Mediterranean Pasta Toss

The school year has begun and if you are anything like me, you are thinking about getting back into a healthy routine. And this Healthy Mediterranean Pasta Toss is the perfect dinner to help you achieve that! It's not only healthy, it’s pure comfort food that's quick (30 minutes) and easy. This Greek Pasta was also featured in Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious magazine.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE summer, but it's also a very indulgent time of the year for me, second only to Christmas. And I have to admit, that with being on vacation and all, I have slid off track. This recipe is very popular at back to school time and in the New Year when you need a quick, healthy and/or make-ahead dinner! It's 12 WW points on the blue plan, but points can be reduced  (see Variations & Substitutions).

🥘 Ingredients

For this recipe, you'll need:

• whole wheat  or smart spiral pasta (I use smart pasta rotini)
• Italian turkey sausage
• garlic
• fresh baby spinach
• Kalamata black olives
• sun-dried tomatoes
• feta cheese * I use light/low-fat

*See recipe card for quantities

📖 Variations & Substitutions

• Meat - you can substitute chicken or shrimp - they both work really well with this recipe
• Pasta- you can use any type of pasta, but see below for suggestions
• Sun-dried tomatoes- I like to use the jarred ones (in oil). I drain off the oil. However, you can use the dried type that gets soaked in water
• Spinach - you can substitute frozen, but I recommend fresh
• Black Olives - you can substitute canned black olives, but they are not nearly as good as the Kalamata olives in a jar
• Weight Watchers - right now this dish is 12 WW points on the blue plan, but if you use chicken breast instead of turkey sausage, it will bring the points down to 9 WW on blue

💭What pasta to use?

Then there’s the question of which pasta to use. Whole wheat pasta is healthy but it takes a long time to cook and personally,  I find it a bit too dense. I prefer to use “smart pasta” because it cooks faster than the whole wheat but you still get 4X as much fibre than if you ate white pasta. Although it’s not quite as healthy as the whole wheat, you are still getting that fibre. And if you’re not a fan of whole wheat, it’s a good alternative. You can read more about healthy pasta HERE.

🌡️Storage

You can make this recipe in advance, and leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days. Stored in an airtight container, it also freezes well for up to 3 months.

🦺Food Safety

• Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended

See more guidelines at USDA.gov and https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/safe-internal-cooking-temperatures.html

👪 Serving Size

This recipe serves 6. However, if you want to cut the recipe in half or double it, just click on the serving size (it's highlighted in blue) and select the number of servings you’d like and the ingredient quantities will adjust accordingly.

So, if you’re wanting to get back into healthier eating and are looking for quick, healthy Greek recipes, then give this healthy Greek pasta a try.

And if you LOVE Mediterranean Pasta dishes, you'll love my Easy Greek Pasta Salad!

⭐ Reviews

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5 from 1 vote

📋 Mediterranean Pasta Toss Recipe

Make this quick and easy healthy Mediterranean pasta dish with Mediterranean flavors like spinach and feta cheese in under 30 minutes! It's the perfect weeknight meal! This Greek Pasta recipe was also featured in Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious Magazine.

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Keyword greek, mediterranean, pasta

Special Diet Weight Watchers

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 537kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 3 cups uncooked whole wheat or *smart spiral pasta (*I use smart pasta rotini ) 7 oz.
• ¾ lb Italian turkey sausage links casings removed (*or substitute shrimp or chicken)
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 4 oz fresh baby spinach 5 cups
• ½ cup pitted Kalamata black olives halved
• ⅓ cup julienned oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
• ¼ cup crumbled light feta cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a 6-qt. stockpot on stove top, cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 4-6 minutes. Remove, slice into 1 inch circles and add to pasta.
• Return pasta to burner on low heat, stir in garlic, spinach, olives and sun-dried tomatoes to pot with pasta and sausage; heat through, allowing spinach to wilt slightly. Stir in feta cheese.

Garnish

• If desired, serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

🌡️Storage

You can make this recipe in advance, and leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days. Stored in an airtight container, it also freezes well for up to 3 months.

📖 Variations & Substitutions

• Meat - you can substitute chicken or shrimp - they both work really well with this recipe
• Pasta- you can use any type of pasta, but see below for suggestions
• Sun-dried tomatoes- I like to use the jarred ones (in oil). I drain off the oil. However, you can use the dried type that gets soaked in water
• Spinach - you can substitute frozen, but I recommend fresh
• Black Olives - you can substitute canned black olives, but they are not nearly as good as the Kalamata olives in a jar
• Weight Watchers - right now this dish is 12 WW points on the blue plan, but if you use chicken breast instead of turkey sausage, it will bring the points down to 9 WW on blue

💭What pasta to use?

Then there’s the question of which pasta to use. Whole wheat pasta is healthy but it takes a long time to cook and personally,  I find it a bit too dense. I prefer to use “smart pasta” because it cooks faster than the whole wheat but you still get 4X as much fibre than if you ate white pasta. Although it’s not quite as healthy as the whole wheat, you are still getting that fibre. And if you’re not a fan of whole wheat, it’s a good alternative. You can read more about healthy pasta HERE

My Amazon Recommendations (affiliate links)

Nutrition Facts

📋 Mediterranean Pasta Toss Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 537 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 43mg14%

Sodium 604mg26%

Potassium 350mg10%

Carbohydrates 79g26%

Fiber 12g50%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 1938IU39%

Vitamin C 13mg16%

Calcium 40mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

  

Nutrition

Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 604mg | Potassium: 350mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1938IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg

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