Creamy Baked Feta Tomato Pasta
A quick and easy baked feta pasta recipe featuring roasted cherry tomatoes and creamy melted feta cheese, finished with fresh basil for a comforting and flavorful dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (300g) cherry tomatoes
- 8 oz (225g) block of feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 12 oz (340g) dry pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Rinse the cherry tomatoes and pat them dry.
- Place the tomatoes in a baking dish. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Toss gently to coat evenly.
- Nestle the block of feta in the center of the tomatoes. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the feta and tomatoes.
- Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes burst and soften, and the feta is golden and creamy on top.
- While the feta and tomatoes roast, cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente (usually 9-11 minutes). Drain but reserve about 1/2 cup (120ml) of pasta water.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Mash the feta and tomatoes together to create a creamy sauce. Stir in reserved pasta water a little at a time if the sauce is too thick.
- Add the drained pasta to the baking dish and toss until the pasta is completely coated in the sauce.
- Fold in fresh basil leaves, reserving a few for garnish.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
Notes
Keep an eye on the feta during roasting to prevent burning. Use a block of feta for a creamy sauce rather than crumbled feta. Reserve pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Add fresh basil at the end to preserve its flavor and color. Multitask by cooking pasta while the feta roasts to save time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 18
Keywords: baked feta pasta, creamy pasta, tomato pasta, easy dinner, weeknight meal, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, basil