Description
Creamy and flavorful Baked Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes is an easy, comforting dish featuring roasted cherry tomatoes and feta cheese baked until soft and golden, then tossed with al dente pasta and fresh basil for a delicious Mediterranean-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese
- 8 ounces feta cheese
Vegetables
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Pantry
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 ounces pasta (such as penne or rigatoni)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to get it ready for baking the feta and tomatoes.
- Arrange Feta: Place the block of feta cheese in the center of a baking dish to become the base of the sauce.
- Add Tomatoes: Arrange cherry tomatoes evenly around the block of feta in the dish.
- Oil Drizzle: Drizzle olive oil over both the feta and tomatoes ensuring everything is coated for roasting.
- Season: Sprinkle minced garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper evenly over the feta and tomatoes for flavor infusion.
- Toss Tomatoes: Gently toss the cherry tomatoes with the oil and seasonings to evenly coat them without disturbing the feta block.
- Bake: Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until feta is soft and slightly golden on the edges.
- Boil Water: While baking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to prepare pasta.
- Cook Pasta: Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package instructions (about 10-12 minutes) until al dente.
- Drain Pasta: Drain the cooked pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water in case it’s needed later to thin the sauce.
- Remove Feta Dish: Take the baking dish out of the oven once the feta and tomatoes are done baking.
- Mash Sauce: Use a spoon or fork to mash the softened feta cheese and roasted tomatoes together until creamy and saucy.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the baking dish with the mashed feta and tomatoes and toss well to coat the pasta.
- Adjust Consistency: If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until desired creaminess is reached.
- Garnish with Basil: Sprinkle chopped fresh basil over the pasta just before serving for a fresh flavor boost.
- Season to Taste: Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes if needed.
- Serve: Serve the baked feta pasta warm and enjoy this simple yet delicious meal.
Notes
- Use a sturdy baking dish that can go from oven to table.
- Reserve pasta water as it helps loosen the sauce without watering it down too much.
- For a creamier texture, mash the feta and tomatoes thoroughly.
- You can substitute penne or rigatoni with any short pasta shape like fusilli or ziti.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to your desired spice level.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.