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Every time I’ve had spaghetti cooked for me, it’s been different. Everyone has their own version of spaghetti and cooks it to their liking. Whether they go for the more traditional recipes, the “healthier” recipes or they’re more of a “let’s just throw it together and hope for the best” style. Whatever the spaghetti, it’s usually tasty and always unique, so it’s an enjoyable dish. 

A friend of mine once made me a dish that isn’t spaghetti bolognese, but uses spaghetti pasta so can still technically be called spaghetti. She made me a tomato based vegetarian spaghetti with olives, capers and feta in it. It was like nothing I’d ever eaten before, and I loved it!

So this recipe is a variation of her concoction, which I like to call a mediterranean spaghetti, considering its ingredients. I’ve added artichokes and sundried tomatoes to the spaghetti to add to the mediterranean feel of it, but you can add or omit ingredients as you like. 

Of course you could add things like red onion, peppers or courgette too if you like. This is one of my “can’t be bothered cooking so I’m just going to do something easy with what I have” meals, so it uses things I just have in my cupboard and fridge. As usual, customise to your tastes!

If you’d like to make your own tomato sauce to go with it, check out this recipe for an easy homemade tomato sauce.

Mediterranean Spaghetti

Whip up this quick and easy Mediterranean style spaghetti in just 10 minutes
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Total Time 10 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 2

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Frypan
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

  • Spaghetti roughly 60g per person
  • 400 g Tomatoes diced, passata or homemade sauce* see notes*
  • 1 tbsp Capers
  • Black olives Approx 15, halved
  • 4 Sundried tomatoes
  • 5 Artichoke hearts jarred
  • 2 cloves Garlic If you're not using the homemade sauce
  • 1 tbsp Basil If you're not using the homemade sauce
  • 1 tbsp Oregano / Thyme If you're not using the homemade sauce
  • 1 tsp Chilli flakes
  • Pinch Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 Lemon

Instructions
 

  • Cook your pasta according to packet instructions
  • Slice your ingredients first. Halve olives (or keep whole if you prefer), slice sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts to your preferred size.
  • Add olive oil to a frypan and, if using, lightly fry garlic once oil is heated.
  • Add olives, sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts to the pan and lightly heat. You don’t need to cook any of these ingredients as they’re all preserved. You just want to heart them up and get their flavours out into the pan.
  • Add 400g tomatoes – diced, passata or basic tomato sauce
  • Next, add in your herbs (thyme and basil, if using, 1 tbsp each), 1 tsp chilli flakes and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
  • Let simmer for 5 minutes and taste. If it needs more salt or herbs, add here.
  • Once pasta is ready, drain but keep a little pasta water in the pan or scoop out with a cup before you drain. You want about a cup’s worth.
  • Combine sauce and pasta (it’s easiest with tongs if you have them, but a spoon works too), adding a little pasta water if the sauce is too thick. You don’t need to use all the pasta water, just use a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
  • Sprinkle over feta and a squeeze of lemon and serve!

Notes

Homemade tomato sauce – This quick and easy recipe can be used for this spaghetti, but also many other dishes. The recipe includes garlic and herbs, hence why they’re not needed for this spaghetti if you’re using this sauce.
 
If you’re adding vegetables, you’ll need to either cook in the pan for longer or you could oven roast them and add them to the sauce once cooked. I’d recommend thinly slicing any vegetables you add as it will be easier to eat with the spaghetti. You could follow this recipe and use a different type of pasta if you prefer too. In that case you could cut the vegetables into chunks instead.

Did you make this recipe? Let me know in the comments below! This recipe has been a lazy nights dinner a fair few times in my house and I hope it can save you some time and effort too. Enjoy!