Creamy Baked Feta Pasta
A quick and easy weeknight dinner featuring a block of baked feta cheese roasted with cherry tomatoes, tossed with pasta and fresh basil for a creamy, comforting meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Total Time: 40-45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (300 grams) cherry tomatoes, fresh and ripe
- 1 block (7 ounces or 200 grams) full-fat feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
- 8 ounces (225 grams) pasta of choice (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil, torn or chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional), a pinch or two
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the block of feta in the center of a medium-sized oven-safe baking dish. Scatter the cherry tomatoes around the feta.
- Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the feta and tomatoes. Sprinkle the minced garlic on top. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Do not stir.
- Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until tomatoes soften and burst and feta is golden and creamy.
- While baking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente (about 9-11 minutes). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup (120 ml) pasta water.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Break up the softened feta and stir together with the roasted tomatoes and garlic to form a creamy sauce.
- Add the drained pasta to the baking dish and toss gently, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce as desired.
- Tear fresh basil leaves over the pasta and toss gently again.
- Serve immediately, optionally drizzling with extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
Do not use pre-crumbled feta as it won’t melt properly. Reserve pasta water to loosen sauce as needed. Avoid overbaking feta to prevent it from drying out. A splash of cream can be added if sauce is too thick. Use a block of full-fat feta for best creaminess.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 475
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 18
Keywords: baked feta pasta, creamy pasta, cherry tomatoes, basil, easy dinner, weeknight meal, vegetarian pasta