Baked Feta Pasta Tomatoes Basil (Printable version)

Creamy pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes, tangy feta, and fresh basil for a vibrant, easy meal.

# List of ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 pints cherry tomatoes
02 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Dairy

04 - 1 block feta cheese (8 oz)

→ Herbs & Seasonings

05 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
09 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Pasta

10 - 12 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or similar)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, garlic, and red onion. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the baking dish, nestling it among the tomatoes. Drizzle additional olive oil over the cheese.
04 - Bake for 30 minutes, until the tomatoes burst and the feta is golden and soft.
05 - Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Mash the feta and tomatoes gently with a fork, mixing them into a creamy sauce.
07 - Add the cooked pasta to the dish, tossing to coat evenly. If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water to loosen.
08 - Stir in the fresh basil just before serving.
09 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything roasts in one dish so cleanup consists of basically nothing
  • The bursting tomatoes create their own velvety sauce without any heavy cream
  • It looks impressive served straight from the baking dish but takes almost zero effort
02 -
  • Reserve pasta water no matter what because that starchy liquid is what transforms the roasted feta into a silky sauce
  • Do not use pre crumbled feta since it will dry out instead of melting into that creamy consistency
03 -
  • If your tomatoes seem extra large, cut them in half so they roast evenly
  • The feta will taste saltier after roasting, so go easy on the salt before baking

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