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Creamy Baked Feta Pasta

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A quick and easy baked feta pasta with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil that creates a creamy, cheesy sauce perfect for weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (300g) cherry tomatoes, fresh and whole
  • 1 block (7 ounces or 200g) full-fat feta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces (225g) pasta (penne or fusilli recommended)
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Optional: crushed red pepper flakes, lemon zest, splash of pasta water

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Place the block of feta in the center of a medium-sized ovenproof baking dish (about 9×9 inches). Surround it with the whole cherry tomatoes. Scatter the minced garlic over the top, then drizzle everything evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  3. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes until tomatoes are bursting and feta is puffy and golden.
  4. While the feta and tomatoes roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes depending on shape. Reserve 1/2 cup (120ml) pasta water before draining.
  5. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Use a fork or wooden spoon to mash the roasted feta and tomatoes together to create a creamy sauce. Stir in a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
  6. Add the drained pasta directly to the baking dish and toss gently to coat the noodles in the sauce.
  7. Stir in the fresh chopped basil.
  8. Adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
  9. Serve immediately warm.

Notes

Do not rush the roasting step; 400°F is ideal to soften tomatoes and melt feta perfectly. Taste before adding extra salt as feta is naturally salty. Use fresh garlic for best flavor. Reserve pasta water to loosen sauce if needed. Short tube or twisted pasta shapes hold sauce best.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked feta pasta, cherry tomato pasta, creamy pasta, easy pasta recipe, vegetarian pasta, basil pasta, weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://tessierecipes.com/creamy-baked-feta-pasta-recipe-easy-homemade-cherry-tomato-basil-pasta/