Description
Baked Feta Pasta is a simple yet flavorful dish combining roasted cherry tomatoes and creamy feta cheese melted together to create a luscious sauce, tossed with al dente pasta and fresh basil. This easy oven-baked recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a cozy weekend meal, offering a delightful balance of tangy, savory, and slightly spicy flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Tomato and Feta Sauce
- 1 pound (450g) cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8-ounce (225g) block feta cheese
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh basil, packed and chopped, plus more for serving
For the Pasta
- 8 ounces (225g) dried pasta of choice
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 395°F (200°C) to prepare for roasting the tomatoes and feta.
- Prepare Tomatoes: In a baking or cast-iron dish, add the cherry tomatoes; drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, and stir well to coat the tomatoes evenly.
- Add Feta: Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle chili flakes, along with additional salt and pepper, on top.
- Bake Ingredients: Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and burst, and the feta is soft and slightly golden around the edges. Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, reserving one cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- Add Garlic and Basil: Remove the dish from the oven, add minced garlic and chopped basil to the tomatoes and feta mixture.
- Mix Sauce: Using a spoon or fork, combine and gently mash the tomatoes with the feta, garlic, and basil to create a creamy sauce. If the sauce tastes too acidic, stir in the optional sugar.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix thoroughly to ensure the pasta is well coated. Use reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with more fresh chopped basil and serve the pasta warm for best flavor.
Notes
- For Instant Pot: Cook the pasta separately and roast the tomatoes and feta using the sauté function or oven method; combine as directed.
- Use freshly chopped basil for the best aroma and flavor.
- Adjust the amount of chili flakes based on your preferred spice level.
- Reserved pasta water adds starch that helps the sauce adhere better to the pasta.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: baked feta pasta, roasted tomato pasta, easy pasta recipe, feta cheese pasta, vegetarian pasta, Mediterranean pasta
