Description
This Turkish Pasta recipe features farfalle pasta combined with a flavorful ground beef meat sauce, a creamy garlic yogurt sauce, and a spiced butter sauce. Garnished with fresh cherry tomatoes, dried mint, and sumac, this dish offers a comforting and hearty meal that comes together quickly, perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For The Pasta
- 8 ounces pasta, farfalle or any preferred shape
- Kosher salt
For The Meat Sauce
- 1 pound ground beef, 93% lean
- 1 medium 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, halved
- 4 tablespoons dried mint or fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons sumac (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Make Meat Sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef. Cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. 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 meat moist. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare Garlic Yogurt Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Set aside.
- Make Butter Sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add sweet paprika, red pepper flakes, and kosher salt. Stir and cook until butter is fully melted and bubbly. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the Dish: Place cooked pasta in serving bowls. Spoon 4 tablespoons of yogurt sauce over the pasta, top with about ⅔ cup of the cooked meat sauce, then drizzle with a tablespoon or more of the butter sauce. Repeat for remaining servings.
- Add Garnish: Optionally, garnish with halved cherry tomatoes, dried mint or fresh parsley, and sprinkle sumac if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Save some pasta water as a backup to moisten the meat sauce if it becomes too dry during cooking.
- The recipe omits olive oil for sautéing the beef since the meat releases its own oils, but a small amount of olive oil can be added if desired.
- Store leftover components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat and assemble before serving.
- The recipe yields 4 servings and is great for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Farfalle pasta is recommended, but any pasta shape works well with this recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
