Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta

This Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta is a healthy weeknight dinner! It's made with spinach, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, garlic, and Parmesan.

This Mediterranean Pasta is bursting with fresh flavors and only takes 30 minutes to prepare. It's the perfect meal when you're short on time, but want to keep dinner on the healthier side.

It can be a struggle to come up with healthy dinners day in and day out that are both tasty and satisfying, especially on busy weeknights when we don't have the time or energy to concoct elaborate meals.

Pasta is a great option when you need something quick and easy but don't want to sacrifice flavor AND you want to keep things on the lighter side.

It's perfect when you want dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. As a bonus, this pasta makes for some great leftovers.

This dish is inspired by Mediterranean flavors and tossed with fresh tomatoes that have been sautéed in a skillet with some olive oil and garlic. Fresh spinach is added to the pasta, along with some chopped Kalamata olives and Parmesan cheese.

Jump to:

• How To Flavor Mediterranean Pasta
• Ingredients For Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta
• How To Make Mediterranean Pasta
• Can I Sub Canned Tomatoes?
• What Type Of Pasta Is Best?
• Combined All Of The Ingredients In A Skillet
• Can I Sub Any Of These Ingredients?
• What To Serve With Vegetarian Pasta
• How Long Does This Pasta Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta

How To Flavor Mediterranean Pasta

Dishes like this one that are inspired by Mediterranean flavors are made with simple, clean ingredients and minimally processed products.

Mediterranean dishes are flavored with whole ingredients like vegetables, herbs, and spices. Much of the flavor in this pasta comes from the garlic, tomatoes, and Kalamata olives.

The great thing about pasta in general is that it is sort of a 'blank canvas' ingredient that can be flavored by whatever is added to it.

I love this recipe, because the flavors of the ingredients really shine through - They are not masked by any unnecessary additions.

Ingredients For Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 5 Roma Tomatoes (can sub grape, cherry, or any tomatoes with lower water content)
• 2 packed cups Spinach (chopped)
• 1 cup Pitted Kalamata Olives (chopped)
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (shredded)
• 1 package Gluten Free Short Pasta, such as rotini, fusilli, or penne (can use regular short pasta if not gluten free)
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt and Pepper (split)
• Fresh Basil for garnish (or fresh herb of choice)

How To Make Mediterranean Pasta

There are only a few steps needed to make this Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta.

The first is to chop the mince the garlic and to chop the tomatoes, spinach, and Kalamata olives.

The tomatoes are then simmered in a skillet along with some olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper while the pasta cooks in a separate pot.

Once all of the components are ready, everything is tossed together in a large skillet until combined. The whole process takes around 30 minutes.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic.
2. Dice 5 Roma tomatoes. Make sure the tomatoes are roughly the same size to ensure that they cook down evenly. (Feel free to use grape, cherry, or any variety of tomatoes that have a low moisture content).
3. Roughly chop 2 packed cups of fresh spinach (or leafy greens of choice, such as kale, Swiss chard, or arugula).
4. Cut 1 cup of pitted Kalamata olives into halves.
5. Grate ½ cup of Parmesan (can sub Asiago or Romano) cheese.
6. Place a large skillet onto the stovetop and heat to medium-high. Once heated, add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet.
7. Add the diced tomatoes, along with ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper.
8. Sauté the tomatoes for 8-10 minutes, or until they have cooked down. Stir the tomatoes occasionally as they cook.
9. Add the minced garlic 2 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Sauté the garlic and tomatoes until the garlic is fragrant.
10. While the tomatoes are cooking, prepare 1 package of gluten free short pasta (or regular short pasta if not gluten free) and cook just until al dente. If using gluten free pasta, place the cooked pasta in a strainer, drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Can I Sub Canned Tomatoes?

Yes, canned diced tomatoes may be used in place of fresh tomatoes.

If using canned tomatoes, make sure to drain them before adding to the skillet. Undrained tomatoes may result in a watery pasta.

