A 15-minute feta pasta recipe with a creamy, no-cook sauce.
Sometimes, dinner demands a nearly effortless pasta dinner — and in summer, the less actual cooking over the stove, the better. This Greek feta cheese pasta recipe with yogurt pasta sauce absolutely hits all the marks for me. This pasta dinner involves stirring hot, al dente pasta in a creamy, no-cook(!) feta and yogurt pasta sauce.
Topped with fresh dill, basil, and sliced grape tomatoes, this pasta dinner is not only dead simple to make, but tastes crazily satisfying.
Why a Yogurt Pasta Sauce Is So Good
Does the prospect of a pasta sauce made with Greek yogurt sound a little…iffy to you? I get it. But trust me. We may often associate yogurt with breakfast, but yogurt — especially tangy, thick Greek yogurt — makes an extremely good base for lots of savory dishes, from tzatziki to chicken marinades.
I first heard of a yogurt pasta sauce when I saw one of Food52’s “Genius” recipes for yogurt pasta with caramelized onions. I promptly dismissed it. But somehow, the idea stuck in my head. So when I was about to leave for summer vacation and needed to use up some Greek yogurt and half a block of feta cheese, I just went for it. And, wow.
Yogurt pasta sauce is so good here because:
- The yogurt adds rich creaminess to the pasta without a bit of cream — or even much fat, and
- The tang of the thick yogurt complements the briny Greek feta cheese perfectly.
How to Make the Feta Cheese Pasta Yogurt Sauce
The pasta sauce is of the blessed no-cook variety, and takes no time at all to prepare. Here’s what you do.
- Finely crumble the feta with your fingers.
- Stir into a warmed bowl with the yogurt, lemon zest, pepper, and dill and/or basil.
- Add the pasta with a little reserved pasta water. Mix, and serve with tomatoes and more herbs.
If you want the creamiest version, you can blend the feta, olive oil, and yogurt in a food processor first before adding the herbs and lemon zest. But I find that the heat from the spaghetti and reserved pasta water does the job of making the sauce fairly smooth on its own.
This makes a fresh, satisfying, and new way to enjoy pasta.
If you like this feta cheese pasta recipe with yogurt pasta sauce, you will also like:
- Thick and Creamy Cucumber Tzatziki
- Chickpea Salad With Scallions and Herbs
- Spaghetti With Oven-Melted Grape Tomato Sauce
Feta Cheese Pasta With Yogurt Sauce, Tomatoes + Herbs
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 4 ounces Greek feta in brine (not the pre-crumbled stuff)
- 2 tablespoons good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to garnish
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, whole or low-fat
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped, plus a little more to garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, torn (optional)
- Salt and fresh pepper
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce: Hand crumble the feta into small pieces. Combine in a large bowl with the yogurt, lemon zest, olive oil, dill, and basil (if using).TIP: If you want the creamiest possible sauce, blitz the olive oil, yogurt, and feta together in a food processor or blender. Then fold in the zest and herbs.
- Add the very hot, drained pasta to the sauce and stir vigorously until combined. If the sauce seems a bit dry, add a tablespoon or two of pasta water. Taste for seasoning.
- Divide the pasta between two plates. Top with the grape tomatoes and a bit of reserved dill or basil. Serve hot.
I don’t know if I honestly would have made this unless I didn’t already have Greek yogurt I needed to use up. But I have to say I am so glad I did, and remain very surprised at just how good it tasted. I couldn’t really tell it was yogurt. It just tasted like a good, creamy sauce for spaghetti. This is a really big hit! Thank you and I encourage others to make it!