15-Minute Greek Yogurt Pasta with Garlic
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This Greek Yogurt Pasta is a quick, easy, and frugal dish. The unexpected use of Greek yogurt makes this much healthier than pasta with a heavy cream sauce. It’s simple to make, but loaded with flavor – the kids love it!

Incredibly Easy Greek Yogurt Pasta Sauce
I first tasted this Greek yogurt pasta with garlic at our local Greek festival when I was a newlywed, over 30 years ago. There was a cooking demonstration of Greek dishes. Many I was familiar with, and some I was not, including this incredibly easy and delicious pasta dish.
The instructor threw some butter, yogurt and garlic into a saucepan with the cooked pasta, swirled it around, and it was done in just a few minutes.
The tangy yogurt, combined with the butter and garlic, makes a surprisingly delicious pasta sauce. I’ve adjusted it slightly by adding just a touch of lemon juice and zest for a little more tang. I prefer to use high quality, full-fat Greek yogurt, as it has creamy richness that I haven’t found in regular yogurt.
Because this dish is budget friendly, it’s great for an end-of-month meal, or for a there’s-nothing-in-the-fridge meal. Since it’s just pasta, yogurt, butter and garlic, a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese is always a nice addition.
I’ve featured it with regular pasta, but gluten free or low-carb noodles work equally well. You can also make it with macaroni or fusilli, both of which would hold the creamy sauce well.
This recipe uses Parmesan cheese which is similar to Greek Mizithra cheese. You can also use Pecorino Romano or crumbled feta cheese. Whatever you do, don’t use the fake parmesan in the green cylinder.
Making Creamy Pasta with Greek Yogurt
This recipe for pasta with yogurt sauce couldn’t be easier. Once you’ve assembled the minimal ingredients, it’s ready in less than 15 minutes.
Simply cook your pasta to al dente and drain, reserving some pasta water. In the same pan (but while the pasta is draining), heat the butter and cook the garlic just until fragrant.
Once the garlic is golden, stir in the yogurt and add the pasta back to the cooking pot, tossing to coat. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and zest.
Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh chives or parsley.
This Greek yogurt pasta is great for a simple vegetarian meal. Add a classic Greek Salad to get in some vegetables. You can also serve it as a side-dish with Greek Grilled Chicken for a heartier meal.
Looking for more Greek yogurt dinner recipes? Try my Chicken in Yogurt Sauce {Moorgir Rezala} and my Greek Tuna Salad.
This dish was first published on June 8th, 2015 and has been updated with nutritional information.
Greek Yogurt Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta Fettuccine or macaroni
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 16 ounces Greek yogurt full-fat
- 1 small lemon zest and juice about 3 Tablespoons juice
- 2 ounces Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tablespoons fresh chives or parsley for garnish (optional)
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions on package, depending on type of pasta. Make sure to add salt to the water for best results.
- Drain pasta, but do not rinse! Reserve some pasta cooking water.
- In the same pot you cooked the pasta, melt butter over medium heat until melted.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant, but not brown.
- Turn heat to low and add yogurt, stirring to blend. Toss in pasta, stirring to coat pasta. Add reserved pasta water to thin sauce if necessary, 1 Tablespoon at a time.
- Add zest and juice of half a lemon and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with grated cheese and fresh parsley or chives.
Video
Notes
- Use full-fat yogurt for best results
- Use more garlic if desired
- Don’t substitute bottled lemon juice. You won’t get the same flavor.
This sounds really good & different. Quick & easy too ! Contest.
Awesome! Entered!
I have been trying to use up items- in my pantry for a few reasons. Leaving to back up to WA. Trying to down size after all these years of kids- foster kids and life! This is a perfect way for me to use up some yogurt tonight and Noodles! Thank You for this. I will take a pic tonight!
excellent! yes, i have lots of lower carb/gluten free recipes on my site!
Fantastic and very versatile recipe. I made this once and served it with grilled chicken breast and a fresh green salad. The second time I made it, I roasted the garlic with 1/4 cup of feta and cherry tomatoes for 15min. Crushed the roast garlic and just did a very quick fry in butter before stirring in the feta, the yoghurt, the pasta, then adding freshly chopped parsley and the roasted cherry tomatoes. This is a new staple dish of mine. Thanks for the inspiration.
your adaptations sound wonderful!
Nathalie, it seems we had the same idea! I’ve been hearing about the viral roasted cherry tomatoes and feta pasta, but I didn’t have any feta on hand, so I just roasted the cherry tomatoes with some garlic for 30 minutes and then mixed in some yoghurt and pesto. Had some leftovers which I am eating today with some added tuna and garlic and black pepper. Also a delicious variation which I will be making again soon.
sounds yummy! I’ll have to try it!
I substituted butter with margarine and used gluten free noodles and it curdled. Would that be why? I thought it would be ok. The overall taste was good though.
I never cook with margarine so I can’t speak to that. Perhaps the heat was too high?
I thought this comment must be a joke but realized maybe it wasn’t. Please. Please be joking.
Thanks for keeping it simple. I had homemade chicken stock to cook the noodles in, saved all the stock to reuse.
great idea!
yum…. always looking for easy sides! thank you…also entering Contest for tea towel!
you’ll love this pasta! It’s great for a vegetarian main too! Entered!
I’m about to make it- thanks very much- only had yoghurt, lemon and garlic as ingredients left to in my fridge as ingredients so this is perfect 🙂
excellent! it’s a great recipe when the cupboard is bare!
How do you view the measurements in metric?
It should be at the top of the recipe card right next to US customary.
Super yummy and simple! Used Chobani Greek yogurt. Great instructions on heat… (medium to low etc.). And the fresh chives on top is the icing on top! Thanks so much. ^_^
thanks so much!
Amazinggggg!!!!
We have a simpler lebanese version with garlic, yogurt(laban) and dried mint leaves.
thanks! This is pretty simple? I’ll have to try it with mint!