Turkish Yogurt Pasta Dish (Printable)

Tender pasta combined with creamy yogurt and spiced butter for a tangy, aromatic Turkish-inspired dish.

# Ingredient list:

→ 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 Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of pasta cooking water, and set pasta aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, minced garlic, and salt. If the mixture is very thick, adjust creaminess by stirring in reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time.
03 - Melt butter with olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add paprika, Aleppo pepper, and dried mint if using. Stir and cook until butter becomes foamy and aromatic, about one minute. Remove from heat.
04 - Combine warm pasta with the yogurt sauce, tossing until evenly coated. Portion into serving bowls.
05 - Drizzle spiced butter generously over each bowl. Garnish with chopped dill or parsley if desired, and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in 25 minutes but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The contrast between cool yogurt and hot spiced butter creates a flavor depth that surprises you with each bite.
  • It's genuinely easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to serve to people you want to impress.
02 -
  • Don't mix the spiced butter into the pasta; drizzle it on top of each serving so you get those pockets of pure buttery warmth instead of a homogenized sauce.
  • Yogurt can look curdled if you add it to very hot pasta, but it actually won't—the pasta water you reserved helps prevent this, and the warmth gently loosens the yogurt without breaking it.
  • If your yogurt sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water one teaspoon at a time; you can always add more, but you can't take it away.
03 -
  • Save more pasta water than you think you'll need—it's the easiest way to adjust the sauce consistency in the moment, and its starch actually helps emulsify everything together.
  • Make the spiced butter first and keep it warm in the saucepan while you finish the pasta; this way everything is ready to come together at exactly the right moment.
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