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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
So delicious! Just made this for dinner tonight, and it will now be a staple in our dinner menu at home!
Hey Claire,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xxTieghan
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I did have a problem I would like help with – since you mix the honey & olive oil (and other ingredients) in the pan with the tomatoes before roasting – the honey burned in my pan in the 425 oven . I salvaged the tomatoes but the pan was ruined. What should I have done – because I want to make this again soon. thanks
Hey Sher,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Next time you could wait to add the honey, but I found that as long as it was tossed with the olive oil that I did not have this issue. xxTieghan
Made this for Mother’s Day and it was my favorite HBH orzo recipe to date!! Everyone loved it – made it just as the recipe suggests
Hey Rebecca,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xxTieghan
Made this for Mother’s Day and it was my favorite HBH orzo recipe to date!! Everyone loved it – made it just as the recipe suggests
Hey Rebecca,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xxTieghan
Outstanding, as always!
Hey Dave,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xxTieghan
So yummy! Added asparagus and extra roasted garlic (I always add extra garlic! ?). Would easily scale up to larger quantities without adding much extra time. I also have a suspicion that it would be delicious cold as leftovers but we didn’t leave any behind this time – it’s too good!
Hey Lissa,
Happy Monday! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
This was delicious! I used ground sausage instead of prosciutto and goat cheese instead of feta. I’ll for sure be making this again. Thanks!
Hey Jennifer,
Awesome!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
SO GOOD!! I think this is the elevated version of the tiktok feta pasta. I used walnuts, and didn’t have basil, but it was still super tasty. Even better the next day!
Hey Jenny,
Awesome!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
WOW!!! That’s all I can say! This dish is so darn flavorful and so filling! A+ for sure!
Hey Katelyn,
Awesome!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
What do you recommend serving with this dish? Bread,side? Thank you!!
Hey Denise,
Sure, bread would be fantastic! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know I you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks amazing! Do you think this can be made ahead of time and keep warm in the oven? Going to make for company and don’t want to be too busy in the kitchen while they’re here!
Hey Kelly,
You can totally make this ahead and actually I would just serve at room temp:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This recipe was delicious! I put a little less of this and a little more of that, to adjust to my taste. The flavors were wonderful! It can be eaten either hot or chilled. I have eaten it both ways. A certain five-star meal, for sure.
Hey Laura,
I am so glad this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
So good and so easy!! This will be in the rotation for sure!
Hey Elisa,
I am so glad this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
I used quinoa-purely out of laziness to go to the store. This is truly an amazing simple recipe. Highly recommend!
Hey there,
I am so glad this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Made this over the weekend, omitting the nuts due to a friend’s allergy. It was so easy and delicious! Actually thought it was even better the next day cold for lunch. For fresh herbs I used a blend of basil, chives, and parsley.
Hey Lauren,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan