuç

Carrots are the conical root of a plant in the celery family (Apiaceae), raised mostly as a vegetable. In Turkey it is used as an ingredient in other dishes, and also made into salads and pickles. There are yellow, orange and purple varieties. It is often used to add color to pickles. There are many different varieties of carrot pickles in Southern Anatolia. Due to its sweet flavor it can be eaten fresh and is also used in certain sweets.

Cauliflower
Karnıbahar
In the mustard family (Brassicaceae), cauliflower has cabbage-like leaves, the part consumed is the dense mass of developing flower buds. It is cooked with tomato sauce and ground meat, and is mostly used in western Turkey.

Celeriac
Kereviz

A plant in the celery family (Apiaceae) with leaves resembling those of parsley but heavier and more robust. The large, yellowish root has an irregular surface. Not a staple vegetable in Turkish cuisine, celeriac is most popular in the west and in Istanbul, where it is cooked in a meat dish as well as cold as an “olive oil” dish.

Chicory

Known in Turkish as Hindiba, Frenk Salatası, Radika and Endiv, chicory is a plant in the daisy family (Asteraceae) with divided leave and sky blue daisy-like flowers. The leaves are eaten steamed and served with lemon and oil as a salad, as well as in hot dishes. In Turkey mostly wild chicory is used; its leaves gathered in spring and used as a medicinal herb and as a vegetable.

Cucumber
Hıyar, Salatalık

The cucumber is a member of the squash family (Cucurbitaceae), with fruits that are mostly long and green with many seeds. It is eaten on its own or used in pickles and salads. Although it is raised throughout Turkey, various varieties are preferred in different regions, each with its own flavor. In Istanbul, the most famous varieties are Çengelköy and Langa.

Eggplant
Patlıcan

A vegetable wıth black or purple skin and small seeds. A member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), the plant thrives in moist soils and hot weather. Turkish food makes very rich use of eggplant; it appears in such varied foods as pilaf, salad, kebab, pickles and even jams. There are various shapes and sizes of eggplant according to region. The main varieties grown in Turkey are Mor patlican and Adana patlıcanı (oblong light purple and black varieties, respectively), and Bostan and Kemer (large oblong black varieties).

Garlic
Sarımsak

Garlic is a bulb-forming plant in the lily family (Liliaceae) with leaves from 25-50 cm tall. Garlic is very popular in Turkish cooking for its special aroma and flavor, and is consumed at all stages, from green “scallion” stage to fresh bulb to mature/dry. In its dry form it also adds sweetness to a dish. It is also frequently used in pickles.

Knotweed (Polygonum cognatum)
Madımak

This low, spreading species of knotweed grows chiefly in Sivas and Tokat regions. It has pink or reddish flowers in groups of two or three. Its leaves are either sauteed or cooked in other dishes.

Leeks
Pırasa
A plant in the Lily family (Liliaceae); the white to pale green stems are formed by the bases of the leaves. Traditionally used in both “olive oil” dishes as well as meat dishes, it has recently begun to be used in new and original ways in Turkish cuisine.

Romaine Lettuce
Marul

A vegetable in the daisy family (Asteraceae) with broad green leaves generally used in salads. Romaine, Cos and other types are varieties of the same species. Even though chiefly used in salads, it is also cooked in certain dishes such as kapama.

Mallow (Malva sylvestris)
Ebe gömeci

A wild-growing herb in the family Malvaceae, mallow is useful for both its flowers, which are considered medicinal, as well as leaves which are eaten as greens. The plant ranges from 20 - 70 cm in height. Used plain or cooked in meat dishes, its leaves are mostly considered to be medicinal. It grows in nearly all parts of Turkey, but especially in the western regions.

Mushrooms
Mantar

With tens of thousands of species in nature, mushrooms are commonly cultivated today. Mushrooms are technically not a plant, they are a fungus. With its many varieties, Turkey could be considered a mushroom paradise. Although there are many different ways of preparing them, the most common method in Anatolia is to cook them directly over a flame or coals, accompanied only with salt and black or red pepper. They are also cooked in meat or vegetarian dishes as well as used in pilaf and salads.

