I love it when you can turn an iconic meal like fettuccine alfredo into a healthy, protein-packed dish that requires just a handful of everyday ingredients. This yogurt-based pasta sauce takes the classic creamy sauce to the next level, offering the same indulgent flavor but with a refreshing tang from Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream. The result is a creamy sauce that beautifully coats your favorite pasta, delivering a deliciously satisfying meal every time.
If you love pasta recipes as much as we do, be sure to check out our Green Sauce for Pasta and Garlic Butter Pasta Sauce.
Ingredients
Greek yogurt alfredo sauce requires a short list of simple ingredients that are easy to find at the grocery store. Here’s a bit more detail about what we need:
- Pasta: Long-grain dry pasta like fettuccine or spaghetti perfectly pairs with this high-protein alfredo sauce. You can also use your favorite gluten-free pasta or zucchini noodles to keep it low-carb.
- Unsalted butter: We need a little butter to saute the garlic. However, olive oil can also be used when making this Greek yogurt sauce for pasta.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves or ¾ – 1 teaspoon garlic powder if short on time.
- Plain Greek yogurt: For the richest flavor, go for full-fat, whole milk, and thick plain yogurt. I do not recommend regular or low-fat yogurt, as they will curdle and alter the taste and texture.
- Grated Parmesan cheese: Pick up a block of Parmigiana Reggiano (and grate it yourself) or buy the grated cheese containers near the cheese section. Pecorino Romano can be a great substitute if need be.
- Salt and pepper: A simple seasoning of Kosher salt and black pepper enhances and complements the creamy sauce.
- Fresh herbs: Italian seasonings like fresh parsley or fresh basil add a delicious pop of flavor and color.
- Additional flavorings: Optional, but a sprinkle of red pepper flakes adds a little bit of spice. While you can add other flavorings such as lemon zest, lemon juice, or white wine, we didn’t find it necessary as the Greek yogurt is already so tangy.
How to Make Pasta Sauce with Yogurt?
Making this healthy pasta sauce is a breeze with only a few simple steps and no more than 20 minutes. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions to al dente, about 12-14 minutes.
- Drain pasta: Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and then drain the pasta.
- Saute garlic: Return the now empty pot to the stove. Melt the butter over medium-low heat, then whisk in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Lower the heat if the butter starts to brown.
- Make yogurt sauce: Over very low heat, add the Greek yogurt and parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes, just until the yogurt is warmed through and the cheese is fully melted. Add the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin and smooth the sauce—season with salt and pepper.
- Add pasta: Stir the cooked pasta noodles into the yogurt mixture and gently toss to coat them with the sauce.
- Garnish: Transfer to a large bowl and sprinkle with parsley, red pepper flakes, and extra Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
How to Store and Reheat?
Here are my best storage tips and reheating instructions for this creamy pasta sauce with Greek yogurt:
- Storage: Store the leftover Greek yogurt pasta recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Gently warm the alfredo sauce with Greek yogurt in a large skillet on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently. The sauce will thicken as it sits in the fridge, so add a splash of water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth to restore it to a smooth consistency.
Serving Suggestions
While you can serve this pasta with Greek yogurt recipe as a main course by itself, you can easily turn it into a weeknight dinner masterpiece by pairing it with one of the dishes below:
- Chicken: Turn it into a Mediterranean feast with my Greek Yogurt Chicken, or try it with Baked Chicken Skewers or grilled chicken.
- Seafood: My Grilled Shrimp or Baked Sockeye Salmon would pair beautifully with this yogurt fettuccine alfredo, making it a filling yet healthy dinner.
- With Vegetables: Add some extra greens and serve with Roasted Asparagus, Zucchini Lasagna, or a side salad like my Spring Mix Salad.
Aysegul’s Expert Tips
While the recipe is pretty straightforward and rather easy, there are a few things to know to succeed on the first try. Here are a few of the lessons we learned during our recipe testing:
- Use full-fat yogurt: I can’t stress enough the importance of full-fat Greek yogurt. The adequate fat-to-protein ratio prevents the sauce from breaking, separating, or curdling when cooking with it. If there is not enough fat, the delicate milk proteins in the yogurt may curdle. While regular yogurt would also work, I recommend sticking to Greek yogurt for the best results.
- Ingredients should be ready and at room temperature: Since the pasta sauce comes together so fast, it’s important to have all the ingredients prepped and ready before making the sauce. Also, allowing the Greek yogurt to come to room temperature is extra security and will lessen the chances of it curdling.
- Low heat is the best method: You want to be gentle with your sauce so that it just warms up but does not bubble vigorously. Treat it gently and kindly to ensure it doesn’t split while keeping it nice and warm.
- Save the pasta water: This is something you always want to do when you cook pasta. The extra starch in the pasta water adds body and homogenizes the sauce. It is also a great way to thin out the pasta sauce if needed.
- Stabilize the yogurt (optional): We didn’t think this was necessary, but if you want even more security, you can mix ½ – 1 teaspoon cornstarch, arrowroot, or tapioca starch with the Greek yogurt to help the sauce stay together.
FAQs
Greek yogurt pasta sauce is a delicious and high-protein alternative to regular alfredo sauce. All you need is butter, garlic, full-fat Greek yogurt, Parmesan cheese, and pasta water.
If you make this Greek Yogurt Pasta Sauce recipe, I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a minute to rate it and leave a comment below. It is a great way to support this website and help those planning to make it. Also, if you took pictures, I’d love to see them. Share your creations on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them with the Foolproof Living community.
Greek Yogurt Pasta Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta , or other pasta, such as spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup shredded parmesan cheese , plus more as garnish
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta cooking water
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions to al dente, about 12-14 minutes.
- Reserve 1 cup pasta water then drain the pasta. Set aside.
- Place the now empty pot on the stove. Add the butter and melt over medium heat.
- Whisk in the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until translucent. Lower the heat, if needed, to avoid browning.
- While still on low heat, add in the Greek yogurt and parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or two just until the yogurt is warmed through and the cheese is melted. Add the reserved pasta water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin and smooth out the sauce.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the drained pasta to the pot and gently toss to ensure all the pasta is coated with the sauce.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and top with parsley, parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, if preferred. Serve!
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes about 2 cups of pasta sauce, and when mixed with cooked pasta, it serves 4 adults. The nutritional values below are per serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Gently warm it in a large skillet or pan on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently. The sauce will thicken as it sits in the fridge, so add a splash of water, or vegetable broth to restore it to a smooth consistency.
- Use full-fat yogurt: This recipe requires thick, whole-milk Greek yogurt, so we do not recommend substituting it with regular yogurt. The adequate fat-to-protein ratio and warming it up in low heat prevents the sauce from curdling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great pasta sauce. I will be making again.