15 Minute Greek Pasta
This Greek Pasta is filled with equal parts al dente noodles and Mediterranean veggies – tossed in a creamy, light, feta and herb sauce. It takes just over 15 minutes from start to finish and is a hearty vegetarian dinner that your family will love!
You Will Love This
- The flavors are outrageously delicious. The light, creamy and herby feta sauce sticks to every nook and cranny of the noodles and this dish is loaded with all your favorite Greek veggies – artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, and Kalamata olives.
- It’s part comfort food, part veggie-loaded dinner. This Mediterranean pasta is almost half noodles, half veggies – and everything is tossed in a creamy feta sauce. It’s a hearty, but light meal that your family will love! If you’re looking for more creamy, veggie pasta, be sure to check out my Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff or Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Tuscan Pasta.
- It’s really easy to customize according to your family’s taste or based on what’s in your fridge. If your kids aren’t into olives, leave them out. If you have someone that loves tomatoes, add extra to half the dish. Much like our family favorite Flatbread Pizza Recipe, this is a great “clean out your fridge” meal.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Fettuccine – You can use your favorite kind of noodles here. Fettuccine lends itself well to the creamy feta sauce. But since we usually have spaghetti noodles on hand, my daughter frequently requests Greek spaghetti for dinner (which is just this pasta dish made with spaghetti noodles)!
- Olive Oil – This is our family’s favorite brand of olive oil. Try to find one that’s cold-pressed and organic.
- Fresh Garlic – Freshly sliced garlic really is best for this pasta recipe. If you must use garlic powder in a pinch, I’d recommend about ½-1 teaspoon of garlic powder in place of the sliced garlic.
- Dried Oregano & Thyme – The dried oregano and dried thyme combined with the salty feta are going to give the creamy sauce an amazing flavor. You could also substitute Italian seasoning in place of these two ingredients.
- Feta Cheese – I recommend buying a block of feta (in brine preferably) and crumbling it yourself. The block of feta retains its moisture which helps it to melt more easily into a creamy sauce.
- Heavy Cream – The heavy cream combines with the feta and pasta water to create the most creamy feta sauce ever.
- Pasta Water – Don’t forget to save that pasta water (AKA liquid gold) when you drain your pasta! The starchy pasta water is the very best way to get the creamy feta sauce to cling to every nook and cranny of your noodles. If you forget to save it, you can add a bit more heavy cream. Adding regular water won’t have the same effect as pasta water because it doesn’t have the starch.
- Grape Tomatoes – You could use any type of tomato here. I just prefer to use the grape tomatoes because you can easily slice them in half and they hold their shape well. But any ripe, fresh tomato will work in this pasta.
- Artichoke Hearts – I like to buy the quartered artichoke hearts because they are already sliced into quarters and they are usually cheaper than the medium or large artichoke hearts.
- Kalamata Olives – Black olives will work in place of the Kalamata olives but I much prefer the flavor of Kalamata olives in this pasta.
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, oregano, and thyme along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add feta cheese and heavy cream to the pan.
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir for about 2-3 minutes or until the feta mostly melts and creates a sauce.
Add pasta and half the pasta water to the pan and toss to coat pasta evenly.
Add tomato, artichoke hearts, and olives to the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir to combine and cook for about a minute or until everything is warmed through. Garnish with parsley, Parmesan, and enjoy!
Tips
- Salt your pasta water. I like to salt the water as soon as it comes to a boil and before I add the pasta. I add at least 1-2 tablespoons, probably more. Which sounds like a lot, but it’s the only chance you have to season the pasta. Your pasta water should literally be as salty as the ocean.
- Cook pasta just until al dente. I usually check the cooking directions and then cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the lowest recommended cooking time. So if the cook time is 9-11 minutes, I’ll start checking the pasta to see if it’s done around the 7-8 minute mark. You want it to be tender, but still have a bit of a bite!
- Reserve half a cup of pasta water when you drain the pasta. When you strain your, pasta reserve half a cup of pasta water to thin out the sauce. Pasta water is often referred to as liquid gold because it is starchy and delicious and is the best way to get your sauce to cling to your noodles. In this dish, the pasta water thins out the sauce and allows it to adhere to the noodles, coating every nook and cranny.
- If you can – find the feta cheese that comes in a block. It seems to melt into the sauce better than pre-crumbled feta cheese. The block of cheese has more moisture and I also find that it has more flavor as well.
