Inspired by oven-baked spaghetti, this Mediterranean Spaghetti is bursting with briny olives and artichokes, warm spices, and just a hint of tang. Baked in under an hour with minimal prep work and easy cleanup, it’s guaranteed to become your new go-to recipe! 

What Is Mediterranean Spaghetti

Inspired by the flavors of our childhood, Mediterranean spaghetti is a fun twist on classic American baked spaghetti recipes. Sticking with traditional marinara and spaghetti noodles, we spruced up this dish with the addition of veggies and produce for extra texture, flavor, and color! The end result is a vibrant comfort food you can feel good about serving. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

We love pasta recipes in all their shapes and sizes. However, meals don’t get much better than this Mediterranean spaghetti! It: 

  • Bakes in a single dish with no boiling required. 
  • Uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients
  • Is naturally vegetarian and nut-free and can easily be modified to fit a variety of dietary needs. 
  • Makes up to 8 servings in a single batch, making it perfect for even the hungriest of crowds.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This vegetarian dish is full of vitamins, nutrients, and fiber to keep you satisfied and full! Here’s everything you’ll need: 

  • Pasta – Use any kind of raw spaghetti noodles you like best. 
  • Sauce – To save time, we use a store-bought marinara sauce. However, if you’re feeling up to it, you could also make your own
  • Vegetables – Baby tomatoes, artichoke hearts, garlic, and red onions combine not only to create a pretty appearance but also to provide a tangy, savory, and vibrant flavor. 
  • Olives – Kalamata and green olives combine to add a pop of texture, a briny, salty flavor, and satiating fats. 
  • Seasonings – Oregano or Italian seasoning (depending on how strong your marinara sauce is), salt, and pepper are all you need to enhance the savory flavors of the rest of the dish. 
  • Olive Oil – This simply helps combine the ingredients and prevents the pasta from clumping together. 

How to Make Oven Baked Mediterranean Spaghetti 

If you’ve never made oven baked spaghetti or pasta of any kind, prepare for your world to be changed! One bite, and you’ll never go back to standing over the stove waiting for water to boil again. 

  1. Combine. Add all the ingredients to a large baking dish, and toss to combine. 
  2. Bake. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for about 20 minutes. Then, remove the dish from the oven, stir the ingredients, and cover it back up. Continue to bake until the spaghetti is al dente. 
  3. Garnish. Sprinkle feta cheese on top along with a sprinkle of parsley, and serve warm! 
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Variations

This Mediterranean spaghetti is proof that recipes don’t have to have a million expensive ingredients or complicated steps to be delicious, but that doesn’t mean you can’t mix it up! For example, some of our favorite variations are as follows. 

  • Add Protein. To make this recipe even more filling try mixing in protein options like sautéed shrimp, tuna, salmon, chicken, or even Italian sausage! 
  • Make It Gluten-Free. Swap out the regular spaghetti with your favorite gluten-free variety. 
  • Need a Vegan Option? Simply omit the garnish of feta cheese. 
  • Spice It Up. Add a dash of red pepper flakes into the mix for a hint of extra heat. 

Serving Suggestions

This Mediterranean spaghetti is excellent served on its own, but who can ever say no to a good appetizer or side dish? Not us, that’s for sure! Some of our favorite options include: 

And don’t forget to top your meal off with a hazelnut chocolate lava cake or a slice of chocolate brownie pizza tart for dessert! 

How to Store and Reheat

We love to make a double batch of this Mediterranean spaghetti! It’s a great option to store or freeze for easy meals throughout the week. Follow the tips below to keep it fresh! 

  • Refrigerator: Once cooked and fully cooled, leftovers can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days
  • Freezer: For a longer-lasting option, wrap your dish tightly. Or transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and keep it frozen for up to 1 month
  • To Reheat: Thaw your frozen spaghetti in the fridge overnight. Then, warm it up in the microwave. Or, pop it back in the oven with a splash of broth or water to freshen it back up. 
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03/13/2024 10:54 pm GMT

More Spaghetti Recipes 

Looking for more fun ways to use spaghetti? We’ve got you covered with the recipes below! 

Oven Baked Mediterranean Spaghetti

4.72 from 21 votes
Author: Food Dolls
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Inspired by oven-baked spaghetti, this Mediterranean Spaghetti is bursting with briny olives and artichokes, warm spices, and just a hint of tang!

Ingredients  

  • 16 ounces spaghetti noodles uncooked
  • 16 ounces marinara sauce
  • 4 cups boiling water
  • 1 cup baby tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup artichoke hearts
  • 3/4 cup kalamata olives
  • 1/2 cup green olives
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper more or less to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Optional: feta cheese and parsley for garnish

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a large baking dish, add all the ingredients, stirring to combine.
    16 ounces spaghetti noodles, 16 ounces marinara sauce, 4 cups boiling water, 1 cup baby tomatoes, 3/4 cup artichoke hearts, 3/4 cup kalamata olives, 1/2 cup green olives, 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 1/2 red onion, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Stir the ingredients, cover, and continue to bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
  • Top with feta cheese and fresh parsley, if desired.
    Optional: feta cheese and parsley for garnish
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1075mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 489IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe?Please leave a comment!

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Meet Alia & Radwa

Welcome to Food Dolls! We’re so glad you found us. We are Alia and Radwa, sisters who want to share simple and easy recipes with you. We hope you find recipes here that you enjoy making as much as we do! Learn more about us!

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Recipe Rating




10 Comments

  1. 3 stars
    I used chicken stock instead of water and our own pasta sauce. Following the cooking time of this recipe gives you a consistency similar to tinned spaghetti 🤮 al dente for my taste would be at least less 15 minutes cooking time & then let it sit for a few minutes before uncovering, it could probably do with a sprinkle of chilli flakes or a whole chilli mixed in with the ingredients at the start.

  2. 5 stars
    I made this last night and my husband and I had seconds! I did modify it, because I like thicker sauce. I boiled my noodles first and then when they were done I added them, rather than adding water to the whole dish. I also had some cooked ground sausage that I added, along with shredded cheese. I baked for 15 minutes and Wow! The flavor!

    1. We’re so glad you were able to make it work for you and that it was a hit! Thank you for trying it out, Tammy. 😊

      Xo,
      Alia & Radwa

  3. 1 star
    I would give this recipe zero stars if I could. The only substitution I made here was to use Angel hair instead of spaghetti noodles, but the noodles were a complete soggy mess. They completely fell apart so there were just soggy, grossly overdone pasta noodles in clumps that were way more than the ingredients. I would never make this again. Big miss, and a waste of a lot of money because the dish is going into the trash.

    1. So, I am wondering if angel hair pasta was too fine to use….even though the recipe states to use any pasta. I have to eat gluten free and am thinking if I try this recipe it will need some adjustments.

    1. Hi! We haven’t tested it but think it would work. Just be careful not to overcook, or the spaghetti will become mushy!

      Xo,
      Alia & Radwa