Baked Feta Pasta Cherry Tomatoes (Print version)

A creamy pasta featuring roasted feta, sweet cherry tomatoes, and aromatic garlic with fresh basil.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 lb cherry tomatoes
02 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish

→ Dairy

04 - 7 oz block feta cheese

→ Pasta

05 - 10 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or similar)

→ Oils & Seasonings

06 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place the cherry tomatoes in a large baking dish. Add minced garlic and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and dried oregano, then toss to combine.
03 - Create a space in the center of the tomatoes and place the block of feta cheese. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the feta.
04 - Sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over the feta, if using.
05 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until tomatoes burst and feta turns golden and soft.
06 - While baking, cook pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain.
07 - Remove baking dish from oven. Mash feta and tomatoes together using a fork until creamy and well blended.
08 - Add cooked pasta and fresh basil to the baking dish. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a smooth sauce.
09 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with additional basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The feta melts into a creamy, tangy sauce that feels indulgent but takes zero extra effort.
  • Roasted tomatoes burst with sweetness and collapse into something deeper and more complex than raw fruit.
  • It comes together in the time it takes to cook pasta, so weeknight dinners stop feeling like a chore.
02 -
  • Don't use pre-crumbled feta; it won't melt into that creamy texture you're after, and you'll end up with gritty pasta instead of silk.
  • Pasta water is your secret weapon—start with a little and add more gradually so you don't oversaturate the dish and lose the tang of the feta.
  • If your tomatoes haven't burst by 35 minutes, give them another five; they need to split and collapse to release their juice into the sauce.
03 -
  • Don't waste time chopping garlic into tiny pieces; a rough mince will soften beautifully in the oven and won't burn like thin slices might.
  • The moment the feta starts to look golden around the edges is when you should pull it out; overcooked feta becomes grainy and loses its creamy appeal.

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