Turkish Pasta Paprika Butter (Printable)

A vibrant dish of noodles with garlicky yogurt and spicy paprika chili butter finished with fresh herbs.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz dried pasta (tagliatelle or spaghetti)
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Garlicky Yogurt

03 - 14 oz full-fat Greek yogurt
04 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)

→ Paprika Chili Butter

07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter (60 g)
08 - 1 tbsp olive oil
09 - 1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
10 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
11 - 1/4 tsp ground cumin (optional)

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tbsp fresh dill or parsley, finely chopped
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Combine Greek yogurt, minced garlic, salt, and optional lemon juice in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside at room temperature.
03 - Melt butter and olive oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir in paprika, chili flakes, and optional cumin. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and vibrant orange-red color develops, then remove from heat.
04 - Toss drained pasta with reserved pasta water to loosen. Divide pasta onto plates.
05 - Top pasta with generous spoons of garlicky yogurt. Drizzle warm paprika chili butter evenly over each serving.
06 - Sprinkle chopped fresh dill or parsley and freshly ground black pepper over the dish. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers restaurant-level flavor with pantry staples and less than half an hour of your time.
  • The contrast between cool tangy yogurt and hot spiced butter creates an addictive, layered taste you'll crave on repeat.
  • It's endlessly adaptable—add greens, swap herbs, dial the heat up or down without losing the magic.
02 -
  • Don't let the paprika butter sit over heat too long or it turns bitter and loses its vibrant color, pull it off the moment it smells toasty.
  • Keep the yogurt at room temperature before mixing it in, cold yogurt can seize up and clump when it hits hot pasta.
  • Reserve that pasta water—its starch is what makes the sauce cling instead of sliding off the noodles.
03 -
  • Use a pasta shape with nooks and ridges if you have it—the yogurt and butter cling better and every bite is more flavorful.
  • Bloom your spices in the butter just until fragrant, not a second longer, that's where the magic lives and burns can ruin it fast.
  • Taste your yogurt mixture before you plate—if it feels flat, add a pinch more salt or another squeeze of lemon to wake it up.
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