If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok lately, you’ve probably come across the viral “Turkish Pasta Recipe” from social media star Anna Paul. After diving more into the history of this dish, I learned that some from Turkey refer to this dish as “Yalancı Mantı”, or “fake dumplings”. This savory dish combines a creamy garlic yogurt sauce, tomato paste, sweet paprika, ground lamb or beef, and a buttery chili oil drizzle layered on top of pasta that’s both comforting and bursting with flavor.
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I’ve made this tasty dish 3 times now tweaking this recipe along the way. In this blog, I will not only show you how to recreate this viral TikTok recipe step-by-step, but I will also share the cultural roots of yalancı mantı and why this is one of many Turkish recipes that deserves to be in regular rotation for dinner.
Viral Turkish Pasta Recipe
What made this Turkish pasta dish go absolutely viral on TikTok? Beyond its simplicity and incredible taste, yalancı mantı is a modern deconstructed twist on a beloved Turkish dumpling classic called mantı. These Turkish dumplings are traditionally filled with spiced meat and served with a yogurt-based sauce. Anna Paul’s version is a “cheat manti” and simplifies this dish without compromising on flavor, making it perfect for busy home cooks who want something quick and affordable. After making this dish a few times for my family, I find that this dish is delightfully delicious!
WATCH: Viral Turkish Pasta Recipe Video
I’ve made this tasty dish 3 times now tweaking this recipe along the way. In this blog, I will not only show you how to recreate this viral TikTok recipe step-by-step, but I will also share the cultural roots of yalancı mantı and why this is one of many Turkish recipes that deserves to be in regular rotation for dinner.
What is Turkish Pasta?
To appreciate yalancı mantı, let’s start with the history of the traditional Turkish mantı. Mantı is a small homemade dumpling, which reminds me of an Italian ravioli or Asian dumpling. Once the pasta for the dumpling is made, it is filled with spiced ground meat and meticulously folded by hand. These delicate dumplings are cooked briefly in boiling water and served with a tangy garlicky yoghurt sauce, finished with a drizzle of spiced butter and chili oil (which is a delicious Turkish style meat sauce).
In Turkish, yalancı means “fake” or “faux,” and mantı refers to these delicious dumplings. Since this recipe does not call for homemade dumplings and just the simple use of pasta, Yalancı mantı is a creative nickname for this TikTok – make of a dish. The recipe shown on TikTok by Anna’s mom is still paying homage to its rich heritage, bridging the gap between authentic Turkish flavors and modern kitchen convenience.
Turkish Pasta Recipe Ingredients
Before we dive in, here’s what you’ll need to make this creamy, garlicky, and spicy dish. Most of these ingredients are pantry staples, making it easy to try today!
Turkish Pasta Main Ingredients:
- Pasta (penne, bowtie, shells, or any small short pasta shape)
- 16 oz of ground meat (ground beef or ground lamb)
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 onion, shredded
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- Fresh parsley (for garnish, optional)
Garlic Yogurt Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or plain regular yogurt)
- 2-4 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt, to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)
- Pasta Water
Butter Sauce Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes, red pepper flakes, or sweet paprika
How to Make The Viral Turkish Pasta
STEP 1: Make the Garlic Yogurt Sauce – Mix Greek yogurt, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Set aside at room temperature so it’s ready for serving.
STEP 2: Prep Pasta and Veggies – Boil salted water in a pot and cook your pasta until al dente. While it cooks, dice cherry tomatoes, shred onion, and chop parsley. Drain pasta, reserving some pasta water.
STEP 3: Cook the Meat and Butter Sauce – Brown ground beef or lamb with onion and spices (paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt) until cooked through. In another pan, melt butter and mix with tomato paste and red pepper for a rich, savory drizzle.
STEP 4: Assemble and Serve – Layer pasta, garlic yogurt sauce, spiced ground meat, and butter sauce in a bowl. Garnish with fresh parsley and tomatoes. Serve warm.
Viral Turkish Pasta Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta: You want your pasta to have a little bit of bite! Therefore, al dente pasta holds up better when mixed with the meat mixture, tangy yogurt sauce.
- Bring the Yogurt to Room Temperature: Cold yogurt can curdle when mixed with warm pasta. Be sure to prep the garlic yogurt sauce first and let it sit out for a bit before combining with warm ingredients.
- Don’t Worry if You Do Not Have Sweet Paprika: I tried this recipe with sweet paprika and without. Don’t worry if about having sweet paprika on hand for this recipe. Anna Paul’s mother added it to her butter sauce, however I learned from other cooks and from my own experimentation that adding tomato paste to the butter adds way more flavor than sweet paprika.
