Turkish Yogurt Pasta Delight (Printable)

Tender pasta tossed with creamy yogurt and aromatic spiced butter for a flavorful Turkish main course.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz dried fusilli or penne pasta
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)

# How-To:

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 cooking water, and set pasta aside.
02 - Whisk together yogurt, minced garlic, and salt in a medium bowl. Thin with reserved pasta water if needed until smooth and creamy.
03 - Melt butter with olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in paprika, Aleppo pepper, and dried mint if using. Heat until butter is foamy and aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
04 - Toss the warm pasta with the yogurt sauce until evenly coated. Divide pasta among serving bowls.
05 - Drizzle each portion with spiced butter and garnish with fresh dill or parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in under 30 minutes but tastes like you've been simmering something all afternoon.
  • The tangy yogurt and spiced butter create a flavor combination that's unexpectedly addictive and impossible to replicate from a jar.
  • It's vegetarian, naturally gluten-free adaptable, and works with whatever pasta shapes you have on hand.
02 -
  • Cold yogurt and hot pasta don't mix well—the yogurt will clump and separate; use room-temperature or gently warmed yogurt so it stays creamy and smooth.
  • Don't drown the pasta in yogurt sauce; it should coat, not puddle, so add it gradually and taste as you go.
  • The spiced butter is not optional—it's what transforms this from 'yogurt pasta' into something genuinely craveable, so don't skip it or reduce the amount.
03 -
  • Make the spiced butter while the pasta cooks—this way everything comes together at the exact moment everything is warm and ready.
  • If you can't find Aleppo pepper, don't use regular paprika in its place; instead use red pepper flakes or even a pinch of cayenne, because Aleppo has a fruity warmth that's different from the sharper heat of other peppers.
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