This simple roasted pepper pasta with feta was one of our favorite dishes when we lived in Greece so when we decided to give up dairy, it was something we missed the most. These days, I make it with my vegan feta and while it may not be the same as the dairy feta we used to live in, it’s been around so long that we can hardly tell the difference. If you’ve been vegan for a while, I bet you can relate.
The essence of this pasta is very simple. Cooked spaghetti is tossed in garlic oil with some roasted peppers, feta slices and fresh parsley. It really is that simple but insanely delicious. If you can find a vegan feta that you like it works best when heated, otherwise make my vegan feta I made last week and use it to make this Greek-inspired pasta. Enjoy!
More about ingredients
the pasta: In theory, you can use any pasta shape you like as long as it’s smooth because it’s not one of those dishes that comes with a lot of sauce. I like to use spaghetti shapes and I often choose wholemeal spaghetti these days because I can be a bit healthier and I don’t really mind the texture of whole pasta.
Roasted red chillies: Salt-roasted red peppers are a true staple in every Greek mini market (corner shop for those of you in the UK) so this simple yet healthy convenience food quickly became our staple when we lived there. You can also find them in most supermarkets elsewhere in the world, but if you run out of peppers, you can also make your own. Clean and roast half the peppers in a 200ºC / 390ºF oven for 30-40 minutes until soft and crunchy. As soon as they come out of the oven, place them under an inverted bowl for about 10 minutes to allow the steam to loosen their skins, deskin and use.
Vegan Feta: For this dish I used my homemade vegan feta set with agar agar, but you can use any store-bought feta you enjoy instead. If using vegan feta based on coconut oil, add it at the very end as it will otherwise melt into liquid from the heat of the pan.
olive oil: Quality olive oil is what I use to make the garlic oil, which is tossed over the cooked pasta and which acts as a lubricant for this dish.
garlic: Finely chopped garlic pan-fried gently in olive oil gives the sauce plenty of flavor. Take your time with this step and keep the flame low as you don’t want to brown the garlic – this will make your food taste bitter.
Dried oregano: I like to add a pinch of dried oregano to this pasta. If you don’t like it, you can skip it or use fresh if you have some on hand.
Fine chili flakes: I also like to add a pinch of heat to this simple pasta and for that I use mild, fine chili flakes that I add directly to the garlic olive oil. I use Paul Bieber mild Turkish pepper flakes because that’s what I always have in my spice cabinet, but any pepper flakes you enjoy will work. I personally prefer them to be finely ground for even flavor distribution but feel free to override
Fresh parsley: I sprinkle the finished pasta with some fresh, very finely chopped flat-leaf parsley. You can skip this step if you want, but I like how it adds to the overall flavor.
material
- 200 g / 7 oz spaghetti* (I used whole meal)
- 30-45 ml / 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- heaped ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- A pinch of fine chili flakes (optional)
- 200 g / 7 oz roasted red pepper in brine, chopped
- 100 g / 3.5 oz vegan feta (I used homemade feta)
- Test for salt and pepper
- finely chopped parsley, to finish (optional)
method
- Cook the pasta in a lightly salted pot until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, preheat the olive oil in a large (30 cm / 12″) frying pan.
- Reduce the heat to a whisper and add the finely chopped garlic. Fry the garlic on low heat until soft and fragrant – but do not let it colour – stirring regularly.
- Add the oregano, a pinch of chilli flakes (if using), salt and pepper to the oil, then pour in the cooked pasta.
- Add chopped peppers and vegan feta to pan, to heat briefly. If using coconut-oil-based feta, do not heat it too long as it will turn into a greasy liquid.
- Adjust seasoning, finish with fresh parsley and serve.
Comment
*Vegan Feta: I use my own vegan feta (set with agar agar) in this recipe.