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Roasted Tomato Basil and Feta Orzo…for a quick and simple dinner. Orzo pasta, sweet and juicy roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic, herbs, feta cheese, and toasted pine nuts, all combined to create a quick pasta dinner. Finish it off with crispy, salty prosciutto for a truly delicious pasta dish. Every bite bursts in your mouth…it’s pretty hard to beat this simple spring/summer pasta.
It might still be a little chilly outside, but mentally I’ve pretty much moved onto summer. I mean, kind of. Cherry tomatoes are slowly coming into season and this dish feels a little bit on the summery side, right? Regardless of the season, it’s DELICIOUS, and it literally takes just thirty minutes from start to finish.
If you read Sunday’s Favorites, you know that some of my family is currently in Arizona. And then some are at home in southern California. Somehow I’m in Colorado enjoying the colder temps and snow. It’s totally fine, I’m not jealous or anything…
Instead I’m drawing inspiration from what they’ve been eating by recreating some of their recipes. It’s actually pretty fun for me and I love all the new ideas! Today’s dish was actually something I’d come up with prior to them taking off. But their trip pushed me to finally create the recipe.
So here we are! And guys, it’s beyond good.
(tomatoes before roasting)
The Idea
As mentioned, I came up with this idea sometime last week. But I finally made it over the weekend after receiving a fresh order of herbs and edible flowers from Gourmet Sweet Botanicals. I figured a roasted pasta with pretty edible flowers would be nice for today!
I wanted to create a warm orzo pasta with an olive oil base and lots of sweet roasted cherry tomatoes. Feta cheese sounded like the perfect cheese to pair alongside this pasta, and then the prosciutto adds that nice crunch.
(pasta before adding the tomatoes)
Here are the quick details
I always start out by roasting the tomatoes. It’s KEY to using cherry tomatoes, which I find to be pretty delicious year-round. I toss them up with olive oil, garlic, chili powder (for heat), and honey to help them really caramelize and become sweet and addicting.
While the tomatoes roast, I also crisp the prosciutto in the oven at the same time.
While everything is in the oven I boil the orzo and make a quick olive oil-based vinaigrette for the pasta. It’s a simple mix of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a small bit of shallot. I add the hot pasta right to the vinaigrette, then toss it up with lots of fresh herbs. Once the hot pasta hits the fresh herbs and vinaigrette everything immediately smells incredible.
At this point, the tomatoes should be done, so give that garlic a fine chop and toss the tomatoes and garlic in with the pasta. Add lots of feta cheese and then that crispy prosciutto.
And geez, that’s it. I told you this is simple, but yet it still has sophistication. Between the roasted tomatoes and garlic, fresh herbs, cheese, and prosciutto, there is so much happening here.
I love that this dish comes together pretty quickly. And while I prefer eating this warm, it would also be great to serve up cold at picnics or upcoming summer gatherings. You could even pack it up for lunch!
Either way you serve it up, it’s going to be good. I always recommend a little extra cheese on top and toasted ciabatta bread on the side. Yumm!
Looking for a few other quick ideas? Try these…
One Pot 30 Minute Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta Bake
Souper Creamy Lemon Butter Cheesy Zucchini Orzo
Basil Parmesan Pasta with Crispy Chicken, Prosciutto, and Arugula
Lastly, if you make this Roasted Tomato Basil and Feta Orzo be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Roasted Tomato Basil and Feta Orzo
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 671 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3-4 cloves garlic, smashed and skin removed
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3 teaspoons honey
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 ounces prosciutto, torn (optional)
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 of a small shallot, grated
- red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs, such as dill and chives
- 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup toasted nuts/seeds
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 2. In a roasting pan, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, thyme, chili powder, 1 teaspoon honey, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the tomatoes burst. Finley chop the garlic. 3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the prosciutto in an even layer. Bake 5-8 minutes, until the prosciutto is crisp.4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the orzo until al dente. Drain. 5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 4 tablespoons olive oil, the red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, the shallot, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add the hot orzo and fresh herbs, toss to combine. Add the tomatoes, chopped roasted garlic, and any juices left in the pan, the feta, and nuts, gently toss. Top with prosciutto. Serve warm or chilled!
This post was originally published on April 26, 2021
Delicious! Loved it so much!
Hey Melanie,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Wow this recipe is INCREDIBLE!!! So much flavor and seriously the quickest thing to throw together. My lunch for this week just got a major upgrade. Thanks Tieghan!!!
Hey Alyssa,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
I just made this. What a great recipe!
Thank you for sharing.
Hey Debbie,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Loved this recipe! Flavorful and delicious. Can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. ?
Hey tara,
Happy Monday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Made this today and it was fantastic. I forgot the nuts (darn!) and subbed maple syrup for the honey, but other than that, followed the instructions exactly. Served it warm and the whole family loved it. Really looking forward to cold leftovers tomorrow. Thank you!!
Hey Lauren,
Happy Monday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Made last night with simple Greek marinaded grilled chicken and a cucumber salad. So so good!
Hey Jill,
Happy Monday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Love love loved this recipe! Made it Friday night and everyone was happy and asking for more! Best flavor combinations with the tomatoes bursting, feta and herbs, and the prosciutto with toasted pine nuts at the end sealed the deal! Definitely a keeper!
Hey Diane,
Happy Monday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
I absolutely loved this recipe!!!! Mind you, I’ve loved every single recipe I’ve made of yours! You are talented!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Hey Teanna,
Fantastic!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great Sunday:) xxTieghan
Another great recipe! I substituted the prosciutto with a side of breaded chicken breast and it was very tasty. The fresh tomatoes with all the herbs gave the dish e very fresh flavour.
Hey Nic,
Fantastic!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great Sunday:) xxTieghan
Can’t wait to try this! Do you think I could sub balsamic vinegar for the red wine vinegar and not alter the taste too much?
Hey Natalie,
Yes, I think that would work just fine for you! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I”m so excited to make this dish this weekend! Just had a question in regards to the honey. My roommate is vegan so could I sub maple syrup?
Hey Veronica,
Yes, maple syrup will work just fine here, you can also just skip it altogether:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I haven’t made this as yet, but I definitely plan to once I’m able to get the necessary ingredients. I do have a question though… I’m concerned about the honey in the vinaigrette. It sounds like it would make it very sweet. I’m honestly thinking about leaving it out. Your thoughts? Thank you.
Hey Lori,
The honey is such a small amount that it really adds the perfect amount of sweetness, it’s not overpowering. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This was so good. My kids are super picky about cooked whole tomatoes so I used the emersion blender to make more of a sauce and they loved it. They even liked the feta!! Thanks for the great recipe. I use your recipes most for dinner. We reallly like all of your curry noodle dishes. Thanks for all your great ideas.
Hey Julia,
Happy Friday!! I am so excited that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you giving it a try!! xTieghan
Just made this tonight – awesome!! We live in Vail – come visit any time. Hooked on your recipes!
Hey Kirsty,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
This was a delicious meal! I used gluten free orzo and it came out great!
Hey Judi,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xxTieghan