Easy Baked Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
A simple, one-pan recipe for creamy baked feta and cherry tomatoes, perfect served over pasta.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (8 ounce) block feta cheese
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 12 ounces pasta (e.g., penne, rotini)
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the block of feta cheese in the center of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Arrange the cherry tomatoes around the feta cheese.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and feta.
- Sprinkle the minced garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes over the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the tomatoes have burst and the feta is soft and lightly browned.
- While the cheese bakes, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Use a fork to mash the baked feta and tomatoes together, mixing them into a creamy sauce.
- Add the drained pasta to the baking dish. Toss everything together until the pasta is coated. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce, stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream after mashing the feta and tomatoes.
- You can substitute fresh rosemary or thyme for dried oregano.
- Use any short pasta shape that holds sauce well.
- If you do not have a 9×13 dish, use an oven-safe skillet large enough to hold the ingredients.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 18
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 20
- Cholesterol: 45