Turkish Yogurt Pasta Dish (Print Version)

Tender pasta tossed in creamy garlicky yogurt, finished with aromatic spiced butter and fresh herbs.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz dried 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)

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking water, then set pasta aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, garlic, and salt. If too thick, adjust texture 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. Cook until butter is foamy and fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
04 - Toss warm pasta with yogurt sauce until evenly coated. Divide into serving bowls.
05 - Drizzle each serving generously with spiced butter. Garnish with chopped dill or parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you've been simmering something all day.
  • The tangy yogurt and spiced butter create this beautiful balance where nothing overpowers anything else.
  • You'll find yourself making it on random Tuesdays because it asks so little and gives so much.
02 -
  • Cold yogurt will seize when it meets hot pasta—make sure your sauce is at room temperature or slightly warm, and toss while the pasta is hot enough to gently warm the yogurt without cooking it solid.
  • Those 2 tablespoons of pasta water are not an afterthought; they're your insurance policy that keeps the sauce silky instead of gloppy.
03 -
  • Keep your yogurt at room temperature before mixing, or at least take it out of the fridge while you cook the pasta—this prevents the temperature shock that makes yogurt separate.
  • Don't be afraid of the spiced butter; let it foam and smell good, because that's when the flavors are actively releasing and mingling with the fat.
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