Roasted Veggie Pasta with Feta Recipe
This Roasted Veggie Pasta with Feta is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring al dente fusilli tossed with oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, red onion, zucchini, and orange bell pepper. Creamy baked feta cheese melds beautifully with fresh baby arugula and a zesty lemon dressing, making it a perfect, easy-to-make vegetarian meal that’s both hearty and refreshing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound fusilli (or other chunky pasta)
Vegetables and Cheese
- 6 ounce block of feta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 red onion (cut into thin wedges)
- 2 small zucchini (diced into 1/2 inch pieces)
- 1 orange bell pepper (diced into 1/2 inch pieces)
Seasonings and Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cups fresh baby arugula
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) to prepare for roasting the vegetables and feta.
- Prepare veggies and feta: Arrange the block of feta and the chopped vegetables (cherry tomatoes, red onion wedges, diced zucchini, and diced bell pepper) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss the vegetables with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Drizzle the same olive oil and salt over the feta as well.
- Roast: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes or until the cherry tomatoes burst and vegetables are tender.
- Cook pasta: While the vegetables roast, bring a large pot of very salty water to a boil and cook the fusilli according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Combine pasta and feta: In a large mixing bowl, add the baked feta along with the reserved pasta water and stir well to create a creamy sauce that coats the pasta evenly.
- Add vegetables and finish: Add the roasted vegetables to the bowl along with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, fresh lemon juice, and baby arugula. Gently toss everything to combine thoroughly without breaking the roasted veggies.
- Serve and store: Serve the pasta immediately for optimal flavor and texture, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days for leftovers.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to help create a creamy sauce with the feta instead of using cream or milk.
- Use parchment paper on your baking sheet to prevent sticking and easy cleanup.
- You can substitute fusilli with any sturdy pasta shapes like penne or rigatoni.
- Adjust salt amounts based on the saltiness of your feta cheese.
- For a vegan version, substitute feta with a plant-based cheese alternative.
- Serve warm or at room temperature for the best taste.
Keywords: roasted veggie pasta, baked feta pasta, vegetarian pasta recipe, Mediterranean pasta dish, easy pasta dinner
