Turkish Pasta

Name: Turkish Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 12 oz penne; bowtie pasta; 1 lb ground beef 80/20 or lean; lean ground beef; 1 medium yellow onion finely diced; 3 cloves garlic minced, divided; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp salt divided, plus more for pasta water; 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground; 2 cup plain full-fat yogurt room temperature; 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed; 0.5 tsp salt; 3 tbsp unsalted butter; 1.5 tsp smoked paprika; 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Dinner

Italian40 min4 servingsEasy

About this recipe

A viral Turkish-inspired pasta dish featuring tender bowtie or penne pasta tossed in a rich, garlicky yogurt sauce, topped with spiced ground beef and a drizzle of smoky paprika butter. Creamy, savory, and deeply satisfying — this weeknight dinner comes together in under 45 minutes and has taken social media by storm for good reason.

Instructions

1
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2
While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over ^[medium-high heat]. Add the ground beef and diced yellow onion. Cook, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon, for 7–9 minutes until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Add 3 cloves of garlic minced, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Stir and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Drain any excess fat and set aside.
3
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the room-temperature yogurt, 2 cloves of garlic minced, and salt until smooth and creamy. Add the drained penne pasta and toss well to coat. If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss again.
4
In a small saucepan over ^[medium-low heat], melt the butter. Once melted, stir in the paprika and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant and the butter turns a deep red color. Remove from heat immediately.
5
Divide the yogurt-coated penne pasta among serving bowls. Spoon the spiced ground beef generously over the top. Drizzle the warm paprika butter over each bowl and finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Turkish Pasta

Dinner

Italian40 min4 servingsEasy

About this recipe

Instructions

1
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2
While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over ^[medium-high heat]. Add the ground beef and diced yellow onion. Cook, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon, for 7–9 minutes until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Add 3 cloves of garlic minced, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Stir and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Drain any excess fat and set aside.
3
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the room-temperature yogurt, 2 cloves of garlic minced, and salt until smooth and creamy. Add the drained penne pasta and toss well to coat. If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss again.
4
In a small saucepan over ^[medium-low heat], melt the butter. Once melted, stir in the paprika and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant and the butter turns a deep red color. Remove from heat immediately.
5
Divide the yogurt-coated penne pasta among serving bowls. Spoon the spiced ground beef generously over the top. Drizzle the warm paprika butter over each bowl and finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve immediately.