It’s That Simple is our series about recipes so easy, you can make them with your eyes closed. Think tiny ingredient lists, laid-back techniques, and results so delicious, you’ll text home about them.
Even when I’m long overdue for a grocery trip, my fridge reliably has a tub of Greek yogurt and a jar of chili crisp. The former usually turns into granola-studded breakfasts. The latter is such a go-to condiment for my roommates and me that we go through a container a week (they’re small, okay?). But combine these two dependable ingredients and you get a complex savory sauce.
I’ve brought chili crisp yogurt to a test kitchen Hanukkah celebration, where my coworkers dunked scalding latkes into it, and to a brunch with friends, where I slathered it on toast topped with soft scrambled eggs. Lately, I’ve been pairing these staples with spaghetti for a speedy weeknight dinner.
Tangy Greek yogurt, married with starchy pasta water, hugs the noodles and coats them in a glossy sauce. Chili crisp delivers tongue-tingling heat with zero effort. (I like the Lao Gan Ma brand for its funky fermented soybeans.) One bite and you’ll see why this dish has entered my rotation of weeknight hits. Maybe it’s time my roommates and I upgrade to a family-size jar of chili crisp after all.
Recipe information
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Cook 1 lb. spaghetti in a large pot of generously salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to warm pot, add 1¼ cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, and toss with tongs to thoroughly coat. Add about ½ cup pasta cooking liquid and toss, adding more pasta cooking liquid a splash at a time as needed, until a creamy sauce forms. (It should look similar to Alfredo sauce. The yogurt has a tendency to thicken up as it sits and the pasta will continue to absorb some of the excess, so no need to hold back on the pasta cooking liquid.) Taste pasta and season with kosher salt if needed. Divide pasta among shallow bowls or plates and top with as much chili crisp as your heart desires. (If your chili crisp looks dry, thin it out with a bit of grapeseed or other neutral oil before spooning over the pasta.)
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