Name: Mediterranean Pasta (One Pot!) Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 12 oz penne pasta; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved; 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced; 3 cups baby spinach; 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese; 2 cups vegetable broth; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; Salt and black pepper to taste

This Mediterranean Pasta Recipe Is Basically My Weeknight Cheat Code

Hey you! Pull up a chair (or just hover awkwardly in the kitchen, as I usually do). Can I just say: this Mediterranean Pasta is the dish that rescued more than one of my weeknights from the brink of takeout despair. Actually, last week I was halfway through making grilled cheese when I remembered I had all the stuff for this, so it’s totally that kind of last-minute hero.

I first tried this at a friend’s potluck. She’d thrown everything into one pot, made a big show of how lazy she was feeling, and everyone lost their minds for it. Now it’s in heavy rotation at home. My dog even gets excited (probably because of the cheese but still). Oh and if you count how many dishes you have to wash, it’s basically a miracle.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe

Honestly, I make this Mediterranean Pasta when I need something everyone will eat without that look of, “what’s she done to dinner now?” My family goes nuts for it—mom included, and she’s seen every pasta trick in the book (and probably invented half). It’s colorful. It’s fast. Plus, you don’t end up elbow-deep in a pile of pans. Sometimes I’ll make it just for myself so I can eat the leftovers the next day—though those rarely survive. One time I ran out of olives, and it still somehow turned out okay, though I did miss that salty bite.

What You’ll Need (aka The Shopping List Scribbled on My Phone)

250g dried pasta (penne’s my jam, but I’ve used shells when I ran out, totally fine!)
3 cups vegetable broth (or chicken stock—use what you’ve got, honestly)
1 large red onion, chopped nice and chunky (yellow works in a pinch—don’t stress)
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin (or honestly, heaped from the jar, you do you)
2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin, but basic stuff is fine, too; my gran would roll her eyes if she saw the fancy stuff anyway)
1 can (400g) diced tomatoes (sometimes I’ll use fresh if I have them getting wrinkly on the counter)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional, but I love the burst of sweetness)
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved (green olives work too, just don’t tell my uncle)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (I sometimes skip these because my partner picks them out—oh well)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (fresh is nice, but let’s be real, I use dried like 99% of the time)
1 teaspoon dried basil (if you don’t have it, meh, just skip)
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (I sometimes blitz it in if I’m not feeling precious)
Big handful of baby spinach (or rocket—arugula? Is that the same thing? It works, anyway)
Salt & black pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, for serving (sometimes I forget and nobody notices, so up to you)

Let’s Get Cooking! (Don’t Blink, It Goes Fast)

Grab your biggest pot (one that looks like it could house a small puppy) and heat the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in your onion—it should sizzle, but if it doesn’t, who cares, just wait a sec and it’ll get there.
Chuck in the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, or until you can smell it; I sometimes get distracted here and it browns a bit—totally fine, some call that ‘flavor’.
Add the diced tomatoes (with their juice), cherry tomatoes (if you have them), olives, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and basil. Give it all a good stir. It looks kind of like soup at this point, but trust me, it’s going places.
Pour in the broth and bring to a lazy simmer. Add your pasta. Don’t bother with boiling separately—who’s got time for that? Stir now and then so it doesn’t stick. I usually check Insta while I wait, not even pretending to multitask.
Cook uncovered for about 11–13 minutes, until the pasta is just cooked and there’s still a bit of sauce. This is where I usually sneak a taste (for ‘doneness’—not just because I’m impatient… okay maybe it’s that too).
Stir in spinach until it wilts—it nearly disappears, so don’t be shy. Looks weirdly swampy for a moment but the cheese fixes everything.
Crumble over the feta. Turn off the heat. Give it one more gentle stir. Chuck a bit more pepper on there if you like.
Squeeze over a lemon wedge before serving if you remember (sometimes I’m already halfway done eating before I do this, just saying).

What I’ve Learned the Hard Way

If it looks soupy at the end, just let it sit for a few minutes—the pasta soaks it up. Don’t panic!
I used to overcook the spinach until it basically vanished. Now I just toss it in last minute.
Try to avoid adding too much salt before tasting—the feta’s sneaky! (Ask me how I know…)

Stuff I’ve Tried (And One That Was a Bit Dodgy)

I swapped the olives for capers once—surprisingly tasty if you’re not an olive fan.
Once I got bold and added leftover roasted chicken—completely changed the vibe but still ace.
One time I tossed in tinned tuna—don’t think I’ll do that again. Just… weird.
Swirling in a bit of cream at the end makes it weirdly comforting for cold nights.

Gear You Honestly Need (Or Don’t)

Big pot or deep skillet—that’s it. If all you’ve got is a mismatched nonstick thing with a dodgy handle, it’ll do. I once made this in a wok because the saucepan was ‘busy’ with rice pudding. (Worked, sorta.)

Keeping Leftovers (Not That There Are Many)

Just chuck any extras in a sealed box in the fridge. Should be fine for 2, maybe 3 days tops, though honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day. It’s actually better cold, like a pasta salad, unless you get weird about cold cheese.

How I Serve It (Or The Way Mum Taught Me)

Big bowls, always. Sometimes with a slab of crusty bread for scooping, or, if we’re feeling fancy, a quick salad on the side. Personally, I love a rogue handful of fresh parsley on top, but the kids roll their eyes. One time we just ate straight out of the pot—no shame in that game.

Stuff I Wish I’d Known Earlier

I once tried to rush the simmering and the pasta was somehow both mushy and hard? Don’t do that. Let it simmer.
And actually, I find it works better if you resist adding all the cheese up front—save a bit for the end.
Be careful not to go overboard on sun-dried tomatoes unless you love things super tangy.

FAQ—Yes, I’ve Actually Been Asked These

Can I use gluten-free pasta? Yep, but keep an eye on it—sometimes it gets mushy quicker. I had one friend swear by it, though; maybe I just buy the wrong brand?
What if I hate olives? Don’t use ‘em! Try artichoke hearts, or just chuck in more cherry tomatoes. Nobody’s judging.
Do I really need spinach? Not really, but it makes me feel virtuous. Rocket works. Or skip—it’s your dinner.
Can you freeze this? Well—I’ve tried. It gets a bit weird in texture, but if you don’t mind, go for it.
How about making it vegan? Sure, just leave out the feta or use one of those vegan cheese things (haven’t tried them all, but some are pretty ok).
Is this recipe authentic? Depends who you ask! Feels Mediterranean to me, but my Greek aunt would probably give me ‘the look’.

Anyway, let me know if you make it, or even if you do something completely wild with it. I love hearing what goes sideways in other people’s kitchens. All the best!

Mediterranean Pasta (One Pot!) Recipe for Busy Nights