Lebanese Yogurt Pasta

Lebanese Yogurt Pasta

A beloved Middle Eastern comfort dish featuring tender pasta tossed in a garlicky, lemony yogurt sauce, topped with crispy spiced ground beef and toasted pine nuts. This viral Lebanese classic — known as 'macarona bil laban' — is creamy, tangy, and deeply satisfying, all on the table in under 40 minutes.

4 servings · Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min · Total 35 min

Middle Eastern · Dinner · Main Course

Main

  • 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta or any short pasta
  • rigatoni pasta
  • any short pasta

Yogurt Sauce

  • 2 cup full-fat plain yogurt room temperature
  • 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 0.5 tsp salt

Spiced Beef

  • 0.75 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 tsp Lebanese 7-spice (baharat) or a mix of allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper
  • a mix of allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Garnish

  • 3 tbsp pine nuts toasted
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

  • Stovetop
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Skillet
  • Pot
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Platter
  • Serving Platter
  • Whisk
  • Knife
  • Serving Platters (Large)
  • Tongs
  • Cutting Board
  • Mixing Bowl (4 Quarts)
  • Colander

Instructions

  1. Bring a large #[Pot] of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the @[Penne Pasta] according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Drain and set aside.
  2. While the pasta cooks, whisk together the @[Plain Yogurt], @[Garlic] minced, @[Lemon Juice], and @[Salt] in a large #[Mixing Bowl] until smooth. Set aside at room temperature — do not refrigerate, as cold yogurt can seize when it hits hot pasta.
  3. Heat @[Olive Oil] in a #[Skillet] over ^[medium-high heat]. Add the diced @[Yellow Onion] and sauté for ~[3–4 minutes] until softened and golden. Add the @[Lean Ground Beef], breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook for ~[6–8 minutes] until browned and cooked through. Stir in the @[Baharat], @[Cinnamon], and @[Salt]. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  4. In a dry #[Skillet] over ^[medium heat], toast the @[Pine Nuts] for ~[2–3 minutes], stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Watch carefully — they burn quickly. Remove from heat immediately.
  5. Add the hot drained @[Penne Pasta] to the @[Plain Yogurt] sauce and toss quickly to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and stir until silky. Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Spoon the spiced @[Lean Ground Beef] mixture over the top, then scatter the toasted @[Pine Nuts] and @[Fresh Parsley] over everything. Serve immediately.