Description
This Baked Feta Pasta is a creamy, tangy, and utterly comforting dish made with roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic, and a block of feta that melts into a luscious sauce. Quick to make and packed with flavor, it’s a perfect weeknight dinner that feels indulgent without the fuss.
Ingredients
- Feta Cheese: 1 block (about 7 ounces) – creamy, tangy base of the sauce
- Cherry Tomatoes: 2 pints – juicy, sweet, and perfect for roasting
- Garlic Cloves: 4, minced – aromatic depth and warmth
- Olive Oil: 1/2 cup – adds richness and helps everything roast beautifully
- Pasta: 12 ounces – short pasta like penne or fusilli works best
- Salt: 1 teaspoon – enhances all flavors
- Black Pepper: 1/2 teaspoon – adds a hint of spice
- Fresh Basil: A handful, chopped – brightens the dish with freshness
- Red Pepper Flakes: Optional, 1/4 teaspoon – for a touch of heat
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Combine Ingredients: In a baking dish, place the feta block in the center. Surround with cherry tomatoes and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: Boil a large pot of salted water while the feta bakes.
- Assemble the Dish: Bake for 35 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta is golden.
- Cook to Perfection: Cook pasta until al dente, drain (reserve pasta water).
- Finishing Touches: Mash feta and tomatoes into a sauce, add pasta, toss and use pasta water to adjust texture if needed.
- Serve and Enjoy: Garnish with chopped basil and serve warm.
Notes
- Use block feta for the creamiest sauce—crumbled doesn’t melt the same way.
- Reserve pasta water to help loosen the sauce if it thickens too much.
- Add spinach or kale for a boost of greens.
- Serve with garlic bread or a crisp salad for a full meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 730mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: baked feta pasta, viral pasta, feta cheese pasta, roasted tomato pasta, easy dinner recipes