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Pasta with Yogurt Sauce

Sep 3, 2019 · 10 Comments

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Bowl of macarona billaban over a white kitchen cloth with a spoon in it

One of the simplest meals in Middle Eastern cuisine, this is a pasta with yogurt sauce made with a cold 3 ingredient yogurt sauce, topped with Middle Eastern spiced meat, pine nuts, and chopped parsley. It’s so good, and ridiculously simple.

What is this Middle Eastern pasta with yogurt sauce?

We call this Macarona Billaban which literally translates to yogurt macaroni. So what is macarona billaban? A very simple dish of cooked pasta that’s tossed with yogurt sauce with a good hint of garlic, usually topped with spiced minced meat.

To finish it off, I find toasted pine nuts to be essential, as well as a big handful of fresh chopped parsley.

What makes this pasta with yogurt sauce so good?

It’s the Middle Eastern equivalent of macaroni and cheese, but sorry to say it-SO MUCH BETTER.

Macarona billaban is so much lighter so you can eat a lot more of it. It’s way healthier too!

It’s the dinner of a busy mom who had no time in the kitchen that day, or one with really picky kids who barely eat anything.

A meal I ate so many times growing up, but it remained special each and every time. It’s also one of the meals my dad (who wasn’t usually in the kitchen) made us, when we’d be whining that we were hungry and there was no time to think about a more elaborate meal.

It’s an extremely well loved peasant dish!

How to make pasta with yogurt:

The sauce: Simply stir together yogurt, crushed garlic and salt. Go for less garlic if you like a milder flavor or more if you are a garlic lover like me. Mix it all up and taste. Add more or less salt and garlic as per your preference! You can also add dried mint if you prefer.

Should I use Greek yogurt or regular yogurt for the sauce?

I always use regular yogurt, but you can definitely substitute Greek yogurt.

The pasta: Typically I like elbow macaroni. Brings back all those childhood memories. I’ve grown up a little since then and I use whole wheat elbow macaroni pasta, but have tried this with spaghetti and penne- it’s all good!

The meat: I nearly always make this with cooked spiced ground beef that I’ve frozen. It’s such a good use of leftover meat. I included the recipe I use for most of my Middle Eastern ground meat dishes. You can use beef or lamb, and you can also completely leave it out for a lighter vegetarian dish.

The garnishes: For me, the toasted nuts mandatory, and the more the better. Especially pine nuts. They give so much depth and flavor. I always pile mine on! You can also add toasted almonds. Some people use parsley on top, some coriander/cilantro, I grew up with parsley so that’s what I do!

Toasting the pine nuts:

They toast really quickly, so the important thing is to keep an eye on them and stir constantly so they don’t burn. I heat some olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat, then add the pine nuts and stir stir stir till they turn golden brown.

At this point, immediately remove them from the heat into a separate small bowl until ready to use, otherwise they’ll continue cooking in the residual heat of the pan even if it’s off the stove.

Assembling the macarona billaban:

To assemble, you toss however much pasta you’ll eat immediately with your desired amount of yogurt sauce-based on the sauciness you like.

Top with the minced meat, toasted pine nuts and chopped fresh parsley. It will basically be room temperature, which is the way I like to eat this dish.

Can you have this as a vegetarian dish?

Definitely! And I’ve done that many times myself. Just omit the meat and it’s still really tasty!

Storing your leftovers:

I used to hate leftover pasta with yogurt. This is because leftovers usually took the form of the final dish, the pasta already mixed with the yogurt sauce and stored.

The yogurt turns clumpy and cold and basically stops being a sauce and starts being dry flecks of yogurt.

Then I discovered this hack! I store the leftover pasta without any sauce in a container in the fridge, and the leftover yogurt sauce in a separate container. Any extra meat also gets stored in it’s own container. Leftover pine nuts go on the counter.

When I want to eat, I pour some hot water over the cooked pasta to freshen it up a little, drain it, then mix it with my desired amount of yogurt sauce, top with some more meat and some pine nuts and parsley. Sometimes I heat the extra meat separately, sometimes I eat it cold. Either way it’s delicious, and solves all my leftover problems!

