Baked Feta Pasta Tomatoes (Printable Version)

Creamy pasta with baked feta, cherry and sun-dried tomatoes, infused with herbs and olive oil.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 7 oz feta cheese block

→ Vegetables

02 - 1.1 lb whole cherry tomatoes
03 - 3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

→ Pasta

06 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)

→ Herbs & Seasoning

07 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1 tsp dried basil
10 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt, to taste
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
13 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Garnish (optional)

14 - Grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Lemon zest

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and red onion if using. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil; season with dried oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to mix evenly.
03 - Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the baking dish and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
04 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the tomatoes burst and the feta becomes golden and soft.
05 - Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven and mash feta and tomatoes together with a fork or spoon to form a creamy sauce.
07 - Add drained pasta and reserved pasta water to the baking dish. Toss thoroughly to coat pasta evenly with sauce.
08 - Stir in torn fresh basil leaves and adjust seasoning as needed.
09 - Serve immediately, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sun-dried tomatoes add an intense concentrated sweetness that balances the salty feta perfectly
  • Its literally a throw everything in a dish situation that makes you look like you spent hours
  • The sauce creates itself while you pour a glass of wine and ignore your phone
02 -
  • The pasta water is non negotiable because it magically binds the sauce to every piece of pasta
  • Let the baked feta rest for just 5 minutes before mashing it creates an even creamier texture
  • Buy sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil not the dry ones because they need that moisture
03 -
  • Use a baking dish just big enough to fit everything snugly so the tomatoes stew not roast
  • Room temperature feta bakes more evenly than cold straight from the fridge
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