Baked Feta Pasta Tomatoes (Printer-friendly)
Creamy roasted feta melts with burst cherry tomatoes to create a rich, Mediterranean-inspired pasta dish that's effortlessly delicious.
# What you'll need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 pints cherry tomatoes
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
# Method:
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 Tips:
01 -
- The sauce practically makes itself while you relax with a glass of wine - its the definition of minimal effort, maximum reward cooking.
- The combination of creamy feta and sweet roasted tomatoes creates this incredibly luxurious sauce that coats every piece of pasta perfectly, making you look like a culinary genius.
02 -
- Never substitute pre-crumbled feta - I learned this disappointing lesson when mine turned dry and grainy instead of creating that luscious creamy sauce.
- Saving the pasta water is absolutely essential - the first time I made this I drained it all away and struggled to get the sauce to coat properly.
03 -
- If you have an extra five minutes, slice a lemon and add the slices around the edges of the baking dish - the gentle citrus note it adds to the roasted tomatoes is subtle but transformative.
- Keep the feta in its packaging in the fridge until right before baking - the colder it is going into the oven, the creamier the final texture will be.