Turkish pasta ground turkey (Printable version)

Pasta paired with spiced ground turkey, tangy yogurt sauce, and paprika-infused butter for a quick, flavorful dish.

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or shells)
02 - Salt, to season boiling water

→ Ground Turkey Mixture

03 - 1 lb lean ground turkey
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
10 - 1 tsp salt

→ Yogurt Sauce

11 - 1 ¼ cups plain Greek yogurt
12 - 1 clove garlic, grated
13 - ½ tsp salt
14 - Juice of ½ lemon

→ Paprika Butter

15 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
16 - 1 tsp sweet or smoked paprika
17 - ½ tsp Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnishes

18 - 2 tbsp fresh dill or parsley, finely chopped
19 - Extra yogurt or lemon wedges (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
03 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Incorporate ground turkey, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and fully cooked.
04 - Stir in ground cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
05 - Whisk together Greek yogurt, grated garlic, salt, and lemon juice until smooth. Set aside.
06 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add paprika and optional Aleppo pepper. Swirl until aromatic but do not brown. Remove from heat.
07 - Toss drained pasta with the turkey mixture, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
08 - Spread yogurt sauce on each plate. Top with pasta and turkey mixture. Drizzle with paprika butter and sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like restaurant food but comes together faster than ordering delivery.
  • The yogurt sauce and spiced butter transform simple pasta into something that tastes like you spent hours on it.
  • High in protein and actually satisfying, not the kind of meal that leaves you hungry an hour later.
  • Works brilliantly as leftovers and reheats without falling apart.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water—it's what transforms this from a pile of ingredients into something cohesive and sauce-clinging.
  • The paprika butter must stay pale and fragrant, not brown; browned butter tastes bitter and ruins the whole balance.
  • Grating the garlic for the yogurt sauce rather than mincing releases more of its pungent essence, making the sauce taste livelier.
03 -
  • For extra richness, use half butter and half olive oil when browning the turkey mixture—it adds depth without heaviness.
  • Don't be afraid of the pasta water; the starch is what makes everything creamy without added cream.
  • Make the yogurt sauce and paprika butter ahead of time; this dish comes together fastest when you're just doing the final toss.
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