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Arabic Pasta with Ground Beef & Yogurt Sauce Recipe

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Arabic Pasta (Macarona bil Labaneh) layers perfectly cooked pasta with warmly spiced ground beef, creamy yogurt-tahini sauce, and toasted pine nuts. This Middle Eastern comfort food classic delivers restaurant-quality flavor in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • Pasta:
  • 1 lb mafalda corta, penne, or rigatoni
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Spiced Beef:
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp ground allspice (or 7-spice)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 5 tbsp tomato paste
  • Yogurt Sauce:
  • 2½ cups full-fat plain yogurt
  • ½ cup tahini
  • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 tsp dried mint
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Garnish:
  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Chopped parsley

Instructions

  • 1. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, toss with 2 tbsp olive oil. Set aside.
  • 2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium-high. Add onions, cook 5-7 minutes until golden. Add beef, break apart, cook until browned and liquid evaporates (8-10 minutes).
  • 3. Stir in allspice, cinnamon, salt, pepper, tomato paste. Cook 3 minutes until fragrant. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.
  • 4. Whisk yogurt, tahini, garlic, mint, salt, lemon juice until smooth (fork only, no blender). Taste and adjust garlic/salt.
  • 5. Toast pine nuts: heat 2 tbsp oil in small skillet over medium. Add pine nuts, stir constantly 2-3 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels.
  • 6. Assemble: layer pasta, spoon beef mixture over, generously drizzle yogurt sauce, sprinkle pine nuts and parsley.

Notes

  • Full-fat yogurt + tahini = authentic creamy sauce; low-fat separates.
  • Mafalda corta traditional; any short pasta works.
  • Allspice essential or use Arabic 7-spice blend.
  • Room temp yogurt prevents sauce breaking.
  • Leftovers layer beautifully reheats perfectly.

Nutrition

Keywords: arabic pasta, macarona bil labaneh, yogurt tahini pasta beef

Find it online: https://dishfoody.com/arabic-pasta-ground-beef-yogurt-tahini-sauce-recipe/