Turkish Yogurt Pasta (Print)

Pasta coated in creamy garlicky yogurt, finished with a fragrant spiced butter drizzle.

# Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz dried pasta (fusilli or penne)
02 - 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)

→ Yogurt Sauce

03 - 1 2/3 cups plain full-fat Turkish or Greek yogurt
04 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Spiced Butter

06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
10 - 1/4 teaspoon dried mint (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of pasta cooking water, then set pasta aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, garlic, and salt. If the mixture is thick, thin it with one or two spoonfuls of reserved pasta water until smooth and creamy.
03 - Melt butter with olive oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir in paprika, Aleppo pepper, and dried mint if using. Cook until butter becomes foamy and aromatic, about 1 minute, then remove from heat.
04 - Toss warm pasta with the yogurt sauce until evenly coated. Divide into serving bowls.
05 - Drizzle spiced butter generously over each portion. Garnish with chopped dill or parsley if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 25 minutes but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The creamy yogurt sauce with spiced butter creates this perfect balance of tangy and aromatic that keeps you coming back for another bite.
  • It's vegetarian, forgiving, and endlessly adaptable depending on what you find in your pantry.
02 -
  • Never pour cold spiced butter over the pasta—it needs to be warm and flowing so it seeps into every crevice and the spices stay vivid.
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining; it transforms a too-thick sauce into something luxurious without adding cream or anything fancy.
03 -
  • If your yogurt breaks or looks grainy when you mix it with the warm pasta, whisk in a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with cold water and it will smooth right back out.
  • Make the spiced butter ahead and rewarm it gently when you're ready to plate—it's one less thing to juggle when everything else is hot and ready.
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