Description
Baked Feta Pasta is a delicious and creamy pasta dish featuring roasted cherry tomatoes and a block of creamy feta cheese baked together to create a luscious sauce. This easy-to-make recipe combines sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, garlic, and basil with medium-shaped pasta for a comforting and flavorful meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces medium pasta like gemelli, rotini, fusilli
Tomato Sauce
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes (20-25 ounces)
- ½ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil (optional)
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped basil
Cheese
- 1 block (7-8 ounces) feta in brine, preferably French feta/100% sheep's milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F to prepare for baking the tomatoes and feta.
- Combine ingredients: In a baking dish, add the cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, basil pesto, olive oil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Stir gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Add feta: Make a space in the center of the dish and place the block of feta cheese there. Drizzle the top of the feta with additional olive oil.
- Bake: Place the dish uncovered in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the feta is soft and the tomatoes are bursting.
- Cook pasta: While the feta and tomatoes bake, cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Add the pasta to boiling water about 10 minutes before the feta dish is done. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- Add garlic and basil: Remove the baked dish from the oven and immediately stir in the minced garlic and chopped basil. Stir for 30 seconds using the residual heat to soften the garlic flavor.
- Create sauce: Press down on the feta with a spatula to break it apart and create a creamy sauce. Stir everything together until fully combined.
- Toss pasta: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to evenly coat. For a creamier texture, gradually stir in reserved pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, using about ½ cup total or until desired consistency is reached.
- Season and serve: Taste the dish and add extra salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as desired. For a less tangy sauce, add a couple teaspoons of sugar or honey. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a young, brined feta made primarily from sheep's milk for the creamiest results; French or Israeli feta are ideal options.
- If feta is too strong, substitute half with cream cheese or other creamy cheeses like goat cheese, ricotta, brie, or burrata.
- Choose medium-shaped pasta like gemelli, rotini, or fusilli for the best sauce adherence. Adjust pasta quantity based on density.
- Select the sweetest ripe cherry tomatoes available for optimal flavor.
- Sun-dried tomatoes are optional; if omitted, add 1 extra tablespoon olive oil instead.
- This sauce is gluten-free; substitute gluten-free pasta or vegetable noodles to keep the recipe gluten-free.
- Feel free to customize the dish by adding your favorite proteins, vegetables, or Mediterranean ingredients.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat gently in the microwave with a splash of milk or on the stove with a drizzle of olive oil to maintain creaminess.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
