A Sip of Ayran — How to Make It and Why It’s Salty

A sip of ayran is the handiest way to cool down in the middle of a hot day. Regarded as Türkiye’s national drink, ayran is nothing more than yoghurt, water and salt — but getting the balance right takes real skill.

What is ayran?

Ayran is a fermented milk drink made by thinning yoghurt with water and adding salt. Its simplicity is deceptive: the fat content of the yoghurt, the temperature of the water and the amount of salt can change the taste completely.

Because it is a fermented product, it contains live lactic acid bacteria, and yoghurt’s ability to aid digestion carries over into ayran too.

How to make it

The classic ratio is 2 parts yoghurt to 1 part water; if you like it thinner, add more water. Allow roughly a teaspoon of salt per litre.

1. Whisk the yoghurt in a large bowl until no lumps remain.
2. Keep whisking as you add the cold water a little at a time.
3. Add the salt and mix well.
4. Leave it to rest in the fridge before serving.

For frothy ayran, all you need to do is whip some air into the mixture with a whisk. Traditionally, ayran is frothed by shaking it in a yayık (a churn) or a copper vessel.

What makes yayık ayranı different

Yayık ayranı is made from the liquid left over once the butter has been churned out. It is low in fat, tangier and naturally frothy. Common across Anatolia, this kind of ayran differs from the factory-made sort in both texture and taste.

Why the salt?

The salt isn’t only there for flavour: it replaces the sodium lost through sweating. That’s why, in the heat or after hard work, ayran does you more good than water — you’ve lost minerals as well as fluid.

It’s also why ayran is served with kebabs: after a rich, spicy meal, it cools you down and helps with digestion.

Şalgam, kefir and eastern ayran

Ayran has plenty of relatives: kefir is a more strongly fermented milk drink, while şalgam juice is a fermented vegetable drink. In the eastern provinces, a thick version of ayran also goes into soup.

You’ll find recipes made with ayran in the Recipes section.