Easy Mediterranean Pasta Dish In Just One Pot
This easy Mediterranean pasta dish in just one pot is the perfect meal for a quick dinner fix! You will love this Mediterranean pasta recipe! It’s savory and hearty. Better yet, this pasta recipe is vegetarian and packs 7 plant points!
Who doesn’t love a Monday? Yeaha…Try embracing your next Monday with a Mediterranean themed dish! If you are anything like me and dealing with crazy days, busy schedules, and working to find balance. This recipe is for you!
Gut healthy micro Superstars featured in this Mediterranean pasta dish
This post may contain affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Kait’s Cupboard! For more details click here to read my privacy policy.
What Does It Take to Put Together This Mediterranean Pasta Dish?
- First, saute the onions, garlic, chickpeas and diced tomatoes.
- Next, add the vegetable stock and pasta.
- Then, bring to a rolling boil until the pasta is cooked.
- Finally, remove from heat. Add the olives, feta, and spinach.
- Serve and Enjoy!
One Pot, Little Mess, Little Clean Up
Pasta Under 300 Calories Per Serving
Who doesn’t absolutely adore Mediterranean-style pasta dishes that come in under 300 calories?! By forgoing the creams and heavy sauces, you can still enjoy the delicious satisfaction of a pasta meal without having to worry about the calorie count.
First, the Full Recipe for This Amazing Mediterranean Pasta Dish
Let’s get to the good stuff first, check out the full recipe below for your new favorite Mediterranean pasta dish. And, if you are interested in how your food can totally change your life and health, read on below the recipe to learn more about the gut healthy ingredients in mediterranean pasta recipes! This mediterranean pasta with feta includes chickpeas, red onion, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, and whole wheat pasta. All foods good for your gut health!
Easy Mediterranean Pasta Dish in Just One Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 6 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 1 box baby spinach
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 can diced tomatoes fire roasted
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 small jar kalamata olives drained
- 1/2 box linguine 100% whole wheat
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 3/4 cup feta crumbled
Instructions
Make the One Pot Pasta
- In a large pot, add olive oil and turn on the burner to slightly over medium.3 tbsp olive oil
- Add the red onion to the pot, sauté 3 minutes.1 medium red onion
- Add the garlic to the pot. Sauté another minute.6 cloves fresh garlic
- Add drained and rinsed chickpeas. Sauté until they lightly brown and crack open slightly. To prevent burning, it helps to stir regularly.1 can chickpeas
- Add the tomatoes. Continue to sauté another 1-2 minutes.1 can diced tomatoes
- Add the vegetable stock. Add the oregano. Add the salt and pepper to taste.1/2 tsp dried oregano, 2 cups vegetable stock, salt, pepper
- Break the pasta in half, place it in the pot. Use a large spoon to push down the pasta so it is submerged in the stock liquid. If it's not submerged, add a little more vegetable stock.1/2 box linguine
- Continue cooking on medium high for 8-9 minutes.
- Try a noodle. When the pasta is al dente the stock should be mostly absorbed by the pasta. Remove from heat.
- Stir. Add kalamata olives (not the juice!). Add the feta.1 small jar kalamata olives, 3/4 cup feta
- Gently fold baby spinach into the pasta.1 box baby spinach
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Gut Healthy Ingredients in Mediterranean Pasta in One Pot
This incredibly delicious and nutritious pasta boasts a hearty mix of chickpeas, red onion, garlic, spinach tomatoes, and whole wheat pasta – making it an absolutely perfect dish for boosting your immunity! Not only is it filled with flavor and texture, but it’s also packed with goodness that will help you stay healthy in the long run.
The Secret Ingredient to this Recipe is the Chickpea Fiber
Chickpeas contain a ton of fiber, protein, and also other micro superheroes that enter into your gut and strengthen its ability to fight off bad bacteria. A stronger gut strengthens your immune system. Ultimately, a stronger you is a healthier you. Your, new and improved, stronger body functions more efficiently which means storing less fat and leaning out your waist line.
Chickpeas: Plant-Based Protein with A Ton of Benefits
Let’s take a look at the some of the research on chickpeas. Doctors examining the effects of eating chickpeas across 21 clinical randomized trials have found chickpeas, on average, reduce people’s weight (Kim et al., 2016). How much? In one study, they found a 25% reduction in weight loss for those people eating chickpeas as compared to those who were not.
Chickpeas are full of protein and fiber. Similar to black beans and lentils, one cup of chickpeas has about 14.5 grams of protein (Elliott, 2021). That’s a bit under half the amount of protein in one cup of cooked chicken (USDA, 2022). However, unlike cooked chicken, chickpeas are also full of fiber. The fiber and protein within chickpeas are a dynamic duo for your gut health and your overall health including weight loss and preventing chronic disease (think cancer and heart disease).
Kalamata Olives: Battle Inflammation
Kalamata olives are jam-packed with powerful antioxidants that can combat the damaging effect of free radicals in your body and support your gut health. Rich in polyphenols, a potent antioxidant, consuming Kalamata olives can potentially help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases (Charoenprasert & Mitchell, 2012).
