This simple baked feta pasta recipe takes a block of feta cheese and bakes it up with sweet cherry tomatoes that are bursting with flavor. Mix it together to make a creamy sauce and toss in pasta for an easy weeknight dinner packed with flavor that everyone will enjoy! Serve with cheesy garlic bread and tomato avocado salad for a delicious meal.
In early 2021, this baked feta pasta was a viral recipe on Instagram and Tiktok, and for good reason. It was so popular that so many grocery stores were sold out of feta for weeks! While this method originated in Finland, it’s sure to become a household staple recipe in your home because it’s so simple to make over and over again.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The sauce is cooked up in just one baking dish making it easy to clean up.
- You can customize it by using whatever pasta you enjoy.
- It’s a great dish for the colder months and refreshing as a spring-summer meal.
- It can be made in large batches to feed a crowd.
- Easily made low carb by using a vegetable noodle-like spiralized zucchini.
- You can find the ingredients almost anywhere . . . unless the feta is sold out!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cherry Tomatoes – These sweet red jewels are bursting with flavor and natural sweetness. They are what turn the baked components into the sauce.
- Olive Oil – Olive oil helps roast the tomatoes and feta which enhance their natural flavors. You’ll need this before baking and after for a drizzle at the end.
- Salt & Pepper – Balances out all the flavors in the dish.
- Feta Cheese – A salty block of dry greek cheese, this transforms into a creamy delight when baked.
- Pasta – Choose your favorite pasta to toss into the sauce and turn it into a hearty meal.
- Garlic Cloves – Fresh garlic enhances the flavor of both feta, tomato, and olive oil with Mediterranean flavors.
- Italian Seasoning – optional
- Red Crushed Pepper – optional
- Fresh Basil – Chiffonade some fresh basil to toss on top for an herb kick.
How To Make Baked Feta Pasta
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves in a 9×13 oven-safe baking dish and coat with olive oil and season with black pepper. Place the block of feta cheese in the center and season the feta with Italian seasoning and red crushed pepper.
- Bake for 30 minutes and then bake for an additional 10 minutes at 450 degrees F.
- While the feta and tomatoes bake, cook the pasta till al dente and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Using the back of the spoon, mash the tomatoes, garlic, and feta until creamy.
- Add the pasta, 1/2 cup of pasta water, fresh basil, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you use a block of feta cheese instead of feta crumbles. The crumbles will dry out faster which degrade the quality of the sauce.
- Make sure you save some of the starchy pasta water in order to help thicken and bring the sauce together.
- Al dente pasta is best in this dish and with creamy sauces in general.
- Add in basil towards the end and on the finished dish after baking to prevent it from wilting.
Variations
- You can use any pasta you enjoy in this dish including, penne, rigatoni, fusilli, cavatappi, or even spaghetti.
- Make it low carb or keto by tossing in zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or your favorite low carb pasta.
- Toss in some greek olives at the end for an additional salty bite and flavor.
- Add in some yellow or orange cherry tomatoes for lighter-colored sauce.
- If you can’t find feta, try using a block of goat cheese, brie, or even using fresh ricotta cheese.
Storing & Freezing
- Storing: This recipe will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a saucepan or skillet gently. You may need to add some liquid to rehydrate.
- Freezing: Because the feta has already been broken down, it does not freeze well as the texture will be dry when it begins to thaw. You probably won’t have any left to freeze!
Easy Pasta Recipes You’ll Enjoy
You can find more delicious recipes and cooking tutorial videos on Youtube and Facebook.
Baked Feta Pasta
Servings: 4
Calories: 309kcal
This simple baked feta pasta recipe takes a block of feta cheese and bakes it up with sweet cherry tomatoes that are bursting with flavor. Mix it together to make a creamy sauce and toss in pasta for an easy weeknight dinner packed with flavor that everyone will enjoy!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces feta cheese block
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 5 garlic cloves whole
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp red crushed pepper optional
- 1/2 cup pasta cooking water
- 12 ounces pasta of your choice
- fresh basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves in a 9x13 oven-safe baking dish and coat with olive oil and season with black pepper. Place the block of feta cheese in the center and season the feta with Italian seasoning and red crushed pepper.
- Bake for 30 minutes and then bake for an additional 10 minutes at 450 degrees F.
- While the feta and tomatoes bake, cook the pasta till al dente and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Using the back of the spoon, mash the tomatoes, garlic, and feta until creamy.
- Add the pasta, 1/2 cup of pasta water, fresh basil, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 1090mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1011IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @cookedbyjulie or tag #cookedbyjulie!
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