Baked Feta Pasta Cherry (Print version)

Creamy baked feta combined with roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh basil in a vibrant Mediterranean pasta dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Cheese & Dairy

01 - 7 oz block feta cheese

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 lb cherry tomatoes
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped (plus more for garnish)
05 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

→ Pasta

06 - 10 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or similar)

→ Spices & Seasonings

07 - ½ tsp dried oregano
08 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Set oven to 400°F to prepare for roasting.
02 - Combine cherry tomatoes and minced garlic in a large oven-safe dish; drizzle with olive oil and season with oregano, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Nestle the feta block in the center of the tomato mixture and drizzle an additional amount of olive oil over it.
04 - Bake for 30 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta has a golden crust.
05 - Simultaneously, boil pasta in salted water until al dente; reserve ½ cup cooking water before draining.
06 - Remove dish from oven and mash feta and tomatoes together until creamy and uniformly combined.
07 - Add drained pasta and chopped basil to the baking dish, tossing to combine. Incorporate reserved pasta water as needed for creaminess.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately garnished with extra basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It needs barely any prep and most of the work happens in the oven while you catch your breath.
  • The feta melts into something unexpectedly creamy without any cream at all.
  • Cleanup is shockingly easy since everything happens in one baking dish.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving pasta water, it has starch that helps the sauce cling instead of sliding off.
  • If your feta is pre-crumbled, this will not work the same way because it dries out instead of melting.
  • Let the dish rest for a minute after mixing so the pasta absorbs some of that tomatoey, cheesy goodness.
03 -
  • Use a baking dish that can go straight to the table so you serve it warm without transferring and losing heat.
  • If your tomatoes are not very sweet, add a tiny pinch of sugar to the dish before baking to balance the acidity.
  • Pour yourself a glass of Sauvignon Blanc while this bakes, it pairs perfectly and makes the wait feel shorter.

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