Description
This Turkish Pasta recipe combines perfectly cooked farfalle pasta with a flavorful ground beef meat sauce, a tangy garlic yogurt sauce, and a rich spiced butter sauce. Garnished with fresh herbs and cherry tomatoes, it's a comforting and quick weeknight dinner inspired by viral Turkish flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For The Pasta
- 8 ounces pasta, I use farfalle but any shape would work
- Kosher salt
For The Meat Sauce
- 1 pound 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
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes depending on the brand. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking liquid, then drain and set pasta aside.
- Prepare the Meat Sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 pound ground beef. Cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink and it releases its own oils. Add chopped onion, red pepper paste, onion powder, ground cumin, sweet paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir and cook for 5-6 minutes until onions soften and meat is fully cooked. Use reserved pasta water if needed to keep sauce moist. Set aside.
- Make the Garlic Yogurt Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Adjust seasoning to taste and set aside.
- Prepare the Butter Sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sweet paprika, red pepper flakes, and kosher salt. Cook until butter is melted and bubbly, then remove from heat.
- Assemble the Dish: Place cooked pasta in serving bowls. Top each with 4 tablespoons of garlic yogurt sauce and about ⅔ cup of meat sauce. Drizzle with a tablespoon or more of the warm butter sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: Optionally, garnish with halved cherry tomatoes, dried mint or fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of sumac. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water as a backup to loosen the meat sauce if it thickens too much during cooking.
- No olive oil is needed to sauté the beef since it releases enough fat, but you can add a bit if desired for extra richness.
- Store leftover components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat and assemble before serving to maintain texture and flavor.
- The recipe yields 4 servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