Bowl of macarona billaban over a white kitchen cloth with a spoon in it

Macarona Billaban

Simple Middle Eastern dish of pasta in a no cook garlic yogurt sauce, with toasted pine nuts and parsley (often topped with spiced meat)
5 from 4 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keyword: pasta, yogurt, middle eastern
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 675kcal
Author: Farah Abumaizar

Ingredients

Spiced Meat:

  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 500 g ground beef or lamb
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 heaped tsp seven spices or all spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

For the yogurt sauce:

  • 500 g yogurt
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed (I used 6, I like super garlicky!)
  • 1/4 tsp salt plus more to taste

To assemble:

  • 500 g cooked and drained pasta of choice, I like whole wheat elbow macaroni
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts see notes for toasting instructions
  • handful chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Make the yogurt sauce:

  • Mix together the yogurt, crushed garlic and salt until well combined. Taste for seasoning, add more salt or garlic if desired. Place it in the fridge to chill until meat and pasta are ready.

For the meat:

  • Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the diced onion and saute for a few minutes or until beginning to soften. Add the garlic, and continue to cook until onions are translucent.
  • Add the minced meat. If you are going to drain the cooked meat of it's fat after it browns, then don't add the salt, pepper and spices until after you drain it. If you won't drain the meat, you can add the salt, pepper, seven spices or allspice, and cinnamon and continue to cook the meat, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon until browned and well cooked through. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.

To assemble:

  • Cook and drain pasta according to package instructions. Immediately before eating, toss pasta with yogurt sauce until well coated, then top with the spiced meat mixture, toasted pine nuts and parsley.*

Notes

To toast the pine nuts, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat in a skillet. Once oil is hot, add the pine nuts, and stir constantly until they turn golden brown, then remove IMMEDIATELY from the heat and place in a separate bowl to prevent further browning. Cool until using.
 
*If you won’t eat all the pasta at once, only combine enough pasta and yogurt as you need for your current serving, and store the cooked pasta and yogurt sauce separately in the fridge. Every time you want to eat some, combine the pasta and yogurt on the spot because the yogurt clumps and hardens once combined with pasta and it isn’t as appetizing. Topping with pine nuts and parsley should also be done right before eating.
Tried this recipe?Mention @everylittlecrumb or tag #everylittlecrumb!

Nutrition

Calories: 675kcal

If you liked this recipe, try:

Creamy Avocado Pasta

Middle Eastern Yogurt Sauce

Chicken Piccata Pasta

Did you make this? Tag @everylittlecrumb or hashtag #everylittlecrumb and I’ll share your images!

Healthy, Main Meals, Recipes meat, middle eastern, pasta

Previous Post: « Super Healthy Blueberry Muffins
Next Post: Shrimp and Clam Pasta »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sylvie says

    September 4, 2019 at 12:21 pm

    5 stars
    Love the idea of a lighter and healthier mac and cheese! It looks so creamy and delicious – perfect for an easy mid-week dinner

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      September 4, 2019 at 12:24 pm

      Thanks Sylvie! It really is

      Reply
  2. Danielle says

    September 4, 2019 at 1:39 pm

    5 stars
    What a great idea! This looks like true comfort food and I am loving the flavors.

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      September 4, 2019 at 3:25 pm

      Thanks so much Danielle!

      Reply
  3. Suzanne says

    September 4, 2019 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    I’m so glad I’ve discovered this dish! I love pasta and this is a totally new way of serving it that I’ve never experienced before. I bet the yogurt and spiced beef taste delicious together.

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      September 4, 2019 at 3:24 pm

      So so good! Thanks Suzanne!

      Reply
  4. David says

    September 4, 2019 at 1:49 pm

    5 stars
    I love this Middle Eastern twist on mac and cheese! As a big fan of the latter I’m eager to try this delicious recipe.

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      September 4, 2019 at 3:25 pm

      I hope you do and love it!

      Reply
  5. Lizzy says

    September 4, 2019 at 2:40 pm

    Yogurt is such a great idea for this macaroni! Looks delish

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      September 4, 2019 at 3:24 pm

      It’s a natural pairing trust me !