- Use any kind of pasta you have on hand. You can use any type of pasta for this dish! Short cuts of pasta – like penne, rigatoni, macaroni – will do well in this dish. But so will longer cuts of pasta – like spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini.
- Switch up the veggies if you’d like. As long as you keep the ratios about the same, you can switch up the veggies in this Greek pasta to suit your family’s taste. I love to use sun-dried tomatoes in place of the grape tomatoes when I have them on hand!
FAQ
Mediterranean pasta is a vegetarian dinner complete with artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, and pasta tossed in a light, creamy feta sauce. It’s a super quick and easy weeknight meal that takes about 15 minutes to throw together!
I really prefer not to use the word healthy when referring to food. I believe that everything should be enjoyed in moderation so there are no foods that are healthy or unhealthy. Any food can become problematic when it’s consumed in excess; even so-called healthy foods. I do prefer to serve my pasta with a couple servings of veggies because I enjoy the balance – which is why I love this Mediterranean pasta so much. Also, making homemade sauce for your pasta is a great way to know exactly what you’re eating!
Try these pastas next!
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15 Minute Greek Pasta
This Greek Pasta is filled with equal parts al dente noodles and Mediterranean veggies – tossed in a creamy, light, feta and herb sauce. It takes just over 15 minutes from start to finish and is a hearty vegetarian dinner that is perfect for Meatless Monday or any family dinner!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
-
- 16 oz.pasta, cooked until al dente (save 1/2 a cup of pasta water!)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 oz. feta cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 (15 oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1 (4.8 oz.) jar ripe olives
Garnish
-
- fresh chopped parsley
- grated Parmesan
- crumbled feta
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add garlic, oregano, and thyme along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add feta cheese and heavy cream to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir for about 2-3 minutes or until the feta mostly melts and creates a sauce.
- Add pasta and half the pasta water to the pan and toss until pasta is evenly coated. Add more pasta water as needed.
- Add tomato, artichoke hearts, and olives to the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Stir to combine and cook for about a minute or until everything is warmed through
- Garnish with parsley, Parmesan, and enjoy!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Salt your pasta water. I like to salt the water as soon as it comes to a boil and before I add the pasta. I add at least 1-2 tablespoons, probably more. Which sounds like a lot, but it’s the only chance you have to season the pasta. Your pasta water should literally be as salty as the ocean.
Cook pasta just until al dente. I usually check the cooking directions and then cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the lowest recommended cooking time. So if the cook time is 9-11 minutes, I’ll start checking the pasta to see if it’s done around the 7-8 minute mark. You want it to be tender, but still have a bit of a bite!
Reserve half a cup of pasta water when you drain the pasta. When you strain your, pasta reserve half a cup of pasta water to thin out the sauce. Pasta water is often referred to as liquid gold because it is starchy and delicious and is the best way to get your sauce to cling to your noodles. In this dish, the pasta water thins out the sauce and allows it to adhere to the noodles, coating every nook and cranny.
If you can – find the feta cheese that comes in a block. It seems to melt into the sauce better than pre-crumbled feta cheese. The block of cheese has more moisture and I also find that it has more flavor as well.
Use any kind of pasta you have on hand. You can use any type of pasta for this dish! Short cuts of pasta – like penne, rigatoni, macaroni – will do well in this dish. But so will longer cuts of pasta – like spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini.
Switch up the veggies if you’d like. As long as you keep the ratios about the same, you can switch up the veggies in this Greek pasta to suit your family’s taste. I love to use sun-dried tomatoes in place of the grape tomatoes when I have them on hand!
This Greek pasta recipe was originally published in April of 2020. It was updated in February of 2021 to include detailed instructions so you can make the perfect Greek pasta every single time!
An infinitely enhance-able base recipe – I also added leftover items to use them up: 1/3 pkg herbed goat cheese, 1/2 container feta block, some sauteed bok choy & broccoli, diced roma tomatoes – all organics; subbed most of the fat & some liquid from a can of coconut milk (regular, not low fat) for cream; chose *De Cecco Linguine, that turned out to be the perfectly bodied noodle choice. Restaurant quality results. Good slightly warm or cold. Perfect picnic item. Ideal for pre-workout travel power-up for lacto-ovo vegetarians. Light, filling, and absolutely delicious. Thank you The Game Changers movie & What the Health movie & Nimai Delgado for good carb use! Go Vegan!
