Description
A ridiculously easy and comforting weeknight dinner featuring creamy baked feta and roasted cherry tomatoes tossed with pasta. Ready in about 30 minutes with minimal ingredients and maximum flavor.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225g) block of feta cheese
- 2 cups (300g) cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 12 oz (340g) pasta (penne or rigatoni recommended)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup (about 15g) fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Optional: 2 cups baby spinach
- Optional: 1 cup cooked chicken or shrimp
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Mince garlic and halve cherry tomatoes if large. Place block of feta in center of baking dish.
- Scatter cherry tomatoes and minced garlic around feta. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Toss tomatoes gently to coat but leave feta mostly uncovered.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until tomatoes burst and soften and feta is golden and slightly puffed.
- While baking, bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than package directions). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Remove baking dish from oven. Mash feta and tomatoes together into creamy sauce. Add drained pasta and toss, adding reserved pasta water if needed for sauciness. Stir in fresh basil and any optional add-ins like red pepper flakes or spinach.
- Serve immediately from the baking dish with extra basil or cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
Notes
[‘Use a block of feta cheese for best creamy texture; avoid pre-crumbled feta.’, ‘Reserve pasta water to loosen sauce if needed.’, ‘Add fresh basil last to preserve brightness.’, ‘Do not overcook pasta; it finishes cooking in the sauce.’, ‘Customize with optional add-ins like spinach, red pepper flakes, or cooked protein.’, ‘Leftovers store well in fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently with splash of water or olive oil.’, ‘Avoid freezing due to texture changes from dairy and tomatoes.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 380
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 14
Keywords: baked feta pasta, cherry tomatoes, easy dinner, weeknight meal, creamy pasta, one dish pasta, quick pasta recipe