Baked Feta Tomato Pasta (Print Version)
A Mediterranean pasta dish where baked feta and juicy cherry tomatoes melt into a creamy, flavorful sauce with minimal prep.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 pints cherry tomatoes (about 20 oz)
02 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped (optional)
→ Dairy
04 - 1 block (8 oz) feta cheese
→ Pasta
05 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
→ Oils & Seasonings
06 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Fresh Herbs
10 - Small handful fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place the cherry tomatoes, garlic, and shallot (if using) in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Make space in the center of the dish and place the feta block in the middle. Drizzle the feta with a little more olive oil.
04 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until the tomatoes burst and the feta is golden and soft.
05 - While the feta and tomatoes bake, cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water before draining.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Use a spoon to mash the feta and tomatoes together, mixing until a creamy sauce forms.
07 - Add the drained pasta and fresh basil to the dish. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm, garnished with extra basil.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The sauce practically makes itself while you do something else entirely, like catching up on that book youve been meaning to read.
- Its deceptively impressive looking despite requiring about five minutes of actual hands on effort, which has saved me countless times when unexpected dinner guests arrive.
02 -
- Dont be tempted to use pre crumbled feta, which contains anti caking agents that prevent it from melting into that dreamy creamy consistency.
- If your baking dish seems too crowded with tomatoes, use a larger one, as they need space to release their juices properly.
03 -
- For an extra layer of flavor, drizzle a little high quality olive oil over each serving just before bringing to the table.
- Reserve a few whole cherry tomatoes to fold in at the end for a beautiful texture contrast against the creamy sauce.