Okra
Bamya

A member of the mallow family (Malvaceae), okra may be eaten either fresh or dried. It should be picked when young, because the pods toughen as they mature. In Turkish cuisine it is used both fresh and dried in meat and “olive oil” dishes.

Onions
Soğan

The word soğan in Turkish simply means “bulb” and thus applies to many different plants in the lily family, but here we are talking about the common onion of the kitchen. It is one of the fundamental vegetables in Turkish cooking, adding sweetness to dishes. It is used at all stages, from scallions to green bulbs to the familiar dried-off stage. All stages may be used in cooked dishes, pilafs, salads and kebab.

Parsley
Maydonoz

A plant with deep green veined leaves in the same family as celery and dill (Apiaceae). Its leaves are used as a flavoring herb. In Turkish cooking, parsley is utilized more as a secondary ingredient than a vegetable in and of itself. It is eaten plan as well as added to provide flavor and aroma to cooked dishes as well as salads.

Peppers
Biber

A member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Many different varieties are raised in Turkey. The edible part is the seed pod, which is green when unripe and turns red when ripe. The veins and the seeds are generally hot. Peppers are raised almost everywhere in Turkey, with many different varieties and names reflecting variety and shape as well as use: Sivri (pointed), Çarliston, Süs (decoratıve), domates (tomato), Ayaş (place name), dolmalık (stuffing), red pepper et al. In southern Anatolia it is finally chopped and made into paste.

Potatoes
Patates

An herbaceous plant in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) grown for its edible tubers. These tubers are rich in starch, an important source of nutrition. Several varieties of potatoes are grown in Turkey, and potatoes are frequently used.

Purslane
Semizotu

A member of the Portulacaceae, purslane is rich in phosphorus. It is used in cooked dishes as well as fresh in salads. In Anatolia the wild form is commonly used; there is a large-leaved cultivated form commonly available as well.

Spinach
Ispanak

A plant in the Chenopodiaceae with edible leaves probably originating in Central Asia. It is raised in many parts of Turkey and is cooked alone or with ground meat. It is also used in dishes like ıspanak kavurması, spinach with eggs and spinach börek.

Radish
Turp

A member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), the radish plant has broad spreading lower leaves and toothed upper leaves. The edible root may be red, black, white or yellowish. It is generally used to accompany dishes rather than actually being cooked as a dish in and of itself. One type is used to add sweetness.

Tomatoes
Domates

A member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae) which originated in South and Central America, tomatoes are a perennial grown as an annual in temperate climates. Although the edible part is technically a fruit as it bears the seeds of the plant, it is thought of as a vegetable. It is said to have entered Turkish cuisine only about 100 years ago, but it has a major place in Turkish cooking. It is used fresh in salads but also adds flavor to many cooked dishes. In addition to ripe red tomatoes, green and yellow tomatoes are also used in Turkish cooking; in pickles for example. It is also used in paste form in a great many regions.

Turnips
Şalgam

A plant in the mustard family (Brassicaceae). It is not much used as food in Turkey; it is better known as a main ingredient in a pickled drink by the same name made in the Çukurova (Adana) region. Şalgam is known to enhance the appetite, and is often drunk alongside rakı.

Zucchini/Courgette/Summer Squash/Winter Squash
Kabak

A plant in the Cucurbitaceae, or squash family, which also includes such plants as melons, acur and cucumbers. Many varieties of both summer and winter squash are cultivated in Turkey. The most common zucchini used in Turkey is an oblong, light green and lightly fuzzy variety, which appears in a great many dishes. A few of these include kabaklama, karincali kabak aşı and mücver. Winter squash are used in the preparation of sweets.

Extracted from the website of the Turkish Cultural Foundation