Vegetarian Greek Pasta

Name: Vegetarian Greek Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: Kosher salt ((to taste)); 1 pound penne ( (or cavatappi, or other short chunky pasta)); ¼ cup olive oil; 1 large onion ((any color, diced)); 3 medium zucchini (halved and sliced (or use 10 baby zucchini sliced)); 3 pints cherry or grape tomatoes ((halved)); 1 cup crumbled or diced feta cheese ((divided)); Zest and juice of 1 lemon; Freshly ground black pepper ((to taste)); 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped ((plus more for serving; see Note))

By Katie Workman

5 from 5 votes

on Sep 03, 2013, Updated Dec 18, 2023

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Feta, zucchini, and tomato are classic Greek ingredients, and they come together in this pasta like they've know each other forever.

Vegetarian Greek Pasta Salad in serving platter on table.

Feta, zucchini, and tomato are classic Greek ingredients, and they add so much color, flavor, and texture to this 5-ingredient, 30-minute pasta. A sprinkle of lemon zest and the juice of a lemon perks everything up considerably. This is a vegetarian dish, but if you want to add some cooked chicken or shrimp, that would be great, too. Or go the other way and leave out the feta, and you have vegan pasta!

This Greek pasta is another way to use up all of that zucchini that’s flooding the garden and the farmers markets. If you’re facing a log jam of zucchini, also try Modern Greek Salad, Crunchy Parmesan Zucchini Coins, Zucchini Ribbon Salad, and Tomato, Zucchini, and Bulgur Salad.

Ingredients
Pasta Options
How to Make Vegetarian Greek Pasta
Recipe Variations and Tips
More Easy 5-Ingredient Pasta Recipes
Vegetarian Greek Pasta Recipe

Vegetarian Greek Pasta in brown serving platter.

Feta, zucchini and tomato are classic Greek ingredients and they come together in this pasta like they’ve know each other forever.
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Ingredients

The ingredients in the dish couldn’t be more accessible, especially during the end of summer months. Note that the vegetables cook down when you make this pasta, so this might look like a lot of veggies when they are chopped and raw, but they will be just the right amount for the pasta once cooked. The vegetables shrink as they release water while cooking, while the pasta swells as it absorbs water. The quantities will even themselves out! And you can always up the amount of vegetables or use less pasta if you want an even more vegetable-heavy pasta.

Pasta – I picked a chunky shape for this dish this time around, but it works just as well with long, skinny pasta. Different pasta, different dish — change it up! You can also use whole wheat pasta if you want to bump up the nutritional value of this dish or gluten-free pasta if there are allergies or intolerances in your home. Make sure to save some of the cooking water to create the sauce before you drain the pasta.

Onion – Any color is fine.

Zucchini – Don’t use super large zucchini here, which will have less flavor and be more watery when cooked. If you use medium zucchini, halve it lengthwise and slice; if you use baby zucchini, just slice it crosswise.

Cherry or grape tomatoes – You can also use 6 cups or diced larger tomatoes.

Feta – You can leave it out or use vegan feta for vegan pasta.

Oregano – Fresh is best, but dried will also work. Use 2 teaspoons of dried oregano instead, and skip the final sprinkle of fresh oregano.

Pasta Options

You can really use any pasta you like for this recipe, from long strands like linguine or spaghetti to chunkier shapes like ziti, penne, or elbows. Regular semolina pasta works great, but you can also experiment with whole-grain pasta, which is a nice way to get more whole grains into your diet. You could go for a tri-color pasta if you want extra color in this already colorful pasta.

Pile of Vegetarian Greek Pasta with cavatappi.

How to Make Vegetarian Greek Pasta

Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
Sauté the veggies: Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions until soft and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes.
Combine and serve: Add the pasta and zucchini-tomato mix to the pasta pot with 1/2 cup of pasta water, 3/4 of the feta, lemon zest and juice, and 2 tablespoons of oregano. Toss well, season with salt and pepper, and toss in the rest of the pasta water. Turn into a serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining feta and oregano. Serve hot or warm.

Recipe Variations and Tips

I love it when earlier in the season, you can find baby zucchini, which I used here. It’s adorable, has very few seeds, and has a nice firm texture. If baby zucchini are in your world, use them in this recipe.
Diced regular ripe tomatoes are very fine as well. Instead of the cherry or grape tomatoes, use about 4 large ones.
Instead of the final sprinkling of fresh oregano, you can also think about a sprinkle of parsley on top or perhaps slivered basil or sliced chives.