Description
Baked Feta Pasta is a creamy, tangy, and flavorful pasta dish featuring oven-roasted feta cheese, burst cherry tomatoes, and a mix of herbs and pesto. Perfect for a comforting yet easy-to-make meal that combines Mediterranean influences with rich textures and vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8-12 ounces medium pasta like gemelli, rotini, fusilli
Cheese and Sauce
- 1 7-8 oz. block feta in brine, preferably French feta/100% sheep's milk
- ½ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil (optional)
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped basil
Vegetables and Herbs
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes (20-25 ounces)
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F to prepare for baking the feta and tomatoes mixture.
- Combine Ingredients: In a baking dish, add the cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, basil pesto, olive oil, dried oregano, dried parsley, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together until the tomatoes are fully coated and the mixture is well combined.
- Add Feta: Make a space in the center of the tomato mixture and place the block of feta cheese there. Drizzle the top of the feta with a little olive oil to ensure richness while baking.
- Bake: Bake the dish uncovered in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until the feta cheese becomes soft and the tomatoes burst, releasing their juices.
- Cook Pasta: While the feta and tomatoes bake, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta 10 minutes before the baking is complete and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- Add Garlic and Basil: Remove the baked feta and tomatoes from the oven, immediately add the minced garlic and chopped basil to the hot dish, and stir for about 30 seconds to gently cook the garlic with the residual heat.
- Make Sauce: Using a spatula, press down on the softened feta to break it apart and create a creamy sauce. Stir all the ingredients together until fully combined.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Stir in reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time until the sauce reaches your desired creamy consistency (usually about ½ cup).
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the pasta and season with extra salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes if needed. For a less tangy flavor, optionally add a couple teaspoons of sugar or honey and stir well.
Notes
- Use a young feta packed in brine, preferably 100% sheep's milk for creaminess and best texture.
- If you prefer less tangy cheese, substitute half of the feta with cream cheese or use goat cheese, ricotta, brie, or burrata.
- Medium-shaped pastas like gemelli or fusilli work best for sauce adhesion, but almost any pasta will work.
- Adjust pasta weight depending on the density; use 12 ounces for dense pasta types and 8 ounces for less dense types.
- Choose the sweetest ripe cherry tomatoes for optimal flavor.
- If not using sun-dried tomatoes, increase olive oil by 1 tablespoon.
- For a gluten-free version, serve with gluten-free pasta or vegetable noodles like zucchini noodles.
- The sauce can also be served over rice, risotto, lentils, or vegetables for versatility.
- Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat leftovers with a splash of milk or olive oil to restore creaminess, either in the microwave or on the stove.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
