Turkish Pasta Recipe

By The Modern Nonna

on Dec 04, 2024

5 from 6 votes
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When I saw Anna Paul’s Turkish Pasta Recipe going viral on TikTok, the Bulgarian 🇧🇬 in me jumped for joy. It’s essentially deconstructed Turkish Manti and features an iconic meat and yogurt flavor combo that’s a staple in Bulgaria. The tangy yogurt perfectly balances the richness of the meat, while the buttery paprika sauce takes me straight back to the Turkish eggs we make back home 🤤.

Table of Contents

All in all, I just knew this recipe would be a banger, so I had to give it a try. And let me tell you, it did 👏 NOT 👏 disappoint 👏. I’m already a pasta fiend, and unfortunately for my fitness goals, this pasta dish has officially been added to my pasta roster and may even be a top 3 contender 🏅 —THAT’S how good it is!

A bowl of turkish pasta topped with seasoned ground beef, sliced cherry tomatoes, dollops of sour cream, and chopped fresh herbs. The dish is served with a spoon on a light-colored plate.

Why You’ll Love This Turkish Pasta Recipe

This Turkish Pasta Recipe is blowing up for a reason. It’s giving flavor; it’s giving texture; it’s giving depth – it’s giving everything it needs to give in order for you to become completely obsessed with it, make it so often that you get sick of it, only to crave it again a few days later and repeat the same cycle (I know I’m not the only one 😌).

If you’ve never experienced the yogurt and meat pairing that’s at the heart of this recipe, now’s your moment! Trust me, this combo is unmatched, and these two ingredients complement each other so well 👌. The yogurt sauce is both creamy and tangy, providing a cooling contrast to the crispy, savory ground meat. The pasta acts as a neutral base, soaking up all those delicious flavors, while the buttery paprika sauce drizzled on top brings everything together with a rich, smoky finish 😮‍💨. This is one viral dish you absolutely don’t want to miss!

How to Prepare

🔪 Start by using a sharp knife to finely chop an onion, finely chop the parsley, mince three cloves of garlic, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Set all aside.

🥩 In a large pan, on medium-high heat, add the ground meat without any oil.

🧂 Break it up with a spoon and add in the salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder.

🔥 Cook for a few minutes, add in the finely chopped onion, and cook until the meat “pops” and has browned. Set aside.

A hand holds a small white dish with spices: garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper over a skillet with browned ground beef. Steam rises from the skillet, suggesting that it's hot and actively cooking.
A black skillet filled with cooked ground beef topped with chopped white onions. The mixture is being prepared on a stovetop, with the onions yet to be stirred into the beef.
Close-up of a wooden spoon holding cooked ground beef mixed with chopped onions in a black skillet. The beef is browned and slightly textured, while the onions are soft and translucent.

🧄 Now, add plain yogurt, minced garlic, and salt to a mixing bowl and stir together. Taste and adjust the salt as needed. Set aside.

🧈 In a small pot on the stove, add the butter and melt. Add in the paprika, cook for about a minute, and then remove from the heat.

A bowl of white yogurt with finely chopped garlic. A golden measuring spoon holds pink salt, ready to be added to the mixture. The bowl sits on a light wooden surface with soft shadows.
A tablespoon of red spice is being poured into a saucepan containing melted butter, set on a light-colored wooden surface. The sunlight casts gentle shadows across the scene.
Bright orange liquid being poured into a red bowl on a wooden surface, showcasing the vivid color and smooth texture of the liquid.

💧 Cook the pasta in a large pot as per the package instructions.

🥣 When the pasta has cooked, add it to a bowl with some of the garlic yogurt on top, followed by the ground meat.

🍅 Next top with the halved cherry tomatoes and finely chopped parsley. To finish off the Turkish Pasta, we add a drizzle of the butter and paprika sauce. Enjoy!

Bowl of pasta shells topped with a dollop of cream sauce. The background shows a cozy room with a pile of logs, candles, and festive decorations. Sunlight streams in, casting shadows on the table.
A bowl of shell pasta topped with a creamy white sauce is being garnished with cooked minced meat from a spoon, set on a light wooden table with a cozy indoor setting in the background.
A finished bowl of Turkish Pasta which features chopped tomatoes, ground meat, and sprinkled herbs. A spoon drizzles a golden sauce over the dish, enhancing its appeal. The background includes candles and wooden decor, adding a cozy atmosphere.

Nonna’s Tip 🍝

You can use whatever ground meat you love in this Turkish Pasta recipe, but keep in mind the fat content. If you’re using ground turkey or chicken you will significantly reduce the calories per serving, but make sure you add a touch of oil to the pan.

A bowl of Turkish pasta with creamy sauce, topped with seasoned ground meat, cherry tomato halves, and fresh parsley. The dish is served in a light-colored bowl with a spoon. Sunlight casts a warm glow over the meal.

