Pasta paired with ground turkey, rich yogurt sauce, and paprika butter captures bold Turkish flavors.
# What you'll need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz dried pasta (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)
# Preparation steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
03 - Add ground cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt to the turkey mixture. Stir well and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, grated garlic, salt, and lemon juice until smooth. Set aside.
05 - Melt unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add paprika and Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes if using, swirling gently until aromatic but not browned. Remove from heat.
06 - Toss the drained pasta with the seasoned turkey mixture, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky texture.
07 - Spread a generous spoonful of yogurt sauce on each plate. Top with the pasta and turkey mixture. Drizzle with paprika butter and sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley. Serve with extra yogurt or lemon wedges if desired.
