Description
Turkish Pasta is a flavorful weeknight dinner featuring tender pasta topped with a spiced ground beef sauce, creamy garlic yogurt, and a rich buttery paprika sauce. This dish combines unique Turkish spices and simple ingredients for an easy yet delicious meal that has become a viral sensation.
Ingredients
Scale
For The Pasta
- 8 ounces pasta (farfalle or any shape)
- Kosher salt
For The Meat Sauce
- 1 pound ground beef, 93% lean
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon red pepper paste or tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For The Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup Greek yogurt, unsweetened and plain (full fat or skim)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For The Butter Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste, such as Aleppo or Urfa chili pepper)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
As Garnish (optional)
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 4 tablespoons dried mint or fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons sumac (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and generously salt it until it tastes like the ocean. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes according to the recipe. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta and setting it aside.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef and cook while breaking it up with a wooden spoon for 4-5 minutes until no longer pink. Add chopped onion, red pepper paste, onion powder, ground cumin, sweet paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook together, stirring regularly until onions soften and meat is fully cooked, about 5-6 minutes. Use reserved pasta water as needed to keep the sauce moist. Set aside.
- Make Garlic Yogurt Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Adjust seasoning to taste and set aside.
- Prepare Butter Sauce: Melt unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sweet paprika, red pepper flakes, and kosher salt. Cook until the butter is fully melted and bubbly. Remove from heat.
- Assemble Dish: Place cooked pasta into bowls. Top with a few tablespoons of garlic yogurt sauce, then a portion of the meat sauce. Drizzle with the paprika butter sauce. Repeat for remaining servings.
- Garnish and Serve: Optionally, add halved cherry tomatoes, dried mint or fresh parsley, and sumac for garnish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Saving some pasta water is helpful as a backup to loosen the meat sauce if it becomes too dry.
- The recipe skips adding oil for sautéing the meat because the ground beef releases its own fat as it cooks, but a little olive oil can be added if desired.
- Store leftovers separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, reheating components individually before assembling.
- For best results, use full-fat Greek yogurt for creaminess in the yogurt sauce.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes in the butter sauce to control spice level according to your preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
