Turkish Yogurt Pasta Dish (Printable)

Tender pasta tossed in creamy garlic yogurt and finished with a spiced butter drizzle.

# What You 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 the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.
02 - Whisk together yogurt, minced garlic, and salt in a medium bowl. If yogurt is very thick, add a spoonful or two of reserved pasta water to achieve a creamy and smooth consistency.
03 - Melt the butter with olive oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir in paprika, Aleppo pepper, and dried mint if using. Cook until the butter is foamy and fragrant, about 1 minute, then remove from heat.
04 - Toss the warm pasta with the yogurt sauce until evenly coated. Divide into serving bowls.
05 - Drizzle spiced butter over each serving. Garnish with chopped dill or parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Insider Tips:

01 -
  • It's restaurant-quality but ready in 25 minutes, no fuss or complicated techniques required.
  • The tangy yogurt and spiced butter combination tastes luxurious and feels like a warm hug in a bowl.
  • One pot of salted water is basically your entire cooking footprint.
02 -
  • Never mix the hot pasta with cold yogurt—the temperature drop will make the sauce seize; always use warm or room-temperature yogurt and make sure the pasta is still steaming when it goes in.
  • That pasta cooking water is liquid gold for this recipe; don't drain it all away, and don't use it unless you've salted it properly and the pasta is al dente.
03 -
  • If you can't find Aleppo pepper, mild chili flakes work, but add them conservatively—they're spicier and can easily overpower the delicate balance of this dish.
  • Straining your yogurt through cheesecloth the night before (making it thicker and creamier) elevates this from weeknight dinner to something you'd serve proudly to guests.
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