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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.
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!
So light, fresh and flavorful!! Yum!
Hey Dee,
Fantastic! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
This was sooo good!!!
Hey Kristina,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful day:) xTieghan
Absolutely delicious-total crowd pleaser. Everyone said how great this was!!
Hey Clare,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! ☀️xTieghan
This has been one of our favorite dishes that we’ve made of Tieghan’s. Great balance of flavors and easy to make. This will definitely be a go-to recipe in the future.
Hey Rochelle,
Fantastic! I am thrilled you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
I’m making this recipe today for an unfamiliar crowd today, I think it will be a hit but I just noticed I’m out of pine nuts!! 🙁 would you say that they are a must?? I want to do this recipe justice.. and I’m already going to have to serve it cold! (It’s a pot luck).. I have pumpkin seeds? And almonds.. and walnuts.. should I just sub for roasted pumpkin seeds or should I head to the store for some pine nuts? Would love to know your thoughts.
Thanks so much!!
Hey Carmen,
Totally fine to skip the pine nuts, pumpkin seeds might be delicious! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This is a great recipe! I’ve never used roasted tomatoes in a pasta salad, only fresh, but it was fantastic. Just for some extra color and flavor, I added a cup of frozen, green peas. Definitely a “keeper” recipe! Thank you!
Hey Anita,
Fantastic! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Made it for my book club tonight and it was a huge hit! I added a big handful of arugula when the pasta was warm and it was delish.
Hey Julie,
Fantastic! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
This was delicious! Next time I’ll make sure that I have enough fresh basil, only had 1/3 cup. And I was short on the dill and chives also. Can’t make to make this gain with the full amount of fresh herbs. Used pine nuts which put it over the top? Thanks again for another killer recipe!
Hey Chris,
Fantastic! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
O.M.G.!!!!! This was deliciously Devine. Going to become a weekly favourite I think.
Soo easy to make yet full of soo much flavour.
I added shredded roast chicken for my husband and it seemed to go well with it.
Thanks for there amazing recipes
Hey Dannah,
Fantastic! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Made it for my in-laws and it was perfect. Plenty of leftovers!
Hey Jo,
Awesome!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This orzo is so good, and super easy!! I used pancetta instead of prosciutto and it was delicious. The pine nuts are a must!
Hey Annie,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xxTieghan
I used orchiette pasta (my store didn’t have orzo), and it turned out amazing!! I love how you can eat this hot or cold. I followed this recipe to a tee and it was a hit with everyone who enjoyed it ?
Hey Ashley,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Cooked this tonight and loved it! I substituted farro for the orzo because i wanted a whole grain and my grocery doesn’t stock whole wheat orzo. The tomatoes, dressings, and herbs make it taste so fresh! Perfect for spring and summer. Will make this on repeat. Thanks for another favorite!
Hey Jill,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Dear Tieghan,
5 stars! OMG, my tastebuds are so happy! The honey and chili powder are unexpected yet a delicious addition. I didn’t have prosciutto, and I’m not missing it. I increased the pine nuts to 1/2 cup.
I don’t like dill. In my herb mix, I used only chives and Italian parsley.
I think saying this takes 10 minutes prep time is overly optimistic for a home cook though. It took me at least 15-20 minutes just to strip the thyme leaves off their stems! Maybe I’m too fussy about this???
Thank you for this, and all your wonderful recipes. I’m cooking my way through your book.
Regards,
Linda
Hey Linda,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Sorry this took you longer than expected! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Just made this and it is delicious! Will definitely be making this often this summer!
The proscuitto is a must.
Hey Sharon,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Happy Sunday! xTieghan