What Type Of Pasta Is Best?

This recipe is gluten free and made with a gluten free short pasta, such as fusilli, rotini, penne, or farfalle.

Feel free to use any brand of short pasta if gluten is not an issue for you.

Here are a few tips I have discovered along the way to ensure optimal taste and texture when it comes to cooking gluten free pasta:

• For the best results when making gluten free pasta, make sure to cook it just until al dente. Gluten free pasta can become very mushy when overcooked.
• Once the pasta is cooked just until al dente, drain it in a strainer and rinse under cold water. This stops the cooking process and helps the pasta to remain firm. Allow the cooled pasta to sit in the strainer until added to the rest of the ingredients.
• Stir the pasta only until combined with all of the other ingredients. Gluten free pasta falls apart easily and the less it's disturbed, the better.
• Make sure to use a high quality brand to ensure the best taste and texture.

I love any of the brown rice short pasta varieties from Jovial or Tinkyada when making dishes such as this Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta.

Combined All Of The Ingredients In A Skillet

Once the tomatoes have cooked down, the pasta is cooked (and rinsed if necessary), and the rest of the ingredients are chopped, it's time to combine all of them in the skillet along with the tomatoes.

1. After the tomatoes have cooked down, add the drained (and rinsed) pasta, along with the chopped spinach, Kalamata olives, ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and another ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper.
2. Stir all of these ingredients together just until combined (being careful not to break apart the pasta if gluten free).
3. Cook the pasta for another 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted and the cheese melted.
4. Garnish with freshly torn basil leaves (or fresh herbs of choice).

Can I Sub Any Of These Ingredients?

Yes! Feel free to adjust some of these ingredients to your liking.

• Any leafy greens of choice may be used in place of spinach. Kale, Swiss chard, or arugula are all great options.
• Feel free to sub marinated artichokes in place of Kalamata olives. Alternately, you can use any variety of olives instead of Kalamata.
• You can sub the Kalamata olives for capers, roasted red peppers, or sundried tomatoes if you prefer. Or, you can use any of these ingredients in addition to the Kalamata olives.
• Asiago or Romano cheese may be used in place of Parmesan cheese.

What To Serve With Vegetarian Pasta

If you're looking for a meatless meal, this pasta can be served on its own.

It can also be paired with some breadsticks, or a simple salad made with leafy greens, a Greek salad, or Caesar salad.

This Italian green bean salad or marinated tomato salad makes for a great pairing.

If you'd like to add some protein, feel free to top this Mediterranean pasta with some roasted or grilled chicken breasts, salmon, or sautéed shrimp.

For a tasty appetizer, check out this Kalamata olive tapenade or roasted mushroom tapenade.

Looking for more vegetarian meals? Check out these recipes!

• Mediterranean Veggie Flatbread Pizza
• Baked Eggplant Parmesan
• Farmers Market Pizza
• Lemon Artichoke Pea Risotto
• Tuscan Vegetable Soup
• Italian Chunky Vegetable Soup

How Long Does This Pasta Last In The Fridge?

This pasta lasts 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Make sure to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Can It Be Frozen?

For best results, I recommend enjoying this pasta right away, or within a few days.

We often tend to think that we need tons of time and fancy ingredients to make meals that are healthy and satisfying. This pasta is proof that all you need is a few simple and quality ingredients to create something special.

One of the reasons I grow a garden every summer is to be able to make meals like this one!

If you love meatless pasta sauce be sure to check out this Homemade Spaghetti Sauce, Spinach Walnut Pesto, and Green Pasta Sauce!

Love pasta? Be sure to check out these recipes:

• Chicken Marsala Pasta
• Mushroom Olive Pasta
• Kale Pancetta Pasta
• One Pot Veggie Pasta
• Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
• Garden Vegetable Lasagna
• Ground Turkey Spinach Pasta

Looking For More Mediterranean Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

Instant Pot Cheesy Garlic Spaghetti

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna