Turkish pasta with ground turkey (Printable Version)

Tender pasta and spiced ground turkey meld with a creamy yogurt sauce and aromatic paprika butter.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried penne, fusilli, or shells
02 - Salt for 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)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. 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 until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and fully cooked.
04 - Mix 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 in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
06 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add paprika and Aleppo pepper (if using), swirling until aromatic but not browned. Remove from heat.
07 - Toss drained pasta with the turkey mixture, adding reserved pasta water gradually to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
08 - Spread a spoonful of yogurt sauce onto each plate. Top with pasta and turkey mixture. Drizzle with paprika butter and sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, yet feels restaurant-quality on the plate.
  • The yogurt sauce is genuinely creamy without any heavy cream, making it feel lighter than it tastes.
  • Ground turkey keeps the dish lean and high in protein without sacrificing any flavor or richness.
  • Turkish spices transform ordinary pasta into something that tastes adventurous and unfamiliar, in the best way.
02 -
  • Don't drain your pasta water until you actually need it; this starchy liquid is what transforms the dish from separate components into something silky and cohesive.
  • The yogurt sauce needs to be made ahead of time so it's at room temperature when you serve, preventing it from breaking if you add it to hot pasta directly.
  • Paprika butter is worth the extra step because it adds a layer of flavor and richness that you simply cannot replicate by stirring paprika into the turkey.
  • Taste the turkey mixture before adding salt; you may need less than the recipe suggests depending on how salty your onion was.
03 -
  • Warm your serving bowls or plates under hot water before plating; this keeps the yogurt sauce at its silkiest and the pasta perfectly warm.
  • If you can't find Aleppo pepper, smoked paprika alone is completely sufficient, or a tiny pinch of cayenne for subtle heat without much flavor change.
  • Save extra paprika butter in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks; it's incredible drizzled on roasted vegetables, bread, or even scrambled eggs.
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