Turkish Pasta (Viral TikTok Recipe)

This delicious Turkish pasta recipe is going viral on TikTok! It's a take on the classic Turkish dumpling recipe, manti. However, this dish is much easier to make (some people even call it cheat manti)!

You'll make a delightful ground beef or lamb sauce with onions and spices, a garlicky yogurt topping, and a spiced butter sauce.

This viral recipe was shared by Anna Paul - it's a family dish her mom often makes!

Recipe Features

• A fantastic take on a classic Turkish dish that's hearty, flavorful, and filling!
• Easy to make ahead of time and save for several days in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this fantastic pasta!

• Pasta - I recommend using Farfalle pasta (bowtie pasta), but any chunky pasta will work!
• Ground Meat - you can use ground lamb or beef. I used lamb because I wanted a more authentic Turkish flavor, but it can be harder to find than ground beef.
• Onion - you'll use one medium yellow onion to season the meat. You can substitute this for a white onion as well.
• Seasonings - you'll use onion powder, salt, paprika (sweet paprika, not smoky), ground black pepper, and curry powder. You can also optionally use Aleppo pepper and ground cumin in the butter sauce.
• Greek Yogurt - you could also use Turkish yogurt (they are very similar), but I find Greek yogurt easier to find!
• Fresh Garlic - to season the yogurt sauce. If you don't have garlic cloves, you can swap this for garlic powder.
• Unsalted Butter - you'll melt this to create a delicious sauce.
• Toppings - sliced cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes), chopped fresh parsley (or cilantro).

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package directions. 

Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, add the ground beef to a hot pan over medium high heat. Break the meat up with the back of a spoon. Then add the onion powder, paprika, black pepper, curry powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Then add the onion and stir again. Cook for 10 minutes or until the meat has browned and crispy. 

Step 3: Add the yogurt, salt, and garlic in a bowl. Stir till fully combined.

Step 4: Add the butter to a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the paprika and, if using, the Aleppo pepper and cumin. Whisk to combine and remove from the heat.

To assemble the dish, add some pasta to a bowl or plate, then top with some cooked meat, yogurt sauce, and butter sauce, and sprinkle on parsley and tomatoes. 

Tips

Cooking Tips - while this recipe is quick to make, you have to assemble multiple parts at the same time, so have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking!

Specialty Ingredients - the butter sauce calls for Aleppo pepper, which is a wonderful Middle Eastern spice that's lightly spicy and tomatoey. You don't have to use it in this dish if you don't have it, but if you want to try it out I think it's a great spice to have in your pantry! You can add it to eggs, chili, or use it in cilbir.

Make Ahead & Storage

• To Make Ahead - cook the meat sauce up to 3 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Store separately from cooked pasta, yogurt, and butter sauce.
• Storage - Leftovers can be stored for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If making ahead, store components (meat, yogurt, pasta) separately if possible.
• Reheat - Reheat in the microwave in 1-minute increments until the desired temperature is reached.

Variations

• Add dried mint to the butter sauce for a more authentic flavor.
• You can substitute the butter for olive oil if you'd prefer.
• You can add chopped cucumbers to this dish.

More Viral TikTok Recipes

• Viral TikTok Onion Boil Recipe
• California Roll Cucumbers
• Viral TikTok Egg Flight

If you try this recipe, leave a comment and star rating below!