Description
Baked Feta Pasta is a simple yet flavorful Mediterranean-inspired dish featuring creamy baked feta cheese combined with roasted cherry tomatoes and tossed with your choice of pasta. This easy recipe delivers a rich, tangy sauce with a hint of garlic and crushed red pepper, perfect for a comforting weeknight meal or casual dinner party.
Ingredients
Cheese and Vegetables
- 1 block (8 oz) feta cheese
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Optional: grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Other Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 10 oz pasta (penne, rotini, or your choice)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to get ready for baking the feta and tomatoes.
- Prepare Baking Dish: In a baking dish, place the block of feta cheese in the center. Arrange the cherry tomatoes around the feta. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the cheese and tomatoes, then sprinkle minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper to taste. Toss the tomatoes gently to coat them with the seasoning but keep the feta block in the center.
- Bake Feta and Tomatoes: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the tomatoes burst and release their juices, and the feta softens and turns lightly golden on top.
- Cook Pasta: While the feta and tomatoes bake, cook your chosen pasta in salted boiling water according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.
- Create Sauce and Combine: Once baking is complete, remove the feta and tomatoes from the oven. Immediately stir everything together directly in the baking dish to create a creamy sauce from the soft feta and roasted tomatoes. Add the cooked pasta and toss it all together until the pasta is well coated. Add reserved pasta water as needed to reach your desired sauce creaminess.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the chopped fresh basil for a fresh, aromatic touch. Serve the pasta warm, optionally topped with extra basil leaves or grated Parmesan cheese for added flavor.
Notes
- For additional protein, consider mixing in cooked chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas before serving.
- If a feta block is not available, crumbled feta cheese can be used—simply mound it in the center of the baking dish before baking.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to control the spice level.
- To enhance flavor, you can add a splash of lemon juice or zest when tossing the pasta with the sauce.
