Greek Spaghetti

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This simple 15-minute Greek spaghetti is full of fresh Mediterranean flavors! It’s a family favorite pasta dish that is perfect for weeknights and a healthy dinner on the fly.

This easy pasta dish is one I’ve made countless times over the years, whenever I’ve had an extra pint of cherry tomatoes sitting around.

It’s my go-to quick and flavorful meal when I’m on my own at home for whatever reason, and I find myself craving it regularly. And this Greek Spaghetti is so easy to make that it might just become your go-to pasta.

Is this an authentic Greek dish?

In Greece, the most common way to prepare spaghetti is know as Makaronia Me Kima, which is spaghetti served with a meat sauce made with beef or beef and lamb. The sauce is often flavored with cinnamon, and otherwise resembles Italian Bolognese. Here is a lovely recipe for Makaronia Me Kima from Dimitra’s Dishes.

I call my own version Greek spaghetti because it features a classic combination of Greek flavors, although it does not have much in common with the above dish, except of course for the spaghetti!

Why You’ll Love This Greek Spaghetti Recipe

It’s a delicious and healthy Mediterranean dish. If you have been here a while, you know I am a big fan of the Mediterranean diet in general. I have a lot of recipes on my site that fall under the Mediterranean diet category like these Roasted Salmon Quinoa Bowls, or these fam-favorite Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers with Couscous.

It’s a healthy and delicious way to eat with so many benefits, and I’ve been incorporating it more and more in my daily cooking!

This Greek spaghetti recipe features tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese – all staples in Mediterranean diet.

It’s only takes 15 minutes to make, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights. All you have to do is cook the pasta, sauté the vegetables, and toss everything together with the feta cheese and basil and your Greek spaghetti is ready.

It’s versatile and can be customized to your liking. If you don’t like kalamata olives, you can use any other type of olives, such as black olives or green olives, or use capers instead. You could just skip them too.

You can also add grilled chicken or shrimp for extra protein. This dish is naturally vegetarian, and if you want to make this Greek spaghetti vegan, simply omit the feta cheese, or use a vegan cheese.

Ingredient Notes

Spaghetti

I use spaghetti for this recipe – but you can use linguine or even fettuccine. A short pasta will work as well, I just personally prefer long pasta with a lighter sauce like this one.

Olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is the best choice for this Greek spaghetti recipe, as it has a strong, fruity flavor that will complement the other ingredients.

Yellow onion

Yellow onion will give your Greek spaghetti a nice, mild sweetness. If you don’t have a yellow onion, you can use a white onion or a red onion.

Tomatoes

Grape or cherry tomatoes are a good option for this recipe because they’re small and have a sweet, juicy flavor. They’ll add a nice pop of color and freshness to your dish. If you don’t have grape or cherry tomatoes on hand, you can use diced fresh tomatoes, or canned diced tomatoes instead. Just be sure to drain canned tomatoes well before adding them to the sauce, so that your spaghetti doesn’t become too watery.

Feta Cheese

Feta cheese is a salty, tangy cheese that is a key ingredient in Greek cuisine. It will add a lot of flavor to your spaghetti. If you don’t have feta cheese, you can substitute goat cheese or ricotta.

Olives

Kalamata olives are a classic Greek ingredient with a salty, briny flavor. They add a nice depth of flavor to your Greek spaghetti, and they’re also a good source of antioxidants. If you don’t particularly enjoy the taste of Kalamata olives, you can substitute black or green olives, or capers.

Fresh Basil

I love to add fresh herbs to my pasta, and basil is a classic choice. It has a bright, distinctive flavor that will add a lot of freshness to your Greek spaghetti.

How to Make Greek Spaghetti – Step by Step

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add a very generous pinch of salt. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions, or until it is al dente. Drain.

2. Warm a large skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.

3. Now toss the grape tomatoes, salt, and red pepper flakes into the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to break down the tomatoes and release their juices.

4. Now add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss to combine. You can do this in a large bowl if your skillet isn’t big enough.

5. Next, add the feta cheese, and olives to the skillet and toss until well combined.

5. Sprinkle the remaining feta cheese and fresh basil on top of the Greek pasta.

What to Serve with Greek Spaghetti

I usually serve this dish on its own, but since this is a lighter pasta dish, if you’d like to bulk it up some Cheesy Garlic Bread on the side would be delicious.

Some grilled or roasted or grilled veggies would be great too, as would a simple garden salad, Greek chicken salad, or lemony ancient grains salad.

More Easy Dinner Ideas

For more favorite dinners that fit into the Mediterranean Diet, see this 12 Dinners for the Mediterranean Diet post.

For more 15-minute pasta dinners, check out these favorites:

Cajun Sausage Pasta

Tomato Alfredo Pasta

Easy Pasta Carbonara

Storage Instructions

Greek spaghetti can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready to serve, let the spaghetti come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before tossing it with a little extra feta cheese and olives.