Turkish coffee step by step – how to brew it in a cezve
Turkish coffee is the world's oldest brewing method still in daily use – and one of the simplest, once you know it. No filter, no machine, just a small pot, extra-fine ground coffee and water. Here's how to brew Turkish coffee step by step in a cezve, get a thick layer of foam and avoid the four most common mistakes.
What is Turkish coffee?
Turkish coffee – qahwa in the Levant, kahve in Turkey – is coffee boiled together with the water rather than filtered. The coffee is ground so finely it's almost like flour, and the grounds stay in the cup, settling at the bottom. The result is a short, intense, velvety cup with a characteristic layer of foam, köpük, on top.
The method needs no expensive equipment and takes under five minutes. To read more about the tradition behind the cup, see our article on Arabic coffee culture.
What you'll need
- A cezve (also called ibrik or rakwe) – the small pot with a long handle and narrow neck. A cezve for 2–3 cups is the most useful size.
- Extra-fine ground coffee. This is crucial. The grind should be finer than espresso and feel like powder between your fingers.
- Cold water – filtered if possible.
- Small cups (fincan), around 70 ml.
- A spoon for distributing the foam.
Our Turkish coffee with cardamom is ground specifically for the cezve – 70 % arabica and 30 % robusta, with grade 1 cardamom gently milled together with the beans. It comes with medium or extra cardamom, without any at all, and in three roast levels.
The basic recipe: measurements per cup
| Number of cups | Water | Coffee |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 70 ml | 1 heaped tsp (approx. 7 g) |
| 2 cups | 140 ml | 2 heaped tsp (approx. 14 g) |
| 3 cups | 210 ml | 3 heaped tsp (approx. 21 g) |
A good trick: measure the water using the coffee cup itself. That way the amount is right every time, whatever size cups you have.
How to brew – step by step
- Measure out cold water into the cezve using the cup. Don't fill above the neck – the coffee needs room to foam.
- Add the coffee and sugar if you want it. Across the Middle East coffee is usually ordered as sade (no sugar), orta (a little sugar) or şekerli (sweet). The sugar goes in now – never afterwards.
- Stir once until the coffee is wet, while the pot is still cold. Then don't stir again.
- Place on low heat. Going slowly is the whole secret – count on 3–4 minutes. High heat gives bitter coffee and thin foam.
- Wait for the foam. When the surface starts rising towards the neck, lift the pot off the heat before it boils over.
- Distribute the foam. Spoon a little foam into each cup first, return the pot to the heat for 10–15 seconds until it rises again, then pour the rest in a steady stream.
- Let it stand for a minute before drinking, so the grounds settle. Don't drink the last sip.
The four most common mistakes
1. Too coarse a grind
If the coffee is ground for espresso or filter, the cup turns cloudy, the grounds never settle properly and there's no foam. Buy pre-ground for cezve, or grind on the finest setting.
2. Too high heat
The coffee should never fully boil. A rolling boil drives off both aroma and foam, leaving only bitterness.
3. Stirring after heating
As soon as the heat is on, the spoon stays still. Stirring breaks the foam layer just as it's forming.
4. Pouring too fast
Pour slowly and close to the cup, so the grounds stay at the bottom of the pot instead of swirling up.
Cardamom – and other spices
In Syria, Lebanon and much of the Gulf, cardamom is standard rather than an add-on. Ground cardamom is either already in the coffee – as in ours – or added by dropping a crushed green cardamom pod into the cezve. One pod per two cups is plenty.
Other classic variations: a pinch of cinnamon, a drop of rose water in the cup afterwards, or a few strands of saffron for special occasions.
How Turkish coffee is served
The coffee is served in small cups, always with a glass of cold water that you drink before the coffee to clear the palate. Alongside it goes something sweet: dates, baklava, lokum – or why not freeze-dried figs or a piece of dark chocolate.
The coffee is drunk slowly, in company. That's the whole point of the method: it can't be rushed.
Frequently asked questions about Turkish coffee
What's the difference between Turkish coffee and espresso?
Espresso is forced through a puck of ground coffee under high pressure and filtered. Turkish coffee is boiled together with the water and never filtered – the grounds stay in the cup. The grind is also finer for Turkish coffee.
Can I brew Turkish coffee without a cezve?
Yes, a small saucepan works. The foam will be poorer, though, since the cezve's narrow neck is what concentrates it.
Should you drink the grounds?
No. The grounds settle at the bottom and are left behind. An old tradition is to turn the cup upside down on the saucer and read the patterns in the grounds.
How much caffeine is in Turkish coffee?
A small cup of Turkish coffee contains roughly as much caffeine as an espresso, but since the cup is small the amount per serving is moderate.
How do I store ground Turkish coffee?
Dry, cool, dark and airtight – never in the fridge. Finely ground coffee loses aroma faster than whole beans, so buy smaller packs more often. We have five practical tips in our guide on how to store coffee properly.
Ready to brew?
The right coffee does half the work. Try Cofá's Turkish coffee with cardamom → If you prefer filter coffee, take a look at our exclusive filter coffee with 70 % arabica.
