Turkish Pasta

This Turkish pasta is my take on the viral TikTok recipe by creator Anna Paul. I layer warm pasta with a spiced ground beef tomato sauce, cool garlicky yogurt, and a sizzling sweet paprika–chili butter drizzle. Everything comes together quickly for a weeknight-friendly dinner that delivers the bold, comforting flavors of Turkish cuisine. This recipe is also often called “yalancı mantı,” meaning “fake” or “cheat” mantı.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword turkish pasta

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 851kcal

Author Julia

Equipment

Large pot
Large skillet
Small saucepan
Box grater

Ingredients

For the Garlic Yogurt Sauce:

2 cups plain yogurt full-fat preferred
2 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon salt

For the Meat Sauce:

1 pound lumache pasta shellbows (see notes)
1¼ pounds ground beef
1 cup sweet onion grated
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup tomato paste see notes
1 cup reserved pasta water

For the Chili Butter:

4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes

Garnish:

1 pint fresh cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
Fresh parsley chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Yogurt Sauce

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, garlic, and salt. Set aside in the fridge.

Make the Meat Sauce

Fill a large pot with water for the pasta. Salt it generously, and bring it to a boil.
Once boiling, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, place the ground beef in a large, cold skillet. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, breaking the meat apart, until it is browned and the fat has rendered. Do not drain.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the grated onion, and cook for 4-5 minutes until very soft.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
Add the cumin, sweet paprika, Aleppo pepper, salt and black pepper to the skillet. Stir constantly for 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the reserved pasta water, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Make the Chili Butter and Assemble

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the paprika and Aleppo pepper and let it sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
Divide the pasta among four plates or bowls. Top each serving with a large dollop of the garlic yogurt, followed by a scoop of the meat sauce. Scatter the fresh cherry tomatoes and chopped parsley over the top. Finish by drizzling the sizzling spiced butter over everything and serve immediately.

Notes

Grating the onion allows it to fully melt into the sauce, giving the sauce a wonderfully smooth consistency that tenderizes the meat.
Reserve your pasta water: The starchy water is perfect for thinning the yogurt sauce if it's too thick, or for adding to the meat sauce.
Don't Burn the Butter: Melt chili butter low and slow, sizzling for just 30 seconds. Overheating will turn it bitter.
Chill Yogurt First: Full-fat yogurt straight from the fridge holds its shape for dolloping; room-temp versions thin out and mix in too much, diluting the creamy contrast.
The layering is key: Serving the components in layers creates a wonderful contrast of hot pasta and meat, yogurt, and fresh toppings. Don't mix it all together beforehand!

Substitutions:

Any short pasta shape like penne, fusilli, or orecchiette works well in place of shellbows.
For a more authentic flavor, use Turkish red pepper paste (biber salçası) instead of tomato paste. It adds a deep, savory, slightly smoky flavor characteristic of Turkish cooking.
Ground lamb can be used in place of ground beef for a more traditional, richer flavor. Ground turkey also works.
If you don't have a sweet onion, use a regular yellow onion.

Storage & reheating:

Store leftovers refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 3 days. It is best to store the components in separate containers, but they will keep for the same amount of time if already mixed together.
Reheating tips: Reheat leftover meat sauce in a pan over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Assemble the dish with fresh pasta and cold yogurt sauce. If reheating a fully assembled portion, do so in 30-second intervals.

Nutrition