      Reply

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Farah Abu Maizar | Food Lover
This is my go to baked creamy cheesecake. It’s s This is my go to baked creamy cheesecake. It’s so good and rich and easy, topped with a sweet and tangy simple strawberry sauce (sauce recipe from @sallysbakeblog ). I used my new @kenwood_bahrain stand mixer and it was excellent- gave me silky smooth lump free filling. Another winner for my @digitrolley collab- all my new appliances are from them❤️ Check IGTV for recipe video!

For the strawberry topping:
-1 tbsp cornstarch
-3 tbsp water
-450 g strawberries, halved (big pack)
-zest and juice from 1/2 small lemon 
-1/4 cup (50g) sugar

-Whisk together cornstarch and water, then add to a saucepan along with all other ingredients, over medium heat.
-Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly and breaking up strawberries as they cook, 5 minutes or so until thickened. Set aside to cool, can be stored in fridge up to one week.

For the cheesecake:

Ingredients
For the crust:
* 250 g crushed digestive biscuits 2 cups 
* 135 g melted butter 1 stick and 1 tablespoon
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the cheesecake:
* 900 g cream cheese (3 3/4 cup)
* 1 1/2 cup white sugar 300 g
* 3/4 cup milk, room temp
* 4 eggs, room temp
* 1 cup sour cream 240 g
* 1 tbsp vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup all purpose flour 32g

Instructions:

For the crust:
* In a mixing bowl, combine crushed biscuits, the melted butter, and the cinnamon with a fork until crumbs are moistened evenly throughout. Press along the bottom and sides of a lightly greased 9 inch springform pan. Let the crust chill a little in the fridge while you prepare cheesecake.

For the cheesecake:
-Preheat the oven to 180 C
-In  stand mixer, combine the cream cheese with the sugar in a large bowl and mix on medium speed until well combined and fluffy. Blend in the milk, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing briefly after each addition.

-Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. It may be easier to sift in the flour.

-Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake at 180 C for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and leave cheesecake inside for another 5 hours or so until oven has completely cooled. This is to prevent cracking.

* Store cheesecake in fridge after this time period is over until chilled, then top with the strawberry topping.
This, to me, is the sambosa that best embodies Bah This, to me, is the sambosa that best embodies Bahrain- the first- actually the only-place I have these cheesy corn sambosa ❤️. No fancy cheese goes in this, it’s literally the stuff out of a can and take SO melty and cheesy and good. I mix in a little mashed potatoes and it just makes these 💯 times better, creamy and delicious. Posting the full steps on IGTV, it’s so easy you prob won’t need them! Recipe below and tell me- what’s your go to sambosa cheese?

Ingredients
2 small potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 8 oz total, 235 g
1/2 cup corn kernels, from a can, drained
12 oz American cheese, like Velveeta or Kraft, grated 340 g (2 170g cans of Kraft processed cheese)
pinch salt
pinch black pepper
1/2 pack samosa wrappers each pack is 500 g

Instructions:
-Cover potato cubes with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are completely cooked through. Drain, and mash.

-Let potatoes cool slightly then combine mashed potatoes with the grated cheese, drained corn, salt and pepper. Mix well until the mixture is evenly combined. Taste for and adjust seasoning.

-Fill each samosa wrapper with a tbsp of mixture on the bottom corner, then fold the corner of the samosa up and over the filling to the other side, to make a triangle. Keep folding this triangle over all the way up the top (check the video at the bottom of this recipe card to see how). Mix together the flour and water to form a thick paste, and seal the ends of the samosa to prevent them from opening up while frying.

-Place vegetable oil in a skillet, about 2 inches deep and heat on medium high heat. Once hot enough, add the sambosa and fry for around 2 minutes a side until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to absorb some of the excess oil, then enjoy warm.

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#harira #soup #ramadanrecipes #ramadan2021 #ramadan #ramadankareem #vegetablesoup #soupseason #soupsofinstagram #delishkitchen #friedfood #aprilisforarabfood #f52grams #foodfluffer #foodflatlay #foodphotography #foodphotographer #foodstylist #thefeedfeed #middleeasternfood #vegetarian #tasty #tastingtable #tastemade #samosa #sambosa
This is one of my top 5 recipes from this Ramadan’s recipe prep. One of my features does the @tamimimarkets recipe catalogue! Click the link in their bio to access this gorgeous (free!) catalogue.

