Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta and Vegetables
- 400 g short pasta
- 150 g frozen peas
- 200 g jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
Feta-Yogurt Sauce
- 200 g full-fat greek yogurt, room temperature
- 150 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic, minced
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Garnish and Seasoning
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 5 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 2 g aleppo pepper
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 603 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbohydrates
- 88 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 685 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 40 mg
- Potassium
- 544 mg
- Calcium
- 303 mg
- Iron
- 4.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 79 mg
- Phosphorus
- 420 mg
- Zinc
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 109 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 11 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 14 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.91 mg
- Niacin
- 8.4 mg
- Folate
- 278 mcg
- Water
- 109 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil at 100C/212F. Add the short pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
During the last two minutes of the pasta cooking time, add the frozen peas directly into the boiling water with the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, combine the Greek yogurt, crumbled feta, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Vigorously whisk until the mixture is creamy and well integrated. For a completely smooth texture, pulse in a food processor.
Carefully scoop out 50ml of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and peas in a colander, shaking off excess water.
Transfer the hot pasta and peas to the large mixing bowl with the feta-yogurt sauce. Add the sliced roasted red peppers. Pour in half of the reserved pasta water and toss continuously until the sauce coats the noodles in a glossy, clinging layer. Add more water if the sauce feels too thick.
Fold in the chopped fresh dill and mint. Divide into serving bowls and garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and a pinch of Aleppo pepper for gentle heat.
Chef's Notes
- Full-fat Greek yogurt is critical here. The higher fat content acts as an insurance policy against curdling when introduced to the heat of the freshly cooked pasta.
- Do not rinse your pasta. The residual starch on the surface of the noodles is what helps the yogurt and feta cling securely to every piece.
- If you want to amplify the roasted flavor, char the red peppers yourself over an open gas flame or under the broiler instead of using jarred peppers.
- Feta is naturally quite salty. Taste your sauce before adding any additional salt to the finished dish, relying primarily on the salted pasta boiling water for baseline seasoning.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The yogurt sauce will thicken significantly as it cools.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce. Avoid microwaving on high to prevent the yogurt from curdling.
Troubleshooting
The yogurt sauce separated, curdled, or became grainy when mixed with the pasta.
Cause: The pasta was too hot, or low-fat yogurt was used, causing the dairy proteins to denature and split.
Fix: Stir in an extra 15ml of cold heavy cream or pasta water and whisk vigorously to encourage an emulsion, but severe splitting cannot be fully fixed.
Prevention: Allow the pasta to cool for 60 seconds after draining before mixing, always use full-fat Greek yogurt, and ensure the yogurt is close to room temperature before tossing.
The sauce feels dry, stiff, or heavy rather than silky.
Cause: Not enough starchy pasta water was added, or the pasta absorbed the sauce too quickly.
Fix: Add a splash of hot water or milk and toss well to loosen the sauce right before serving.
Prevention: Reserve at least 50-100ml of pasta water and add it gradually while tossing.
Cultural Context
This dish draws heavily on the shared culinary traditions of the Aegean coastline, bridging Greek and Turkish profiles. Thick strained yogurt (labneh or süzme yoğurt) and briny white cheeses are historical staples in both cuisines, commonly paired with sweet roasted vegetables and generous amounts of fresh dill and mint to provide a cooling contrast to the rich dairy.
