Description
This Baked Feta Pasta is a creamy, flavorful dish featuring oven-roasted cherry tomatoes and a block of feta cheese that melts into a luscious sauce. Tossed with riccioli pasta and seasoned with aromatic herbs and garlic, it’s an effortless and comforting meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Cheese
- 1.2 lbs cherry or grape tomatoes
- 8.65 ounces block feta cheese
- 4 whole cloves of garlic
Herbs & Spices
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cracked peppercorns
Oils & Pasta
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¾ lb riccioli pasta
Instructions
- Prepare and Season Tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the cherry tomatoes in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle dried basil, dried chives, oregano, and cracked peppercorns over the tomatoes and stir until well coated. Create a well in the center of the tomatoes to place the block of feta cheese, and tuck the whole garlic cloves into the tomatoes around the cheese.
- Bake Tomatoes and Feta: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the feta is softened and the tomatoes have burst. While baking, cook the riccioli pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some boiling pasta water if you want a creamier sauce.
- Combine the Sauce: Once baked, carefully remove the dish from the oven. Use a wide spoon to crush the roasted garlic and burst tomatoes, mixing them into the softened feta cheese. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly combined. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed, since feta can be salty, taste first.
- Mix Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked and drained pasta directly to the feta and tomato sauce mixture. Toss everything together until well coated. If desired, add some reserved pasta water to loosen and enhance the creaminess of the sauce.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the baked feta pasta immediately, garnished with freshly chopped basil if you like. Enjoy a comforting and delicious meal!
Notes
- You can substitute fresh herbs for the dried herbs if preferred, adjusting quantities accordingly.
- Riccioli pasta works well for holding the sauce, but you can use other pasta shapes such as penne or fusilli.
- Reserved pasta water adds creaminess and helps the sauce adhere better to the pasta.
- Taste the dish before adding additional salt, as feta cheese is naturally salty.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.