- Customize the Spice: Adjust the chili flakes or use smoked paprika for a milder kick to your liking for the paprika butter sauce.
- Use Fresh Herbs: Please avoid dry parsley or mint for this dish. Use fresh veggies and herbs for this dish. The bright flavors of chopped parsley and/or mint make this dish stand out.
- Have Fun With Your Toppings: If you enjoy brine type flavors, I recommend adding tangy feta on top of your Turkish pasta dish as well!
- Make it Protein-Packed: Add ground beef, shredded chicken, or chickpeas for extra protein and a gluten-free pasta to add this to your list of healthy recipes. I also shredded my onions vs adding a diced onion so the onion flavors could blend seamlessly into the meat.
- Don’t Overcook the Meat – I also recommend avoiding the “crunchy meat” recommendation from Anna Paul. Once the meat is a dark brown color, remove and turn off the heat. The meat will continue cooking and overcooking the ground meat will kill the flavors in this dish.
What to Serve With This Turkish Pasta Dish
This TikTok Turkish Pasta (Yalancı Mantı) is rich, flavorful, and hearty on its own, but you can round out your meal with a few simple sides:
How to Store Leftover Turkish Pasta
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the pasta, meat mixture, yogurt sauce, and butter sauce separate if possible to maintain texture.
Reheat: Warm the pasta and meat gently in a skillet or microwave. Drizzle with a splash of water or broth to loosen it up. Reheat the butter sauce separately, then assemble.
Yogurt Sauce: Keep the garlic yogurt sauce cold; add it fresh after reheating the pasta to keep its creamy consistency.
Freezing: Not recommended, as yogurt-based sauces can separate and change texture.
Viral Turkish Pasta Recipe – Yalanci Manti
Ingredients
Main Dish
- 16 oz ground meat (ground beef or ground lamb)
- 12 oz Pasta (penne, bowtie, shells, or any small short pasta shape)
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, diced small
- 1 onion, shredded
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
- salt to taste, around 1/2 tsp
- pasta water
Butter Sauce
- 4 tbsp butter, salted
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 tsp red pepper
Instructions
- Start off by making your garlic yogurt sauce first so it has time to come to room temperature. To make, simply combine 1 cup of greek yogurt, 2-4 cloves of minced garlic, and a dash of salt to taste. Mix and set aside at room temperature.
- Take a medium pot, bring salted water to boil over medium heat. As water comes to a boil, clean, and chop all herbs and vegetables – 1.5 cups of cherry tomatoes, 1 onion shredded, 4 cloves of garlic, and fresh parsley chopped. Set aside all prepped fresh ingredients.
- Take a pan, warm over medium heat. Add 16 oz ground meat, minced onions, 1/2 tablespoon onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook and combine until dark brown. Do not overcook the ground meat until it is "crunchy" as Anna Paul suggested, this causes the meat to lose flavor. As beef is browning, add 12 oz of pasta to water. Cook until al dente. Take a few spoonfuls of pasta water and add this to your greek mixture to loosen up the garlic yogurt sauce.
- Remove cooked ground meat from heat, and drain al dente pasta. Now you're ready to make the savory butter sauce – In a small sauce pan, melt 4 tbsp of butter, mix in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, and 1/3 tsp of red pepper for extra spice. If you do not like spicy dishes, you can substitute the red pepper for paprika or smoked paprika. Your dish is now ready to assemble and serve.
- To assemble your dish, take a large bowl, layer on – (1) Cooked Pasta, (2) Savory Garlic Yogurt Sauce (3) Ground Meat and Onions (4) Drizzle on Butter Sauce (5) Garnish with Tomatoes and Parsley. Serve and Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Give this Turkish Pasta Recipe a Try For Lunch or Dinner!
Have you tried this viral recipe yet? If so, let me know how it turned out for you in the comments below! And if you think this is one of your favorite new best dinner recipes, don’t forget to share this blog with a friend who’s always looking for their next go-to dish. I truly enjoyed making this recipe countless times, and I look forward to adding more Turkish cuisine to Elicit Folio. If you need additional dinner inspo, be sure to visit our dinner page here on the blog.
I love how it takes the traditional Turkish recipe and makes it quick, easy and perfect for weeknights. The combination of pasta, yogurt sauce and butter drizzle is heaven sent.
Sounds very interesting. I haven’t made a tiktok recipe in a while, but the ones we have tried have been good. This looks delicious, and sounds a bit similar to our taco salads.
This Turkish pasta recipe sounds absolutely delicious! I’ve never had Turkish food before, but this might just be the perfect dish to start with. The flavors sound so unique and comforting, and I can’t wait to try making it.
Such amazing ingredients and recipe that blend in our mouth,so tasty and flavorful, delicious