Fresh chopped tomatoes, feta and olives all mixed together with spaghetti and an easy olive oil and lemon juice dressing make up this Greek Spaghetti. Spaghetti is far from traditionally Greek, but think of this as kind of a fusion dish. A really delicious fusion dish. A light and fresh pasta dish that is perfect for pretending you are somewhere warm and sunny.
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We love a quick and easy pasta dish, and this Greek pasta is just that. A few fresh ingredients that are staples in our fridge, stirred into spaghetti. It is easy to adapt with other vegetables and you can add some protein to make it a really filling meal.
Also knows as Makaronia me Kima, this healthy comfort food is ready in under 15 minutes, so it's perfect for when you don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
If you are looking for some other spaghetti recipes to try, then why not try our Chicken Spaghetti Bake, Cavolo Nero Spaghetti, Garlic Prawn Spaghetti, Tuna Spaghetti or 15 Minute Garlic Spaghetti.
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What is Greek Spaghetti?
This dish isn't to be confused with the Greek pasta dish called Pastitsio. That is a creamy, cheesy baked pasta dish that is sometimes called Greek lasagna.
Our dish is nothing like that. Instead, it is spaghetti that is loaded with all our favourite Greek ingredients. Fresh tomatoes, olives, feta, lemon juice and olive oil and plenty of fresh herbs.
Why You Will Love It
- A light and fresh pasta dish - Pasta dishes don't have to be heavy, and this Greek pasta is light and summery.
- Delicious fusion food - Love Italian food? Love Greek food? Put them together!
- A great way to use up tomatoes - If you are growing tomatoes this year, then this is a great way to use them up.
- Easy to adapt - There are lots of different vegetables you can add to this to give it a nutrient boost. You can even add meat if you want to.
- Ready in just 15 minutes - This is a quick and easy Greek pasta dish.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Spaghetti - spaghetti is a great choice for this pasta dish because the sauce clings really well to it. However, if you don't have any or would rather use something different, then go ahead. Penne, fusilli and conchiglie all work well.
- Olives - it wouldn't be a Greek pasta dish without olives. We used a mixture of black and green olives, however any olives would work. Add some extra flavour to this dish by using chilli stuffed olives. You could even use our marinated olives.
- Tomatoes - these add so much freshness and texture to the dish. We used basic salad tomatoes that we picked fresh from the garden, however you could swap them for cherry tomatoes. Add a more intense tomato flavour by roasting the cherry tomatoes first.
- Feta - again, it wouldn't be a Greek spaghetti without some feta. Crumble it on top for a really creamy flavour.
- Garlic - this adds plenty of flavour to the sauce. It is raw though, so leave it out if that would be too much of an intense flavour for you.
- Oil - as this makes up the majority of the sauce of the dish, try to use a really good quality olive oil. You really will taste the difference.
- Lemon juice - this really balances out the heaviness of the oil in the sauce. If you want a more intense lemon flavour, then you could add the zest of one lemon too.
- Basil - an easy way to add some freshness, and it goes really well with the tomatoes too. You could swap it for fresh chopped parsley if you prefer.
- Pasta water - Adding starchy pasta water (just 100ml is enough) to a fat like olive oil will create an emulsion and this gives a really silky smooth sauce and helps it cling to the pasta. Make sure you scoop out the water just before draining, as this ensures that it is nice and starchy.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Greek Spaghetti with Feta
- Step 1: Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions.
- Step 2: Heat the oil until hot and fry the garlic for one minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Step 3: Drain the spaghetti, reserving some pasta water, and transfer it to a large bowl. Pour over the garlic oil and pasta water and mix well.
- Step 4: Add the tomatoes, olives, basil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Step 5: Top with the crumbled feta and serve.
Greek Spaghetti Sauce
There isn't so much of a traditional spaghetti sauce to this dish. Instead, we have simple stirring in some olive oil and lemon juice, heavy on the garlic and seasoning. This is garlicky spaghetti! Use a really good quality olive oil, as you really will taste the difference.
If you want more of a lemon flavour, then you can use the zest as well as the juice.
If you wanted a creamy sauce, then you could mix in some cream cheese.
Serving Suggestions
If you want to bulk this meal out a bit, then serve it with some garlic bread. Either buy some ready made, or make your own easy garlic bread by cutting up some French stick and spreading it with a mix of butter, crushed garlic and dried herbs. Then pop it in the oven for 10 minutes. Why not try our Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread?
You could also keep it simple with a big green salad. The key to an epic green salad is to use a variety of greens, like romaine, spinach, kale and rocket. You want leafy greens, but crunch too.
Then you need the perfect dressing. Why not try our Lemon Vinaigrette, Honey and Mustard Dressing or Tomato and Basil Vinaigrette. You could also try our Grilled Little Gem Salad, or Cucumber and Radish Salad.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Why not give this dish a really intense tomato flavour by roasting cherry tomatoes and swapping them for the fresh chopped tomatoes.