Red Onion: Protect Against Chronic Disease
This Mediterranean pasta is not just delicious; it is also incredibly healthy, thanks to the sautéed red onion that it includes! Red onion contains allicin, an incredibly powerful micro superhero that helps to boost our immune system and overall health. Moreover, red onions are brimming with antioxidants that have been proven to help protect your body from chronic disease.
Tomatoes: Support Your Gut Health, Digestion, and Skin
Tomatoes support your immune system and body by strengthening your intestinal wall. How? They contain Lactobacillus rhamnosus, a probiotic that improves your skin and digestion to boot Want to know more? Check out my post on Lactobacillus rhamnosus here or my post on diced tomatoes, and learn why they should be a staple ingredient in your cupboard.
Feta: Provides Micro Superstar Probiotics for a Healthy Gut
Feta cheese has been scientifically proven to contain Lactobacillus plantarum, which makes up approximately 48% of the bacteria found in this deliciously tangy and crumbly cheese. This bacteria is beneficial for digestion, as well as overall gut health. and immune system strength (Galanis et al., 2015; Tzanetakis & Litoupoulou-Tzanetaki, 1992).
Unpasteurized feta will have the greatest number of live Lactobacillus plantarum, the micro superstar that supports your gut health. Try looking for it at your local farmer’s market. Or, you can find pasteurized feta here at Whole Foods, or most other grocery stores, Costco, and Aldi in your area!
Lactobacillus Plantarum: A Micro Superstar for a Happy Gut
Yogurt is another food that has been shown to contain Lactobacillus plantarum. Lactobacillus planetarum makes up approximately 31% of the bacteria found in this yogurt. Consuming this probiotic not only helps with digestion, but it also improves our mood and mental health.
Many people find that when they eat more yogurt, they are able to sleep better and have more energy throughout the day. This could be because of this little micro superstar’s ability to reduce inflammation and balance out hormone levels in our bodies. All in all, this means less stress and anxiety when you incorporate foods with Lactobacillus planetarum in your foods!
Want to make your own Greek yogurt? You can get a live starter to help bring those micro superstars to life in your own kitchen! Find a live Greek yogurt starter on Amazon here!
100% Whole Wheat Pasta Keeps Your Glucose Level Stable
Whole wheat pasta is an excellent source of nutrition for those looking to improve their health. Not only is it high in fiber and protein, but it also contains essential vitamins and minerals. It’s a great choice for those trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy diet.
Whole wheat pasta can help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. It can also help lower cholesterol levels and improve digestion. Eating whole wheat pasta can also give you energy throughout the day, helping you stay focused and productive. With all these health benefits, it’s no wonder why more people are turning to whole wheat pasta as part of a balanced diet plan! Want to know more about staying healthy and energized? Check out 3 Ways Our Bodies Work from The Energy Paradox here!
Sometimes it can be difficult to find whole wheat pasta at the store. You can find this whole wheat pasta on Amazon here and have it shipped straight to your door, in a pack of 4! Easy!
An Easy Pasta Recipe to Make at Home or While Traveling
If you travel for work, this is an excellent pasta recipe to make in an efficiency kitchen. It takes one pot, one stovetop, and uses mostly canned ingredients and dry pasta. This means you can get a healthy, homemade meal, without a ton of cost. If you’re like me and still want to eat healthy on the road, and feel like you’re getting homemade food, this mediterranean pasta dish is a go to recipe.
One Pot, Quick and Kid Friendly
This Mediterranean Pasta is a favorite for everyone in the family. The kids do attempt to barter out of eating ONE kalamata olive. But, I have them try at least one bite of each food and describe the food. I read that trick from a favorite book of mine, Bringing Up Bébé.
The author, Pamela Druckerman, writes that in order to get kids to eat more varied foods and whole foods, we must focus less on “do you like it?” and more on, “what does it taste like? What does it look like?” So, we are working on that here, with better than a 0% success rate. Time will tell, ha.
In Need of the Best Dutch Oven Ever?
Do you have a large pot or dutch oven but it is coated in chemical-y (is that a word?) Teflon? Caphlon? Any of the above. Is it starting to chip? If you’re looking for a new swoon-worthy pot to add to your kitchen stovetop check out this dutch oven pot that comes in a ton of colors from Martha Stewart’s collection. I mean, what doesn’t she do well?!
Looking more for the O-G (that is teenager talk for original ha ha) dutch oven pot? Try a Le Creuset enameled cast iron round dutch oven. You’ll be feeling like you’re in old world Europe while you throw together this beautiful pasta dish!
This one is definitely a splurge, but really, does cast iron ever wear out? I think not.
A Mediterranean Pasta to Write Home About
Give this Mediterranean pasta dish a try! Once you have staple ingredients in your cupboard like chickpeas, whole wheat pasta, diced tomatoes, and garlic, it’s a no brainer. Easy shopping, easy cooking, little clean up and delicious pasta. Enjoy!
Made this tonight – was a hit with the kid AND the adults! We were low on groceries but had most of the staples. Swapped artichokes for the spinach, a can of black olives for kalamatas. Had some fresh basil so threw that in there. It was seriously yum 🤤 thank you for this recipe!!
So glad you loved it!! Love the idea of subbing adding artichokes in!