Variations and Substitutions for Turkish Pasta Recipe

  1. Use whatever ground meat you love in this Turkish Pasta recipe: 🥩 ground beef, pork, lamb, turkey, chicken, or a blend all work!
  2. Make this recipe vegetarian by using your favorite plant-based ground instead of meat. You could also try using crumbled tofu, chickpeas, or lentils as well.
  3. Add some 🌶️ heat to this Turkish pasta recipe by adding a pinch of chili flakes to the butter sauce or by increasing the amount of paprika. You can also mix in some cayenne pepper with the ground meat.
  4. Absolutely use your favorite gluten-free pasta in this recipe as well.
  5. Amp up the veggie content by adding in some diced and sautéed zucchini, bell peppers, or 🥬 spinach.

Similar Recipes

What to do with leftover Yogurt Sauce

If you have a bit of leftover yogurt sauce from this Turkish Pasta recipe, there are so many ways to put it to good use! It’s nice and tangy and has a great punch from the 🧄 garlic, too. You could absolutely use it as a dip for fresh veggies or 🫓 pitas, you could thin it out with some olive oil and lemon juice and use it as a salad dressing, or you could even use it as a nice marinade for chicken or lamb. Drizzle some over hot, roasted potatoes, use it as a sandwich spread, or as a dressing in a grain bowl. Honestly, this is so good, double the recipe and use it all week!

Best Served With

Common Questions

can I make this recipe vegetarian?

Yes, you can certainly use your favorite plant-based ground in this recipe. You could even try using a lentil or legume, as well.

What kind of yogurt works best for the sauce?

Plain, full-fat yogurt provides a rich and creamy texture, but low-fat or Greek yogurt can also be used.

Can I use ground turkey or chicken in this Turkish pasta recipe?

Yes, you can use whatever ground meat you love. If you’re using ground turkey or chicken you will significantly reduce the calories per serving. However, make sure you add a touch of oil to the pan as lean meats don’t release as much fat when cooking. 

can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Yes, feel free to use a non-dairy yogurt here as well. Just make sure it’s plain and as thick as you can find.

can I make this with gluten-free pasta?

Yes, you can totally adapt this Turkish Pasta recipe to use gluten-free pasta. Just follow the cooking directions on the package.

A bowl of pasta with creamy sauce, topped with seasoned ground meat, cherry tomato halves, and fresh parsley. The dish is served in a light-colored bowl with a spoon. Sunlight casts a warm glow over the meal.

Turkish Pasta Recipe

This viral TikTok Turkish Pasta Recipe will have you in a chokehold. The garlicky yogurt sauce mixed with the butter sauce is chefs kiss!
5 from 6 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Turkish
Makes: 4 bowls
Author: The Modern Nonna
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Equipment

Measuring Cups + Spoons
Nakiri Knife
Cutting Board
Large Sauté Pan
Mixing Bowls
Medium Pot
Large Pot

Ingredients 

The Meat

  • 454 grams ground beef , any ground meat
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder , to taste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • salt , to taste
  • 1 pinch pepper
  • 1 onion, finely diced

Yogurt Sauce

  • 1.5 cups yogurt , plain
  • ½ teaspoon salt , to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced

Butter Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • ½ teaspoon sweet paprika , or less

Additional Ingredients

  • 350 grams pasta , any pasta you like
  • cherry tomatoes , halved
  • chopped parsley , to taste

Instructions 

  • In a large pan, on medium-high heat, add in the ground meat without any oil. Break it up with a spoon and add in the salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder. Cook for a few minutes, add in the finely chopped onion and cook until the meat "pops" and has browned. Set aside

Yogurt Sauce

  • Now, mix the plain yogurt with garlic and salt. Taste and adjust the salt as needed. Set aside.

Butter Sauce

  • In a small pot on the stove, add the butter and melt. Add in the paprika and cook for about a minute. Take it off the heat and start on the pasta.

The Pasta

  • Cook the pasta on the stove as per the package instructions. I like to cook it in boiling salted water.
  • When the pasta has cooked, add it to a bowl with some of the garlic yogurt on top, followed by the ground meat.
  • Next add in halved cherry tomatoes and finely chopped parsley. To finish it off, we add a drizzle of the butter and paprika sauce. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 788kcal, Carbohydrates: 74g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 123mg, Sodium: 507mg, Potassium: 719mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 811IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 168mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Turkish
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Hi! I'm Sneji. Nice to meet you!

I am more commonly known as “The Modern Nonna” on social media where I create easy home cooked meals with a modern twist. I was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria and learned how to cook at the best culinary school in the world – my grandma’s kitchen. I lived in Greece on the Island of Crete with my parents for a while and then moved to Toronto, Canada when I was in grade 5. I started to really cook and experiment with food 11 years ago when I was 21 years old. Everything I currently know is a reflection of some part of my life…

More about me

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5 from 6 votes

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12 Comments

  5. 5 stars
    I saw this on Tik Tok and immediately wanted to see if I could find a written recipe! This is so different (for me!) and delicious! It has been so cold where I am, and this was the perfect meal to warm up to for a cozy, at home evening! Highly recommend!

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    My family loves to eat turkey…granted we are not Turkish BUT we loved this recipe so much! It exploded in my mouth with flavor that I never had before! 🧨

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    I’m usually weary of viral recipes, but honestly this one really had it all. These are flavours and textures I never would’ve put together, but they work so well together. I LOVED the creamy yogurt sauce…that put it over the edge for me. Winner!

    Reply