Turkish Pasta Ground Turkey (Print version)

Delicious pasta paired with spiced ground turkey, paprika butter, and tangy yogurt for a flavorful main dish.

# What You 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)

# How to Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions 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 the chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and fully cooked.
04 - Season with cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Stir thoroughly and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - In a bowl, 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 Aleppo pepper if using, swirling gently until aromatic without browning. Remove from heat.
07 - Toss the drained pasta with the turkey mixture, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
08 - Spread a generous spoonful of yogurt sauce on each plate. Top with pasta and turkey mixture. Drizzle with paprika butter and sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley. Serve with additional yogurt or lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in 35 minutes but tastes like you spent hours on it.
  • High in protein and feels indulgent without weighing you down.
  • The spiced butter drizzle is pure magic—simple but transforms everything.
  • Works equally well as a weeknight dinner or something impressive for guests.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water—it's what transforms this from dry to silky, and there's no substitute.
  • Let your ground turkey actually brown instead of steaming it; give it a couple of minutes undisturbed in the pan so it develops color and flavor.
  • The paprika butter should smell fragrant but never turn dark brown, or you'll lose that delicate spiced aroma.
03 -
  • Toast your cumin and paprika in the pan for just a few seconds after the turkey cooks—it deepens their flavor without any extra work.
  • Grate your garlic into the yogurt sauce instead of mincing it; the texture is smoother and it incorporates more evenly.
  • Make extra paprika butter and keep it in the fridge—it's incredible on roasted vegetables, eggs, or crusty bread.
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