Ayran

A cool, salty yogurt drink whisked with water until frothy. It is tangy, refreshing and the classic partner to kebabs and pide.

Ayran

Fresh ayran: Mavigogun, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Where it comes from

Ayran is a daily drink in Turkiye and is also enjoyed in Azerbaijan, Central Asia and the Balkans. Its roots lie in the nomadic dairy traditions of Central Asia.

Explore the cuisine of Türkiye.

Recipe

Make Ayran at home

Serves 2Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
  • Ice cubes
  • Fresh mint, crushed (optional)
  • Pinch of dried mint

How it's made

  1. Spoon the yogurt into a large jug or blender.
  2. Add the cold water and salt.
  3. Whisk or blend for 30 seconds until completely smooth and frothy.
  4. Taste and adjust the salt or water.
  5. Serve over ice in tall glasses.
  6. Top with mint if you like.

Variations

  • Doogh: A fizzy, herb-flavored version from Iran.
  • Sparkling ayran: Uses sparkling water for a fizzy drink.
  • Cucumber ayran: Blended with fresh cucumber.

Cook’s tip: Whisk very well or blend so the froth forms on top, as this gives ayran its signature light texture.

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About this page

Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.

Photo credit