A vegetable dish is the usual main course in a Turkish meal. There is a very large variety of vegetables used such as "ispanak" spinach, "pirasa" leek, "karnibahar" cauliflower or "enginar" artichoke, "lahana" cabbage, kereviz celery, yerelmasi Jerusalem artichoke. A typical vegetable dish is prepared with a base of chopped onions and garlic sautéed in olive oil, later with tomatoes or tomato paste. The vegetables or legumes and boiling water will then be added. Vegetable dishes usually tend to be served with a large liquid part (with the cooking water), thus often named in colloquial Turkish as sulu yemek ("watery dish"). Sometimes meat can be added to a vegetable dish but vegetable dishes cooked with olive oil zeytinyaglilar are almost always conceived to be strictly vegetarian.

Dolma is a type of stuffed vegetable dish. It is done both as sulu yemek and zeytinyagli. Many vegetables are stuffed, most typically green peppers (biber dolmasi), tomatoes, squash (kabak dolmasi), grape leaves (yaprak dolmasi). If grape leaves are used, they are first pickled in brine. However dolmas are not limited with these common types, many other vegetables and fruits were used in history or are being used locally. For example, artichoke (enginar) dolma is an Aegean region specialty. Fillings used in dolmas may consist of minced meat, parts of the vegetable carved out for preparation, or/and rice with spices (see below).

Eggplant (aubergine) has a special place in the Turkish cuisine. It is combined with minced meat in imam bayildi (meaning imam has fainted or liked) and karniyarik. As a specialty of eastern Turkey, there is patlican kebap. In a number of meze(s), side-dishes or main dishes, eggplant appears to be the major element; saksuka, patlican salatasi, patlican dolma, begendi (eggplant mash/puree) and patlican musakka.

Egg is used in some vegetable dishes. Mücver is fried or cooked in oven with minced squash or potatoes, egg, cheese and dill. Menemen is egg cooked with tomatoes and green pepper, and may be eaten in breakfasts. Çilbir is another traditional Turkish food made by eggs and yogurt. Recipe: Break eggs into boiling water. Add some salt with olive oil and wait until the eggs stiffen. Put them into a plate with the help of a spoon-drainer. Add some yogurt and melted butter with paprika.

Tursu is Turkish pickles in brine, usually with addition of garlic. It is enjoyed a lot as an appetizer. It is done with a large variety of vegetables.