Turkish Pasta Recipe

5 from 3 votes

The TikTok-viral Turkish Pasta recipe, made famous by Anna Paul, is a 30-minute wonder that's as delicious as it is easy. Made by layering cooked pasta with garlicky yogurt, spiced ground beef, and a chili butter drizzle, this recipe is easy to make, satisfying, and totally worthy of the hype.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course - Pasta Dish

Cuisine: Turkish

Diet: Halal

Servings: servings

Author: Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For The Pasta

8 ounces pasta I use farfalle but any shape would work
Kosher salt

For The Meat Sauce

1 lbs ground beef 93%
1 medium size onion chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon red pepper paste or tomato paste
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For The Garlic Yogurt Sauce

1 cup Greek yogurt unsweetened plain (full fat or skim)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt

For The Butter Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste (such as Aleppo Pepper or Urfa Chili pepper)
½ teaspoon kosher salt

As Garnish (optional)

½ cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
4 tablespoons dried mint or fresh parsley
2 tablespoons sumac optional

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the pasta water generously with salt. It should taste like the ocean. Add the pasta and cook until it is al dente. Timing might differ depending on the brand you use, so be sure to check the instructions on the packaging. Mine took about 9-10 minutes. Save ½ cup of the cooking liquid*, drain the pasta, and set it aside.
While the pasta is cooking, make the meat sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 pound ground beef. Cook, breaking up the large chunks of meat with a wooden spoon for about 4-5 minutes or until it is no longer pink. As it cooks, it should release some of its oils.
Add the 1 medium-sized chopped onion, 1 tablespoon red pepper paste (or tomato paste), 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, until onions are softened and meat is fully cooked, for about 5-6 minutes. If needed, use the reserved pasta water to keep the sauteed meat moist. Set it aside.
To make the yogurt sauce, whisk together 1 cup of Greek yogurt, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt in a bowl. Give it a taste and make sure it is seasoned to your liking. Set is aside.
Right before serving, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, ¼ teaspoon (or more) red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir and cook until butter is fully melted and bubbly.
To assemble, place the now-cooked pasta in a bowl. Top it off with 4 tablespoons of the yogurt sauce and ⅔ cup of the cooked beef. Drizzle it with a tablespoon (or more) of the butter sauce. Repeat the same process for the rest of the bowls.
If preferred, garnish with a handful of cherry tomatoes, a tablespoon of dried mint (or fresh parsley) and a teaspoon of sumac, if using. Serve.

Video

Notes

Yields: This recipe makes 4 servings. The nutritional values below are per serving.
Reserved liquid: I always save some of the pasta water in case my pasta dries out while I am working on the sauce. In this recipe, you (most likely) will not need it since we work simultaneously, but still, it is a good backup in case you need it.
No olive oil for sauteing the meat: I stayed true to the TikTok viral recipe by not using oil to saute the beef as the meat releases its oils as you cook it. Initially, I was a bit skeptical, but she was right. As long as you keep stirring, the meat will eventually release some of its oils and brown nicely. Still, if you feel your meat can benefit from a bit of olive oil, feel free to use it.
Storage & Reheating: Store each component of the leftovers separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, reheat the pasta, meat, and butter sauce and assemble as described in the recipe.

Nutrition

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