Turkish Pasta Ground Turkey (Printable)

Pasta combined with spiced turkey, tangy yogurt sauce, and paprika butter delivers a vibrant taste experience.

# 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)

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 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 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
03 - Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Incorporate ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook 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 - In a bowl, whisk 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 Aleppo pepper (if using), swirling until aromatic without browning. Remove from heat.
07 - Toss drained pasta with turkey mixture, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a silky texture.
08 - Spread a spoonful of yogurt sauce on each plate. Top with pasta and turkey mixture. Drizzle paprika butter over and sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, but tastes like you spent hours layering flavors.
  • The creamy yogurt sauce makes lean turkey feel luxurious without any guilt.
  • One pot of pasta feeds four people, and it's the kind of meal that makes everyone ask for seconds.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water—it's the key to turning a dry mixture into something that actually coats the pasta and feels finished.
  • The paprika butter should smell warm and toasted, never burnt; if it goes dark, start over because that bitterness will undo everything good you've built.
03 -
  • Don't walk away from the butter and paprika stage—that's a 2-minute moment where the magic happens, and it burns faster than you'd expect.
  • Cooking the pasta exactly to al dente is non-negotiable here because it's going to soak up sauce; if it's already soft, it'll turn mushy.
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