Turkish Yogurt Pasta Comfort (Printable Version)

Creamy garlic yogurt coats al dente pasta, finished with aromatic spiced butter and fresh herbs.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 ounces dried fusilli or penne pasta
02 - 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)

→ Yogurt Sauce

03 - 1 2/3 cups plain full-fat Turkish or Greek yogurt
04 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Spiced Butter

06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
10 - 1/4 teaspoon dried mint (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley (optional)

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of pasta water, then set pasta aside.
02 - Whisk together yogurt, minced garlic, and salt in a medium bowl. Thin with reserved pasta water as needed for a smooth, creamy consistency.
03 - Melt butter with olive oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add paprika, Aleppo pepper, and dried mint if using. Stir and cook until butter is foamy and fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
04 - Toss warm pasta with the yogurt sauce until evenly coated. Divide into serving bowls.
05 - Drizzle spiced butter over each serving. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 25 minutes but tastes like you fussed over it all afternoon.
  • The contrast of cool, tangy yogurt against the warm, spiced butter is genuinely addictive.
  • One pot of boiling water and three tiny bowls—cleanup is almost as easy as eating it.
02 -
  • Cold yogurt added to warm pasta will seize up—it needs to be at room temperature or you'll end up with little clumps instead of a smooth sauce.
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon; even a tablespoon or two can transform thick yogurt into something that clings to every noodle instead of sitting in lumps at the bottom.
  • Timing is everything—assemble this dish in under a minute once everything is cooked, or the residual heat will break the yogurt and it'll start to look separated and sad.
03 -
  • Room-temperature yogurt is your secret to a silky sauce—cold yogurt seizes and becomes grainy when it meets warm pasta, so pull it from the fridge while you're cooking.
  • The reserved pasta water is liquid gold; even 1 tablespoon can rescue a sauce that's too thick, so don't be shy about using it.
  • Never let the spiced butter sit—drizzle it while it's still warm and foamy for maximum impact and flavor dispersal.
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