Turkish Yogurt Pasta Dish (Printable)

Tender pasta coated with creamy garlicky yogurt and a drizzle of spiced butter for rich flavor.

# 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 full-fat plain 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 the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of pasta water, and set pasta aside.
02 - Whisk together yogurt, minced garlic, and salt in a medium bowl. If the yogurt is thick, thin with reserved pasta water 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 becomes foamy and fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
04 - Toss warm pasta thoroughly with the yogurt sauce until evenly coated. Portion into serving bowls.
05 - Drizzle each portion with spiced butter. Garnish with chopped dill or parsley as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, perfect for nights when you want something impressive but don't have hours to spend cooking.
  • The contrast of cool, tangy yogurt against warm, spiced butter feels like a flavor revelation every single time.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and tastes genuinely luxurious without requiring any fancy ingredients or techniques.
02 -
  • Don't let the yogurt get too hot or it will curdle and separate, which is why tossing it with warm (not piping hot) pasta matters more than you'd think.
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining—it's liquid gold for adjusting your sauce consistency to exactly what you want.
  • The spiced butter must be prepared while the pasta cooks so it's still warm and fragrant when you pour it over, bringing all those flavors to life.
03 -
  • Make the spiced butter ahead of time and reheat it gently before serving—the flavors actually deepen and meld overnight.
  • If you're cooking for someone with a delicate stomach, reduce the Aleppo pepper slightly, because it's more assertive than regular red pepper flakes.
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