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turkish pasta dish with with ground beef and yogurt.
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Turkish Pasta Dish (with Ground Beef and Yogurt)

Try a cozy Turkish pasta dish that brings together soft beef, zucchini, and pasta for a satisfying meal. What makes it special is the creamy yogurt with a hint of garlic.
Course Main Course, Pasta Recipes
Cuisine Mediterranean, Turkish
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 706kcal
Author Adina

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Frying pan

Ingredients

  • 12.5 oz spaghetti or other pasta shapes, 350 g
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef 450 g, Note 1
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon hot paprika not smoked, to taste, Note 2
  • 1 medium zucchini about 12.5/ 350 g, Note 3
  • 1 ½ tablespoons chopped dill divided
  • 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt 350 g
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • red chili flakes or cayenne pepper, optional, to taste
  • fine sea salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously and add pasta. Cook al dente according to the package’s instructions. Drain well.
    12.5 oz/ 350 g pasta
  • Prepare the rest of the recipe while the pasta cooks.
  • Cook ground beef: Heat the oil in the pan. Add the meat and use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the beef into smaller pieces as it cooks. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 lb/ 450 g ground beef
  • Zucchini: In the meantime, slice the zucchini. If it’s thin, slice it into rounds; if it’s thicker, cut it into half-moons.
    1 medium zucchini (12.5 oz/ 350 g)
  • Add zucchini and paprika to the ground beef in the pan. Stir well and cook for another 8-10 minutes until the beef is cooked through and the zucchini slices are softer (not too soft or mushy).
    1 teaspoon hot paprika OR ½ teaspoon sweet and ½ teaspoon hot paprika
  • Stir in some of the chopped dill, and add salt and pepper to taste.
    1 tablespoon dill + salt and pepper to taste
  • Garlic yogurt: Grate the garlic cloves and add them to the yogurt. Stir to combine; add the remaining dill and salt and pepper to taste.
    2 garlic cloves + 1 ½ cups/ 350 g Greek yogurt + ½ tablespoon dill + salt and pepper to taste
  • Serve immediately. Divide the pasta between four plates, top with the beef sauce, and then with yogurt. If desired, sprinkle the yogurt with red chili flakes or a little cayenne pepper.

Notes

  1. Ground meat: Ground lamb is a great alternative.
  2. Paprika: I use unsmoked, hot paprika powder. It’s preferable to use it to taste as some brands can be spicier than others. If 1 teaspoon is too hot for you, use ½ a teaspoon hot paprika and ½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder.
  3. Replace zucchini with other vegetables like peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, peas, or spinach. Only add peas or spinach during the last 3-4 minutes of the cooking process.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion from 4 | Calories: 706kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 752mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 4mg