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half pan of Mediterranean pasta
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5 from 4 votes

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!
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:Mediterranean
Keywords:Mediterranean pasta
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
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!
How to Store and Reheat
  • 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

** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

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