If you love Turkish mantı but don’t have hours to fold tiny dumplings, this pasta is for you. It has the same flavors as the classic: a savory spiced beef and tomato sauce, cool garlicky yogurt, and a sizzling paprika butter with dried mint. Here they’re piled onto shell pasta that catches every bit of sauce. It’s comforting, a little tangy, a little smoky, and ready in about 40 minutes.
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 small red or green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef or lamb
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (or 1 tbsp tomato paste + 1 tbsp Turkish pepper paste)
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup water or stock
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Garlic Yogurt
- 1½ cups plain whole-milk or Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1–2 garlic cloves, grated
- Pinch of salt
- 1–2 tbsp water, to loosen if needed
Paprika Mint Butter
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (pul biber)
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried mint
Pasta
- 12 oz–1 lb (340–450 g) medium shells (conchiglie), orecchiette or farfalle
Instructions
- Make the garlic yogurt. Stir the yogurt, garlic and salt together until smooth, adding a splash of water if it’s very thick. Leave it at room temperature while you cook so it isn’t fridge-cold.
- Start the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and bell pepper for 5–6 minutes, until soft.
- Brown the meat. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the ground meat and break it up with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 6–7 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Simmer. Add the tomato paste and stir for a minute until it darkens. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, until thick and rich. Stir in most of the parsley.
- Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Drain.
- Make the paprika butter. Just before serving, melt the butter with the olive oil in a small pan. When it foams, take it off the heat and stir in the Aleppo pepper, paprika and dried mint. It should sizzle and turn deep red.
- Assemble. Divide the pasta between bowls. Spoon over the meat sauce, add a generous dollop of garlic yogurt, then drizzle with the hot paprika butter. Finish with the remaining parsley.
Tips for the Best Turkish Pasta
- Use room-temperature yogurt so it doesn’t cool the dish down too much.
- Don’t burn the spices. Take the butter off the heat before adding the paprika and mint.
- Go easy on raw garlic. It gets stronger as the yogurt sits.
- Choose a cupped pasta shape so the sauce and yogurt get trapped inside.
Variations
- Vegetarian: Swap the meat for brown lentils or finely chopped mushrooms.
- Chicken: Use ground chicken or turkey for a lighter version.
- Extra heat: Add a pinch of cayenne to the butter.
Storage
Keep the meat sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Store the yogurt separately. Cook the pasta and make the paprika butter fresh when serving.
FAQ
What is mantı?
Mantı are tiny Turkish dumplings filled with spiced meat, served with garlic yogurt and a red pepper butter sauce. This pasta is a quick, easy way to get the same flavors.
Can I use low-fat yogurt?
You can, but whole-milk yogurt gives a creamier, richer result.
What can I use instead of Aleppo pepper?
Use sweet paprika with a small pinch of red pepper flakes.