Baked Feta Pasta Tomatoes Basil (Print version)

Creamy baked feta combined with roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh basil creates a flavorful Mediterranean dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dairy

01 - 7 oz block feta cheese

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 lb whole cherry tomatoes
03 - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
05 - ¾ cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped

→ Pantry

06 - 12 oz dried pasta (penne or fusilli recommended)
07 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
08 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large ovenproof dish, combine cherry tomatoes, garlic, and red onion if using. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, then toss to coat evenly.
03 - Place the feta block in the center of the tomatoes and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the cheese.
04 - Bake for 30 minutes until tomatoes blister and feta becomes golden and soft.
05 - Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Mash the feta and tomatoes together with a fork to create a creamy sauce.
07 - Add drained pasta and half of the basil to the sauce. Toss, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a smooth consistency.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with remaining basil and extra black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The feta melts into a naturally creamy sauce without any heavy cream, which feels like a small kitchen victory every time.
  • It comes together in forty minutes and somehow tastes like you've been tending a Mediterranean stove all afternoon.
  • Cherry tomatoes do most of the work while you handle pasta—minimal stress, maximum flavor.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving that pasta water—it's the difference between a creamy sauce and a dry one, and it costs nothing.
  • Use a feta block, not crumbles, because the block melts into a cohesive sauce while crumbles stay grainy and separate.
03 -
  • Don't move things around too much while roasting—let the tomatoes sit and blister rather than constantly stirring, which gives them actual caramelization and depth.
  • The fork-mashed feta creates a sauce with more texture and presence than blending would, so embrace the rustic approach.

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