- You can add some extra salty flavour by adding some chopped capers.
- Make sure that everything is chopped and ready to add, so it can all be mixed in whilst the pasta is hot. This dish is best enjoyed hot.
- To make this even quicker, use some fresh tagliatelle which is ready in a few minutes.
- Don't forget to reserve some of the pasta water. You really don't want to skip this step, as it makes the sauce so silky.
- For an added vegetable boost, add some cooked kale or spinach.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a delicious vegetarian dish, and really doesn't need any meat. However, if you wanted to add some meat then there is a few options. Keep it lean with some grilled chicken breast or salmon. You could even fry up some king prawns to add to it. Why not do something a little different with chicken and made some baked chicken meatballs that are packed with Greek flavours. They will go perfectly with this.
If you have any leftovers from this, then you can store it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat leftovers, heat them through in a pan. We wouldn't recommend freezing this dish.
Because it's an easy way to make the sauce really silky smooth, with no extra effort.
More Greek Recipes
If you've tried this Greek spaghetti recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Greek Spaghetti with Tomato and Feta
Ingredients
- 200 g (3.5 oz) of Spaghetti
- 100 g (0.33 cups) of Mixed olives - halved
- 2 Tomatoes
- 4 Garlic clove - crushed
- 4 tablespoon of Olive oil
- 100 g (0.25 cups) of Feta
- 1 Lemon - (juice and zest only)
- 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 15 g (0.66 cups) of Fresh basil - sliced into strips
Instructions
- Cook 200 g of Spaghetti according to the packet instructions.
- Heat 4 tbsp of Olive oil until hot and fry 4 Garlic clove for one minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Drain the spaghetti, reserving some pasta water, and transfer it to a large bowl. Pour over the garlic oil and pasta water and mix well.
- Add 2 Tomatoes, 100 g of Mixed olives, 15 g of Fresh basil, juice of 1 Lemon and 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper. Mix well.
- Top with 100 g of Feta and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- Why not give this dish a really intense tomato flavour by roasting cherry tomatoes and swapping them for the fresh chopped tomatoes.
- You can add some extra salty flavour by adding some chopped capers.
- Make sure that everything is chopped and ready to add, so it can all be mixed in whilst the pasta is hot. This dish is best enjoyed hot.
- To make this even quicker, use some fresh tagliatelle which is ready in a few minutes.
- Don't forget to reserve some of the pasta water. You really don't want to skip this step, as it makes the sauce so silky.
- For an added vegetable boost, add some cooked kale or spinach.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Ceri says
Love a good bit of fusion food. I often wonder what the natives would think, but then decide what the heck and do it anyway! I guess this is what makes cooking so exciting - so many options. Spaghetti looks fab, especially with all that Feta! Thanks for including my moussaka above!
Alison says
This looks gorgeous, I love throwing things together with spaghetti and this greek combo looks perfect
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
Pasta anything is amazing, and this greek pasta flavor combination is spot on and sounds so good!
lucie says
One of my favourite things about summer is well, salads.....but also OLIVES...in everything!
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says
Well no, spaghetti isn't Greek, but I can tell you the Greeks certainly like eating spaghetti ... so I don't think you need to apologise for calling this a Greek dish! Might give this a go some time this week, Dannii. I love that you roasted the tomatoes!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Love this fantastic fusion - Greek meets italian- dish! Sounds comforting and hearty but light at the same time - and of course delish!! ♡ I'm totally going to load it up with some spinach as you suggested ♡ cheers, girlie!!
Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says
This actually made my stomach rumble!! And I JUST had dinner! Kind of wish I had this instead!!
[email protected] says
This sounds so tasty. I have been wanting to get one of those spiralizers. The pasta would be great after my long runs though.
cheri says
Love that you used wholewheat pasta, this looks really good Dannii.
nadiashealthykitchen says
Looks really yummy! Love the Greek twist :)
Mary says
Pasta isn't traditional Greek but adding feta, tomatoes, and olives makes anything Greek in my book. Great recipe
Victoria says
Looks lovely, I had something similar tonight - slutty courgetti, which is a quick puttanesca sauce (I used red onion, garlic, olive oil, dash of Worcestershire sauce, chopped dill pickle or a spoonful of dill relish - or capers if you have them - chili flakes, black pepper & a tin of chopped toms. I don't cook the courgette noodles, just toss through the sauce and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Small glass of red wine & it's a good start to a Friday night!
Harriet says
I just wanted to say that I really love your blog. I was in a bit of a rut with my meals, but you have stopped healthy eating being boring. Just one thing though, I would love some more sweet recipes ;)
Sara says
Thanks for including the link to the chicken recipe with it too. That sounds like something I could get my husband to eat too.
Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat says
I love Greek flavors but I never thought of putting it on top of pasta before! I love the fusion you put together here!