This harira soup is unbelievable. Hearty and delicious and beautifully spiced- I’ve never been obsessed with harira soup until this one. It’s a simple one because it’s meat free, so it’s perfect to start your iftar with but also hearty enough to totally serve as a meal alongside some sambosas. Recipe below, and IGTV video coming in a bit!

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch red chili flakes
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped coriander(cilantro)
1 can tomato sauce 15 oz (430g)
7 cups vegetable stock or 2 stock cubes dissolved in 7 cups water
1 can drained chickpeas 15 oz (400 g)
1 cup green lentils
1/2 cup vermicelli noodles 50 g
2 lemons, juiced 1/4 cup juice
2 tbsp flour, dissolved in 1/4 cup water* use cornstarch if gluten free

Instructions:
-Start by adding the lentils to a bowl of water and soaking as you prepare the rest of the ingredients, this helps them cook through faster.
-Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the onions, celery and carrots. Saute for 6-8 minutes, until onions soften and turn golden brown.
-Add all the spices, the chopped parsley and chopped coriander, the tomato sauce, and the vegetable stock. Bring the pot to a boil, then add the drained chickpeas and drained lentils. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until chickpeas and lentils are tender.
-Add the vermicelli, and let it boil for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Add the lemon juice, and the flour water mixture. Let it simmer another minute or until it thickens, then taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.
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Never ever liked vimto until I had it like this 🍧. Vimto smoothies means that the sweetness of vimto is tempered by that cold crunchy shaved ice. Could not stop eating/drinking these vimto slushees! So easy, you just need water, ice, vimto and a high speed blender- my @ninjakitchenme did so well breaking down huge ice chunks👏🏼. Save this for a little twist on your classic iftar drink🥳

Ingredients:
-3/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup vimto 
- 2 cups ice 

Method:
Add the ingredients to your blender in the order listed, and blend on frozen drink mode until slushy like consistency. Add more ice or water if you need to, and enjoy immediately with a spoon/straw. Yum!
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#ramadan #ramadan2021 #ramadanrecipes #iceddrinks #slush #slushy #slushii #berries #syrup #cordial #drinkphotography #damnthatsdelish #foodfluffer #pour #dripshot #foodphotography #foodphotographyandstyling #foodstylist #foodstyling #thefeedfeed #vimto #foodtographyschool #foodtography #beautifulcuisines
A biscuit base topped with a super easy smooth, cr A biscuit base topped with a super easy smooth, creamy pistachio cheesecake and the crowning touch,  @mayadelices ‘s luscious milk chocolate melted and poured over the top. I mean- heavenly! Recipe below, adapted from @savoryandsweetfood ,, IGTV will be uploaded today. I am absolutely loving @mayadelices couverture, great quality baking chocolate thats so fun experimenting with! They have sugar free and vegan options too, and best of all it’s easily available in their shop in Bahrain 🍫👏🏼

Ingredients:

For the crust:
2 cups digestive biscuit crumbs (250 g)
1/2 cup butter melted, 115g
Pinch cinnamon powder

For the pistachio cheesecake filling:

1 cup pistachio powder (140g)
12 Kiri squares or cream cheese (215g)
250 ml thick cream
1/2 of a 400 g tin of sweetened condensed milk, more if you like it sweeter

To top:
1 cup Maya milk chocolate (160g)
pistachios to garnish

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper with extra paper hanging over the sides so you can easily lift out the bars.

2. Mix digestive crumbs with melted butter and cinnamon. Press this firmly into the base of the pan. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

3. In a food processor, add the pistachio powder, kiri cheese cubes, thick cream, and condensed milk. Blend until well combined and smooth. Pour this mixture into the crust base and bake for 15-20 minutes until set but center is still a little jiggly. Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour then refrigerate for several hours.

4. Melt the milk chocolate gently in the microwave, in 10 second bursts, stirring after each increment. Once smooth and melted, spread over the top of the cheesecake, and refrigerate until set. Enjoy!
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Want a Ramadan dessert that takes minutes to make Want a Ramadan dessert that takes minutes to make and tastes amazing? Yeah we all do - I got you! Try this coffee biscuit cake (barely adapted from the wonderful @littlesunnykitchen). Layers of coffee soaked biscuits and a super easy fluffy cream 👌🏼. I used my new @braun_bahrain handheld electric whisk, one of the attachments in the minipimer set-It whips the cream so fast, much faster than my stand mixer and it’s so convenient to be able to use any bowl to prep the cream in. I’ve partnered with @digitrolley to bring you lots of good recipes with their range of kitchen appliances, so keep following along! Recipe below , and IGTV video coming today in my Ramadan series!

Ingredients
2 tbsp nescafe powder dissolved in 1 cup hot water
1 cup heavy whipping cream 250ml
3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
splash vanilla extract, optional
1 creme caramel sachet, powder only 49g
1 pack tea biscuits or graham crackers 7 oz or 200 g
2 tbsp cocoa powder for topping

Instructions:
-Add the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and creme caramel powder to a bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Set this cream mixture aside.
-Dip the tea biscuits into the coffee briefly until they soak up the coffee but before they start to break apart. -Layer in a 7×11 or 9×9 inch clear pyrex dish, then top with half the cream mixture.
-Repeat another layer of coffee soaked biscuits on top of the heavy cream, followed by the remaining half of the cream. Sift the cocoa powder on to the top, then refrigerate for several hours until set. This is even better the next day!

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Ramadan Kareem! And the first recipe is for these Ramadan Kareem! And the first recipe is for these unbelievable (and easy!) chicken musakhan sambosa was developed for @tamimimarkets Ramadan catalogue. One of the coolest projects I’ve ever worked on can’t wait to tell you more about it! In the meantime, enjoy this teaser recipe and check IGTV for full video steps coming up. 

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cooked and finely shredded about 1 heaped cup of shredded chicken See notes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions cut in half, then thinly sliced into wedges
1/4 cup toasted almond slivers or pine nuts
3 tbsp sumac
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
To assemble:
1 pack sambosa wrappers 500 g
1 tbsp flour
1/2 tbsp water
For frying:
vegetable oil, about 1/4 cup

Instructions:
-In a deep skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil until it heats up. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently until soft and starting to caramelize, 8-10 minutes.

-Add the shredded chicken, the toasted nuts, and all the spices. Stir to combine, then remove from the heat. Let mixture cool slightly 5 minutes or so.

-Fill each sambosa wrapper with a tbsp of mixture on the bottom corner, then fold the corner of the sambosa up and over the filling to the other side, to make a triangle. Keep folding this triangle over all the way up the top 

-Mix together the flour and water to form a thick paste, and seal the ends of the sambosa to prevent them from opening up while frying.

-Place vegetable oil in a skillet, about 2 inches deep and heat on medium high heat. Once hot enough, add the sambosa and fry for around 2 minutes a side until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to absorb some of the excess oil, then enjoy warm, optionally with yogurt to dip in.
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#chickensamosa #musakhan #ramadankareem #ramadan2021 #ramadanrecipes #samosa #friedfood #palestinianfood #middleeasternfood #beautifulcuisines #damnthatsdelish #f52community #thefeedfeed #foodgawker #f52grams #buzzfeedfood #tastingtable #tastemade #chickenrecipes #sumac #caramelizedonions #foodblogfeed #foodphotography #foodphotographyandstyling #foodstyling
Busy busy birthday weekend with lots of baking inv Busy busy birthday weekend with lots of baking involved. If you are like me and wish you could take a little break from the kitchen check out @trysecco . Delicious food, big portions, reasonable prices this was a hit for me! Opening soon in Khobar too 🥳. Definitely try the truffle pasta, the pepperoni spicy honey pizza and the homey lasagna. Don’t miss the chocolate milk cake for dessert! Check my reels for all the drool worthy videos, swipe for more picture and save this for next time you want to dine out!
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#pizza #pizzalover #italianfood #tablescape #tablescapestyling #foodphotography #foodstagram #foodstyling #beautifulcuisines #dametravelerfoodie #risottolover #risottoballs #pepperonipizza #lobsterpizza #calamari #eatingout #restaurantfood
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