Creamy Baked Feta Pasta
A quick and easy comfort dinner featuring baked feta cheese melted into a creamy sauce with roasted cherry tomatoes, tossed with pasta for a luscious, satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 block (7 oz / 200 grams) feta cheese, firm small-curd variety
- 2 cups (300 grams) cherry tomatoes, fresh and ripe
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces (225 grams) penne or any short pasta (rigatoni or fusilli work well)
- Pinch or two red pepper flakes (optional)
- Handful fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the bottom of an oven-safe baking dish (about 8×8 inches). Spread the cherry tomatoes evenly around the edges.
- Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the dish. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the feta. Scatter minced garlic and red pepper flakes evenly over the tomatoes and feta. Season lightly with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Bake for 30 minutes until tomatoes burst and soften and feta becomes golden and creamy.
- While baking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente (about 9-11 minutes). Reserve ½ cup (120 ml) pasta water before draining.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Mash the feta and tomatoes together until creamy and well combined. Stir in lemon juice.
- Add the drained pasta directly into the baking dish. Toss well to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce and create a silky texture.
- Sprinkle chopped fresh basil on top and gently stir. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately warm, optionally with crusty bread or a fresh side salad.
Notes
Use a firm block-style feta for best melting results. Reserve pasta water to loosen sauce and achieve silky texture. Baking for the full 30 minutes ensures creamy sauce and tender tomatoes. Fresh basil added at the end brightens the dish. For gluten-free, substitute pasta with chickpea or rice pasta. Vegan feta alternatives can be used but texture and flavor will differ.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 475
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 21
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 53
- Fiber: 3.5
- Protein: 19
Keywords: baked feta pasta, creamy pasta, comfort food, easy dinner, feta cheese recipe, cherry tomatoes, quick pasta, vegetarian pasta