Mediterranean Pasta (15 Minutes)
Mediterranean Pasta made in just 15 minutes with whole wheat noodles tossed in a creamy feta sauce with Mediterranean veggies. It makes one of those easy dinners that your whole family will love!
Servings 6 people
Calories660 kcal
Cost $ 2.00 per person
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 large skillet or pan
Ingredients
- 16 oz pasta cooked until al dente (reserve ¾ cup of pasta water). For making this recipe gluten-free, use a GF pasta!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a kick if you want
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 8 oz feta cheese (one block). Choose one that comes in a brined liquid and drain before adding to the pasta! Not crumbled feta but creamy feta!
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup pasta water Add the juice of ½ lemon for extra flavor!
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved (I used 2 colors but you can use one only)
- 15 oz quartered artichoke hearts drained
- ¾ cup olives I used both green and Kalamata olives
Garnish
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Shredded Parmesan
- Crumbled feta
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water with a hint of olive oil to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, following the time stated on the package. Right before draining, remove 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve. Drain pasta!
- Sauté the garlic and herbs: Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, dried herbs, salt, and pepper to taste and cook for about 1 minute, stirring now and then. If you’d like to add a kick to this pasta, sauté a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the other ingredients.
- Make the sauce: Add cream cheese, feta cheese, and heavy cream, mixing until the cheese melts and creates a sauce. For extra flavor, squeeze the juice of half lemon if you want. Add the pasta water and then toss the pasta until evenly coated.
- Add the veggies: Finish the Mediterranean pasta by adding tomatoes, olives, and quartered artichokes. Cook for a minute to warm them through. Garnish with parsley, feta, and/or Parmesan cheese.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Tips for Making Mediterranean Pasta Recipe
Here are some great tips to make this vegetarian pasta properly:
- Salt your pasta water: Add about 2 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water along with a good hint of olive oil. It will flavor the pasta and avoid sticking. It’s not uncommon for high-end restaurants to cook pasta in broth like this chicken broth. The pasta will absorb the broth, getting extra flavorful.
- Cook pasta just until al dente: Check the cooking directions on the package. Every type of pasta has a different cooking time. But as a rule, cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the lowest recommended cooking time. This means if the cooking time is 8-10 minutes, start checking if the pasta it's done around the 6-8 minute mark. It must be tender, but still, have a bit of a bite!
- Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta: The pasta water is starchy! It’ll thin the sauce yet it’ll make it cling to your noodles. Most of the time I use ½ to ¾ cup of water but I prefer to reserve a whole cup just in case I need it.
- Use feta cheese that comes in a block: It melts into the sauce better than crumbled feta cheese. The one with a creamy texture usually comes in a brine that you can drain before adding to the pan.
- Use any kind of pasta you have on hand: You can use any type of pasta – either short cuts of pasta (e.g. penne, rigatoni, or macaroni) or longer cuts such as whole wheat spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, bucatini, or angel hair pasta.
- Switch up the veggies: If there is any veggie that you don’t like, swap up for another one of your choices but keep the ratios about the same. Some may prefer to use sun-dried tomatoes instead of grape or cherry tomatoes, one type of olives, or simply replace artichokes with baby spinach or arugula. It’s up to you!
- Sauté garlic and herbs: This step is key to building a flavorful sauce!
- Replace herbs: Use whatever Mediterranean dried herbs you have at home like basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, fennel, dill, parsley, or tarragon. Garnish the pasta with some fresh herbs too!
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container and chill in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat: Cover and warm gently in the microwave! If needed, add a hint of olive oil to toss the pasta and prevent it from drying out after being warmed.
Nutrition
Calories: 660kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 830mg | Potassium: 475mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1835IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 305mg | Iron: 4mg
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