When I saw the recipe for Fusilli with Caramelized Spring Onions and White Wine sitting in my “Recipes to Make” folder (an actual folder, mind you, not one on the computer–I am old school like that), I thought I’d add it to my meal plan because I had everything on hand for it except the onions. When I went to write up my meal plan post, I noticed that the recipe had pretty mediocre reviews online, with readers commenting that the dish was bland and flavorless. Oh, what to do!
I had already done my shopping for the week, so it was too late to make something else. Instead, I decided to change the recipe–I added everything I could find in the pantry to give this pasta dish a big boost in flavor. I could have gone the easy route and doused this with massive amounts of cheese, but I opted to add ingredients that pack a lot of flavor into a small amount of calories and fat, making this Mediterranean-Style Rotini recipe both delicious and healthy.
PrintMediterranean-Style Rotini with Toasted Garlic Panko

A filling-yet-light Mediterranean-inspired pasta dish adapted from Cooking Light’s Fusilli with Caramelized Spring Onions and White Wine.
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup panko
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions (like Vidalia or Walla Walla–about 1 pound)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
- 1–14 oz. can small artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 1/4 cup basil leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces uncooked rotini
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine panko, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, and a dash of salt in a small bowl. Spread panko mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 minutes or until golden brown, stirring after 3 minutes. Cool.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to pan. Add onions to pan; cook 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add remaining garlic and wine. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute. Add broth and heat until liquid is reduced (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in olives, artichoke hearts, basil leaves, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- While onions are cooking, cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain. Stir pasta into vegetable mixture and add remaining salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture into bowls; sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons of the panko mixture.
23 Comments
blueviolet
October 6, 2011 at 1:32 pmThat’s the most appetizing recipe I’ve seen all week! Plus it’s National Noodle Day today!
The Type A Housewife
October 6, 2011 at 1:57 pmI swear, there’s a day for everything now!
HilLesha
October 6, 2011 at 1:50 pmLooks really good!
Stephanie @ henry happened
October 6, 2011 at 2:13 pmYum – I love anything with artichokes and olives!!
Donna
October 6, 2011 at 2:17 pmThis looks so delicious!
Kelly
October 6, 2011 at 4:33 pmThis sounds like perfection! I’m making this on Monday one week but I have to add some feta cheese to it!
The Type A Housewife
October 6, 2011 at 10:55 pmFeta would definitely go well in this!
Grumpy Grateful Mom
October 6, 2011 at 4:36 pmThat looks delicious! I love artichoke hearts! I take the smother with cheese route too often. 🙂
The Type A Housewife
October 6, 2011 at 10:55 pmIt was so tempting, but I’m trying really hard not to eat as much dairy. But cheese really does make everything taste better.
Emily
October 6, 2011 at 10:43 pmDelish! I’ll be making this one, too. But omitting the olives and adding spinach!
Best,
Emily from Nap Time Is My Time
The Type A Housewife
October 6, 2011 at 10:53 pmOmitting the olives? For shame!
Smedette
October 6, 2011 at 10:46 pmOh man, this sounds good!
BusyWorkingMama
October 7, 2011 at 2:49 pmLove it! I have a folder, too, a plastic one where I keep recipes I’ve ripped out of magazines that are waiting to be made 🙂 I’ll be trying this one! Looks wonderful!
The Type A Housewife
October 9, 2011 at 12:22 amI’m so glad I’m not the only one! I subscribe to a gajillion cooking magazines and I always tear out so many things. I really need to go through and toss some of the things I’ll probably never really make. 🙂
BusyWorkingMama
October 9, 2011 at 12:24 amDon’t toss them, you never know when the mood will strike! 🙂
Tesa @ 2 Wired 2 Tir
October 8, 2011 at 4:41 pmThis looks so flavorful and fantastic! I’d love to try it the next time we’re feeling adventurous – we don’t eat Mediterranean meals very often, but this one makes me want to change that!
The Type A Housewife
October 9, 2011 at 12:16 amThanks! We don’t eat Mediterranean much either, so this recipe was a nice change of pace. I hope you like it if you make it!
Jen-Eighty MPH Mom
October 8, 2011 at 4:51 pmYum-o!!
BKWilliams
October 9, 2011 at 6:29 pmYou make the best sounding recipes. Makes me hungry to read them.
Anne Mc
September 5, 2012 at 12:21 pmSounds delicious – both the home sun dried tomatoes and the Rotini dish. Must try both!
Kiersten
September 5, 2012 at 1:05 pmI hope you like them! You can’t really go wrong with sun-dried tomatoes though. 🙂
Madison Smith
October 9, 2018 at 5:25 amFabulous…its looks soo delicious and more beautiful….i really enjoyed your recipe and i will try to making this….Thanks for sharing….!
★★★★★
Michaela
December 28, 2018 at 8:57 amI love this recipe! I am the only vegan in the house, so I doubled it, and added in diced leftover ham for the kids and husbands half. They loved it and a good way to get the kids to eat veggies 🙂