Description
Macarona Bil Laban is a comforting Middle Eastern pasta dish featuring tender cavatappi pasta tossed in a tangy, garlicky yogurt sauce, topped with a spiced ground beef mixture and crunchy toasted pine nuts or almonds. This hearty recipe balances rich, aromatic spices with creamy yogurt and is perfect for a flavorful family meal served warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound cavatappi pasta (or elbow macaroni), prepared according to package instructions
Meat Sauce
- 1 pound 80% lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons 7 spices
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Yogurt Sauce
- 2½ cups plain whole milk yogurt
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 6–8 garlic cloves, minced (adjust to taste for garlickiness)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Toppings
- Toasted pine nuts or almonds
- Chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil the cavatappi or elbow macaroni according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
- Prepare the meat sauce base: Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Brown the ground beef: Add the ground beef to the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until it loses its pink colour and is lightly browned.
- Season the beef: Add salt, black pepper, sumac, 7 spices, and ground cinnamon to the beef mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine all the spices, and cook for several more minutes to ensure the beef is fully cooked and flavors are well blended.
- Make the yogurt sauce – step 1: In a large bowl, combine plain whole milk yogurt with sumac and salt. Whisk until smooth and well incorporated.
- Make the yogurt sauce – step 2: Melt unsalted butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, until the garlic turns golden brown, approximately 1 to 3 minutes.
- Combine yogurt and garlic: Pour the browned garlic and melted butter into the yogurt mixture and whisk well to evenly distribute the garlic flavor.
- Assemble the dish: Toss the cooked pasta into the yogurt sauce, stirring until the pasta is well coated.
- Layer the toppings: Transfer the yogurt-coated pasta to a serving dish. Spoon the spiced ground beef mixture evenly over the pasta layer.
- Add final garnishes and serve: Sprinkle toasted pine nuts or almonds and chopped parsley on top. Serve the dish warm or at room temperature for best flavor.
Notes
- You can substitute cavatappi pasta with elbow macaroni or any short tubular pasta.
- Adjust the amount of garlic in the yogurt sauce based on your preference for garlic intensity.
- To toast pine nuts or almonds, heat them in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
- The 7 spices blend is a Middle Eastern mix usually containing cinnamon, cloves, cumin, black pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, and coriander; you can find it pre-made or create your own.
- This dish can be served warm or at room temperature, making it versatile for meals or gatherings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: Macarona Bil Laban, Middle Eastern pasta, yogurt pasta, ground beef recipe, vegan yogurt sauce, garlic yogurt sauce, spiced ground beef topping
