Yogurt and Garlic Pasta

Name: Yogurt and Garlic Pasta
Prep time: 11 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Levantine
Ingredients: 400 g short pasta; 2 cups plain yogurt; 2 cloves garlic; 1 tsp mint; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt

Warm pasta with a yogurt, garlic, and mint sauce mixed off the heat so it stays smooth.

Vegetarian

Cooking time: 20 min
Hands-on time: 11 min
Free time: 9 min
Difficulty: Easy
Cuisine: Levantine
Calories: 410
Contains: Dairy, Gluten

The yogurt is not boiled; a little pasta water warms and loosens it before the pasta joins off the heat.

Before you start

Before turning on the heatTake the yogurt from the fridge when starting; ice-cold yogurt may split against hot pasta.
The twenty-minute promiseThe clock runs from the first cut to serving. There is no hidden soak or marinade and no pre-cooked ingredient unless it is clearly labeled canned or ready to eat.

Ingredients

4people

Amounts follow the number of people

For the pasta

400 g short pasta — packet time 9 minutes or less
2 cups plain yogurt — full-fat and at room temperature
2 cloves garlic — finely crushed
1 tsp mint — dried
1 tbsp olive oil — to finish
1 tsp salt — divided

To double the recipe, use a wider pan or bowl and adjust salt, acid, and spices by tasting rather than arithmetic alone.

Equipment

Medium pot with a lid — The pasta water is used to loosen the sauce and bind it to the pasta.
Wide sauce skillet — Set it out before starting so the recipe stays within its short cooking time.

Method

Bring the water to a boil and whisk the yogurt with garlic, mint, and half the salt in a wide bowl.
4 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The sauce ingredients are ready before the pasta goes into the water.
Tip: This is a short recipe; preparing everything first prevents the pasta from overcooking.
Boil the pasta in salted water until just firm, reserving half a cup of the cooking water.
9 minYou can walk away
You’ll know it’s ready when
The pasta is tender outside with a little resistance at the center.
Tip: Drain it a minute before fully cooked because it will finish in the sauce.
Gradually whisk three tablespoons of hot pasta water into the yogurt.
2 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The sauce is warm and smooth with no graininess or separated liquid.
Tip: Keep the heat moderate so garlic does not burn and yogurt does not split.
Add the drained pasta to the yogurt bowl off the heat and toss.
3 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The sauce coats every piece without pooling in the pan.
Tip: Add pasta water a spoonful at a time; excess cannot be taken back out.
Adjust the salt, drizzle with oil, add mint, and serve warm.
2 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The flavor is balanced and the pasta is hot and ready to serve.
Tip: Serve at once; a quick sauce thickens as it stands.