Tomato, harissa and chickpea pasta with charred hot honey feta

Name: Tomato, harissa and chickpea pasta with charred hot honey feta
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Contemporary
Ingredients: ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 tsp red wine vinegar; ¼ cup tomato paste; 1 tbsp harissa; 400g can chickpeas (including liquid); 400g rigatoni pasta; 250g block feta; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tbsp hot honey; 6 lemon thyme sprigs; lemon wedges, to serve

Social media favourite baked feta gets a fiery update in this midweek-friendly rigatoni dish.

Jessica Brook

November 10, 2025

Tomato, harissa and chickpea pasta with charred hot honey feta comes together in less than 30 minutes.James Moffatt

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

The baked feta pasta craze meets on-trend hot honey in this harissa-spiced rigatoni and chickpea dish, which becomes a sweet, creamy, and unapologetically spicy weeknight wonder.

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp red wine vinegar
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tbsp harissa
400g can chickpeas (including liquid)
400g rigatoni pasta
250g block feta
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp hot honey
6 lemon thyme sprigs
lemon wedges, to serve

Method

Step 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, deep ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until caramelised. Add the vinegar and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and harissa and cook for 1 minute, then add the entire contents of the chickpea can to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced slightly.
Step 2
Meanwhile, boil the pasta in plenty of well-salted water until al dente (about 6-8 minutes). Drain and add the pasta to the frying pan and toss to coat.
Step 3
Preheat the oven grill to high. Pat the feta dry using kitchen paper. Sprinkle it generously with paprika and drizzle with honey. Place the feta on top of the chickpeas and pasta in the pan and drizzle the dish with the remaining olive oil.
Step 4
Place the pan under the grill on the top rack and cook for 8-10 minutes, checking constantly, or until the feta is charred at the edges.
Step 5
Season with plenty of cracked black pepper, and serve with lemon thyme and lemon wedges.