This is a decadent, creamy feta pasta with a garlic yogurt sauce – inspired by the viral TikTok Turkish pasta! I recently tried it and became obsessed with garlic yogurt. This is my take on the viral recipe featuring pasta with ground beef, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and of course the delicious yogurt on top.
There is just something about adding garlic Greek yogurt to pasta that checks all the boxes for me! It creates this super creamy pasta and I actually love the cold + warm combination. Plus, it adds some extra protein, calcium and probiotics, too. If you’re a garlic lover, you will absolutely love this recipe.
The best part, though? A little feta cheese! Yes, a little goes a long way and complements the yogurt well. So, yeah, I just had to share this Turkish pasta-inspired creation. If you haven’t tried the original recipe, I highly recommend!
Why I Love This Pasta
- It’s simple, easy, and delicious! This pasta comes together pretty quickly, even with the various components. It’s like a decadent, creamy pasta but without any cream! Definitely for all my fellow garlic lovers, too.
- High in protein and fiber! Each serving has 40 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber (estimated). Artichokes are one of the highest fiber vegetables.
- Probiotics, too. The Greek yogurt contains probiotic strains that help to improve the composition of our gut! Since the yogurt is added on top of the pasta, the bacteria is not destroyed (like if you were to cook it) and helps to create the most creamy, decadent pasta.
Ingredients
Feta Pasta Instructions
The original Turkish pasta recipe does not use feta, adds cherry tomatoes and is topped with a butter sauce. I didn’t include the paprika butter sauce because I just didn’t think it was necessary. Then, I decided to add some feta, sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes. Easy peasy, so delicious and a well-balanced meal!
I made this recipe with my three year old so it is relatively easy to throw together even with young kids getting in your way. It was a little hectic and crazy but turned out amazing! This recipe makes about 5 servings depending on how much pasta you like to eat.
- Heat a pot of salted water over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, add 3 cups of pasta noodles (or more if you prefer) and cook according to package directions. I like to stop the cooking about one minute before the package so they’re more al dente.
- Finely dice an onion and add to a separate pan on medium-high heat along with the ground beef. Cook until the meat is browned and the onions are translucent. Use a paper towel to soak up some of the fat. Season the meat with paprika (I used smoked paprika), salt and pepper.
- While the meat is cooking and the pasta is boiling, add 1 cup of yogurt to a bowl. Peel the garlic cloves and crush them into the yogurt using a garlic press along with 1/2 the juice of a lemon. Add a small pinch of salt. Give it a stir and set aside.
- Dice one can of artichoke hearts.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add it back to the pan on low heat along with the pasta water, artichokes and the sun-dried tomatoes. Squeeze the other half of the lemon onto the pasta as well. The feta can be added, too – or on assembly.
- Assemble the bowls: 1/5th of the pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes, 1/4 cup of yogurt, about 2 tablespoons feta cheese, and hefty amount of ground beef. Stir it altogether and enjoy!
For leftovers, store the Greek yogurt on the side and keep it in the fridge for reassembly. This will maintain the live, active cultures because heating them to a certain temperature kills all the good bacteria. Everything else can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tips for Success
- Try to time the pasta and the ground beef to be done around the same time so everything is warm and ready to assemble.
- Cook the noodles about 1-2 minutes shorter than what the package recommends for the perfect bite.
- Taste test the ground beef and season with your heart if you prefer more flavor. Use whatever seasonings you like!
- If you’re not a huge garlic fan, start with 2 cloves and add more later if needed. Or, use minced garlic instead of crushed! The garlic can be overpowering (I like it, though). If you feel like the garlic is too strong – add 1/2-1 cup of additional yogurt.
- This recipe can be made dairy-free with a plant-based yogurt (Kite Hill has a higher protein, Greek-style) and dairy-free Boursin cheese to replace the feta.
- If this pasta feels too rich, add some diced cherry tomatoes which adds some freshness.
- Customize this pasta however you want! Add your favorite veggies or use marinated chicken breast (even rotisserie). The star here is really just adding yogurt to pasta! Plus, the garlic of course.
Feta Pasta with Garlic Yogurt Sauce {Turkish Pasta Inspired}
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or chicken; use extra lean to decrease fat and calorie content (I used 80/20)
- 3 cups Barilla Protein + Cellentani noodles or preferred noodle
- 1 lemon
- 1/2-3/4 cup feta cheese
- 1 cup plain Chobani Greek yogurt
- 2-3 medium-large garlic cloves, pressed using a garlic press
- 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts, diced small
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes with some of the oil
- 1 large onion, diced small
- Salt, pepper, smoked paprika to taste
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, add 3 cups of pasta noodles (or more if you prefer) and cook according to package directions. I like to stop the cooking about one minute before the package so they're more al dente.
- Finely dice an onion and add to a separate pan on medium-high heat along with the ground beef. Cook until the meat is browned and the onions are translucent. Use a paper towel to soak up some of the fat. Season the meat with paprika (I used smoked paprika), salt and pepper.
- While the meat is cooking and the pasta is boiling, add 1 cup of yogurt to a bowl. Peel the garlic cloves and use garlic press to crush into the yogurt along with 1/2 the juice of a lemon. Add a small pint of salt. Give it a stir and set aside.
- Dice one can of artichoke hearts.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add it back to the pan on low heat along with the pasta water, artichokes and the sun-dried tomatoes. Squeeze the other half of the lemon onto the pasta as well. The feta can be added, too – or on assembly.
- Assemble the bowls: 1/5th of the pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes, 1/4 cup of yogurt, about 2 tablespoons feta cheese, and hefty amount of ground beef. Stir it altogether and enjoy!
Notes
- For leftovers, store the Greek yogurt on the side and keep it in the fridge for reassembly. This will maintain the live, active cultures because heating them to a certain temperature kills all the good bacteria. Everything else can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This meal can be frozen – just make and add the garlic yogurt on when ready to eat!
- If you’re not a huge garlic fan, start with 2 cloves and add more later if needed. Or, use minced garlic instead of crushed! The garlic can be overpowering (I like it, though). If you feel like the garlic is too strong – add 1/2-1 cup of additional yogurt.
- This recipe can be made dairy-free with a plant-based yogurt (Kite Hill has a higher protein, Greek-style) and dairy-free Boursin cheese to replace the feta.
- Use your favorite gluten-free noodles for those who do not eat gluten.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 5 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 552 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 15.9g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat 6.8g | 34% |
| Cholesterol 89mg | 30% |
| Sodium 500mg | 25% |
| Total Carbohydrate 64g | 20% |
| Dietary Fiber 8g | 26% |
| Total Sugars 3g | |
| Protein 40g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 243mg | 19% |
| Iron 3mg | 18% |
| Potassium 432mg | 9% |
What Did You Think?
If you tried this recipe and loved it, please rate and review! It’s definitely unique but I will now be keeping garlic yogurt in my fridge at all times to put on just about anything where it makes sense. So, so good! Hope you enjoy!