Description
Mediterranean Pasta with Feta Cheese celebrates summer’s fresh flavors in a simple, elegant dish. Zesty garlic, sweet cherry tomatoes, and creamy feta mingle with tender spinach, creating a quick Mediterranean-inspired meal you’ll savor with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 10 ounces (283 grams) farfalle pasta
- 8 ounces (227 grams) grape tomatoes (red and yellow, halved)
- 5 ounces (142 grams) fresh spinach, chopped
- 6 ounces (170 grams) crumbled feta cheese
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (plus more if needed)
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Fill a spacious pot with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Submerge pasta and allow to simmer according to package guidelines until achieving an al dente texture.
- Carefully drain pasta in a colander, reserving a small amount of cooking liquid, and set aside.
- Warm extra virgin olive oil in a generously sized skillet over medium-high temperature.
- Gently introduce cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, sea salt, fragrant paprika, and aromatic Italian seasoning into the heated pan.
- Sauté ingredients for approximately 2 minutes, encouraging tomatoes to soften and release their natural juices.
- Incorporate fresh spinach leaves, stirring continuously until they delicately wilt and reduce in volume.
- Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese throughout the vegetable mixture, allowing it to slightly melt and distribute evenly.
- Introduce the prepared pasta to the skillet, carefully folding all components together with a splash of bright lemon juice.
- Briefly reheat the entire mixture for an additional minute, ensuring all elements are thoroughly integrated and warmed.
- Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired, creating a glossy and luscious finish to the Mediterranean-inspired dish.
Notes
- Swap pasta types to make the dish gluten-free by using zucchini noodles or chickpea pasta for added nutrition and dietary flexibility.
- Enhance protein content by adding grilled chicken, shrimp, or plant-based alternatives like tofu to create a more substantial meal.
- Toast garlic briefly to prevent burning and release a deeper, nutty flavor without creating bitter undertones in the dish.
- Reserve a small amount of pasta water
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg