TikTok's Viral Turkish Pasta Is The Perfect Combo Of Creamy And Savory

Creamy, garlicky, and meaty, TikTok's viral Turkish pasta is both deliciously comforting and a breath of fresh air. A combo of noodles and garlic yogurt provide an oh-so-satisfying hot-meets-cold pairing, and the spiced minced meat and toppings make the dish extra hearty. It is so easy to make, and it comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta.

Turkish pasta — also called kiymali garavolli or kiymali makarna — has multiple components that come together in one dish, but they're actually very straightforward. Firstly, choose the best pasta shape for the sauce. Pick something short with a tubed or curved shape to catch plenty of that delicious ground meat, like conchiglie, large macaroni, farfalle, or rigatoni.

@anna..paull

Mamas 10min Turkish Pasta 🇹🇷

♬ original sound – Anna Paul

As for the meat, ground lamb or beef can be used, but for vegetarians, lentils are the ideal ingredient swap for meatless lasagna and work just as well here. The seasonings include salt, cumin, black pepper, sweet paprika, and some diced onion. As the meat cooks down and crisps up, the fat renders out and sizzles the aromatics and spices. There is no garlic in the meat mixture, because that flavor is introduced in the yogurt sauce. The last part is a mixture of melted butter and paprika, but you can also add tatli biber salcasi (Turkish sweet red pepper paste), pul biber (Turkish chile flakes), and/or dried mint for a bit of depth.

In most versions of TikTok's Turkish pasta dish, each part is prepared separately. The plain cooked noodles make up the base layer, and then you spoon on the meat, yogurt, butter, tomatoes, and garnishes. Other versions actually simmer the meat and pasta together. After sauteeing the meat, onions, and spices, you add broth, bay leaves, and the dried noodles to the mix. The result is a bit soupier, and the pasta itself gets infused with the flavor of the spices. 

In addition to the butter and yogurt sauce, you can also make another topping that combines dried mint with grated hellim, aka halloumi cheese. Folks that have tried out this Turkish pasta are making it their own, and you should feel free to do the same, too. Try adding some lemon to the yogurt sauce for extra zing, or crumble on a bit of feta cheese at the end for tanginess. Incorporate some tomato paste into the meat mixture for more richness, or finish off the dish with diced cucumbers for a pleasant crunch that contrasts with the heavy ingredients.

While Turkish pasta is a tasty dish in its own right, it is actually inspired by another classic meal from Turkey: manti. The viral pasta preparation is basically a deconstructed version of these tiny meat-filled dumplings. The dough is made with flour, eggs, and olive oil, and cut into roughly one-inch squares. Each small segment is folded around an oniony beef or lamb mixture to make bite-sized parcels. After boiling, the manti are dressed in a way that should look very familiar if you have tried Turkish pasta: a spiced olive oil or melted butter sauce and lots of garlic-infused yogurt.

While manti is wildly delicious and very special, it is also time-consuming to make. Between the homemade dough and hand folding, you are looking at close to two hours, provided you don't run into any mishaps. The viral Turkish pasta is like the shortcut version, using all of the same enticing flavors, but takes a fraction of the time to prepare. It's a perfect pasta recipe for easy weeknight dinners, while manti might be something you break out to impress dinner party guests or challenge yourself in the kitchen.