* Many celiacs & wheat-free people have gone to Italy and eaten De Cecco pasta and had zero negative effects. Having gone nearly a pasta-less decade, I was glad to discover this brand and their products give me zero adverse effects – so, yeah, Pasta!! Not a big carb head, this recipe is a new fave. I’ve determined to add new vegan recipes (even vegetarian recipes I can vegan-ify later) every couple weeks, so I keep calories up without getting bored or feeling deprived. Thank you for this great recipe!
<<<Happy Veganuary!
Also, further enlightening docu's & movies, for those wanting to make conscientious choices, can be found online and on Netflix & Prime Video are:
–Eating our way to extinction
–Plant Pre Nation
–Forks over Knives
–Food, Inc.
–Kiss the Ground
–Poisoned: the dirty truth about food
–Fed Up
–Freedom from Choice
–Tom Bilyeu interview on Impact Theory with guest Calley Means
*That should be the movie Plant PURE Nation, not “pre” nation, lol.
This was AMAZING. The only thing I added was red pepper flakes. Yummy!!!!
Red pepper flakes are the perfect addition. So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Tammy! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
What is the serving size for the nutritional values listed?
It’s based on 8 servings.
I had to make a couple substitutions with what I had. I substituted Labneh (strained Greek yogurt) with a little more pasta water for the heavy cream and used black olives. They Labneh just made it a little tangy. Still delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m excited about making the Greek Pasta but would like to know how much Feta cheese.
Thanks
Hey Joann! Thanks for reaching out! If you check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post, it’s got all the ingredient measurements and instructions for making the dish. This recipe uses 8 ounces of feta cheese. Hope that helps!
This was so good! I got distracted and dumped the pasta water down the drain. I substituted with some chicken stock. I used pre crumbled feta, it melted perfectly. I sauteed zucchini in place of the olives. This was a huge hit! A definite make again!
Woohoo! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Crissy. Glad you were able to use a substitute for the pasta water with great success. Thanks for leaving a review! 🙂
Love it!!! This pasta is just bursting with flavor, definitely put on our favorites list.
I am so glad that you enjoyed this Mediterranean pasta recipe, Linda! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
I made mine without the Parmesan (I’m out) and garlic (I subbed in garlic powder)—also used an Italian seasoning blend in lieu of the individual herbs.
This recipe is fantastic and so easy!
Cooked this recipe without the pasta. I toasted some bread and put a small scoop of the sauce on top. I will use the rest on pasta if I don’t eat it all first with other food ideas.
Hi! Did this recipe originally include zucchini? I made this recipe a little while ago and saved it since I loved it so much. I’m about to make it for dinner, but I am confused as the recipe is missing zucchini. Am I crazy and I’m not remembering properly?! Lol!
Loved this pasta! Simple flavors and super fast!
This was a great, quick recipe to whip up on a whim. Had most everything on hand and I used up a few different varieties olives already open. I used hearts of palm pasta and didn’t have any pasta water so I added a little chicken stock. Seems like it would be an easy recipe to switch up based on what you have on hand.
I’m wondering where the zucchini is too.
Super easy and quick weeknight pasta dish. Light, fresh and not too heavy. This was well liked by everyone! Thank you for another veggie friendly recipe!
Herbs galore!! Love this! I’ve been trying to be more creative in my cooking and wow, seasoning definitely has a huge impact on what flavors are drawn out! Yum! This pasta was “on point” haha. It was fun to make and super quick! I made the mistake of buying crumbled fat free feta, NEVER AGAIN! I did see your notes about how the whole block feta is better so will definitely try that next time. I also took your notes about easy changes and swapped out cherry tomatoes for the sundried tomatoes I had on hand! Super delicious recipe, would recommend especially to someone like me that seemingly always goes for the store bought marinara and pasta. This is just as easy, but with more creative flavors.
Loved this recipe! I do agree with the previous post that some lemon would work really well in this dish! I was super surprised how the feta melted into a beautiful sauce-Never would have thought! I added chicken with Greek seasoning – I live with someone who believes every meal needs meat 🙄
Thanks so much for leaving a review, Holly! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for sharing on IG as well – you are entered twice in the $100 prize giveaway for the March Recipe Challenge 🙂
It was good, not enough for 5 stars though
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Ghulam! Thanks so much for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