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5 from 25 votes

Yogurt Pasta Sauce

Middle Eastern Yogurt Pasta Sauce is easy to make with a flavorful, tangy sauce, featuring garlic, cilantro, mint, and toasted nuts.
Author Diana
Servings 4 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces (225 grams) dried pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, or any other long or short pasta
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
  • ¼ cup (36 grams) pine nuts
  • ¼ cup (36 grams) blanched almonds sliced or silvered
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 ½ cups (220 grams) yogurt natural plain or Greek
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized saucepan, boil water and add salt after it starts boiling. Add your pasta, and cook according to the package instructions to al dente for about 10 minutes. When the pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
  • In a skillet, heat olive oil over low heat and toast the pine nuts until golden while stirring constantly (2-3 minutes). Remove onto a paper towel-lined plate, and repeat with the almonds.
  • To the same skillet, add the garlic and cilantro and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and add in the yogurt, dried mint, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup of reserved pasta water.
  • Whisk everything until combined (add more pasta water if needed), then add the cooked pasta to the yogurt mixture and toss to coat.
  • Serve in a large bowl or platter, and top with the fried nuts. Or divide between plates, and top each with fried nuts.

Notes

  • Use any pasta shape that you like with this creamy sauce. 
  • If you aren't a fan of cilantro, substitute with fresh parsley instead. 
  • Nuts are optional, but I never skip them! They make this dish especially delicious. 
  • If you decide to use two different types of nuts, you'll want to fry them separately, as each type/size of nut will cook at a different rate. 
  • Add some protein, and top your yogurt pasta with seasoned ground beef or ground lamb. 

Nutrition

Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 630mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 2mg