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Creamy pasta in a bowl used as a generic garlic-yogurt style pasta image

High-Protein Turkish-Style Garlic Yogurt Pasta

A 30-minute one-pan-and-a-pot dinner: warm spiced ground beef and pasta under a cool garlic yogurt sauce, finished with a paprika butter drizzle.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Turkish-inspired
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and aromatics
  • 1 lb lean ground beef 90/10; 450 g
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt plus more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Garlic yogurt sauce
  • 1 1/4 cups plain Greek yogurt about 300 g; full-fat or 2%
  • 2 cloves garlic finely grated or minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
Paprika butter drizzle
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp chili flakes optional
Pasta
  • 10 oz short or medium pasta 285 g; cavatappi, penne, or rotini; a high-protein or chickpea pasta works as a swap
  • Salt for the pasta water
  • Fresh parsley or dill, and lemon wedges for serving

Equipment

  • Large pot for the pasta
  • Large skillet for the beef
  • Small mixing bowl for the yogurt sauce
  • Small pan or microwave-safe dish for the butter drizzle

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
  2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 2–3 minutes until softened.
  3. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 6–8 minutes.
  4. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 more minute until fragrant, then remove from heat.
  5. While the beef cooks, stir together the Greek yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Let sit at room temperature.
  6. In a small pan or microwave, melt the butter with the smoked paprika and chili flakes until fragrant, about 30–60 seconds.
  7. Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the garlic yogurt sauce, then the spiced beef, then drizzle with the warm paprika butter. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen.
  8. Serve immediately, topped with fresh parsley or dill and a lemon wedge.

Notes

Storage: Store pasta, beef, and yogurt sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat pasta and beef together in a skillet or microwave; add the cold yogurt sauce and a fresh warm butter drizzle after reheating, not before.
Substitutions: Ground chicken or turkey in place of beef (add extra oil to the pan). Thick unsweetened plant-based yogurt for a dairy-free sauce. Cooked lentils or a plant-based ground substitute for a vegetarian version.
Estimated nutrition per serving: approx. 560 calories, 38 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates, 24 g fat. Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary by ingredient brand and serving size.
Protein check: using the ingredients and quantities above, estimated total protein is approximately 152 g for the full recipe, or about 38 g per serving. This estimate uses common product label values for 90/10 ground beef, plain Greek yogurt, and regular pasta; your exact nutrition can vary by brand.