Feta Pasta with Garlic Yogurt Sauce {Turkish Pasta Inspired}
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. High in protein and fiber! Makes 4-6 servings, depending on how much pasta you like to eat!
Servings 5 servings
Calories 552kcal
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.
- For lower calories, make smaller portions: recommend 2-2 1/2 cups of pasta!
| 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% |
Nutrition
Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 40g | Sodium: 500mg | Fiber: 8g