Next Post
Old Fashioned Chocolate Cream Pie.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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!
Dish was really good! Lots going on and pretty easy to make. Delicious and will definitely go on regular rotation in our house.
Recipe is a little confusingly written around the ingredients that are split. Would be helpful if the split ones say “divided” in the ingredient list and if the amount was included in the text instructions too.
Hi Dana,
Wonderful!! Thank you so much for making the recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! Sorry for any confusion! Have the best week:) xxT
Hi! I’m having trouble finding pine nuts, is there a substitute that you could suggest? Thank you!
Hey Carla,
Walnuts or pistachios would also be a great option! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
This is the perfect spring recipe bursting with herby freshness. I thought it would be kind of heavy with the feta and prosciutto but the lightness of the orzo herbs and tomatoes are so light the feta and prosciutto act as a base note for a delicious bite.
Hey there,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Have a great week:) xxT
I know people give you a hard time for saying “delicious” but there really is no other word for this. It was ridiculously good. I did marinate some chicken in olive oil, dill, and some Flavor God ranch seasoning to top this off because I have 3 boys in my house that insist it’s not a meal with out some form of meat, lol. Anyway, all of it together was fantastic and super easy to make. This mom of 5 thanks you!
Hey Erin,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Thanks so much for your kind message! ?xx
Love, love, love this recipe! The directions were super easy to follow and I appreciate it’s versatility. The flavor was amazing!!!!
Hey Shari,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
I made this tonight for the first time and we can’t get enough of it! I added capers to it because it felt with the Mediterranean vibe. So so good!
Hey Meg,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
I have made this probably dozens of times at this point. It’s so easy and delicious, really versatile because it’s a works as simple week night dinner but also great when you have company and want to impress your guests with your pretend culinary skills. I’ve also brought it to friends who just had a baby because it makes such a big batch and tastes so greats as leftovers. Love!
Hey Felicia,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go, so glad to hear that you have been enjoying it! Have the best week!? xT
So easy and so good! Served warm.
Hi Erin,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Love this recipe, and the leftovers also taste amazing cold!!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 xTieghan
Hi, Teighan. I came across this recipe and made it one day for my boyfriend and I. He has became obsessed with it- to the point he makes it sometimes 3-4 times a week. It is the most convenient and easy recipe for
him to make after work. He has memorized the recipe lol. I just wanted to let you know & thank you!
Hey Andrea,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
I love this dish and I’ve made it several times! It’s so quick, easy and delicious! What type of nuts and seeds do you suggest adding? I never have any on hand so I haven’t added them previously, but I’d like to add them next time. Any suggestions you have would be appreciated! 🙂 Thanks for creating so many delicious recipes, I have made so many of them and they are all amazing!
Hey Keznie,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) I really love using pine nuts here. xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! We had a ton of fresh cherry tomatoes in our garden and this recipe was the perfect one to use our bounty.
Hey Wendy,
Awesome! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and truly appreciate you giving it a try! xTieghan
This dish is so yummy! 10/10 would recommend this. It has gone on our regular dinner rotation. It makes a big bowl so is great for meal prep or for a large group.
We didn’t do as many fresh herbs because we didn’t have enough,or the roasted nuts but it’s still fantastic!
Hey Cara,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
My whole family loved this dish. It was simple and delicious. I omitted the prosciutto and added fresh parsley on top for added color. So yummy!!! Thank you!
Hey Nicole,
Awesome! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
This is hands down one of my favorite recipes of yours! It’s been a summer staple for me, I can’t even count the number of times I’ve made this dish. I tweaked it a little by adding in some arugula when I take it for lunch at work and I use rainbow colored pasta, but it’s so dang tasty I will never stop sharing this recipe! Huge fan of yours!
Hey Nessa,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed and truly appreciate you giving it a try. Have the best week! xTieghan