Description
Baked Feta Pasta is a viral TikTok sensation combining juicy roasted grape tomatoes, creamy baked feta cheese, and tender al dente pasta tossed with fresh herbs and spinach for a comforting yet vibrant meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Produce
- 2 pints (20 oz) grape tomatoes
- 5 medium garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 8 oz. spinach, roughly chopped (8 packed cups)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
Dairy
- 7 - 8 oz. block feta cheese (sheep's milk variety, such as Murray's), drained
Pantry
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 10 oz. dry pasta such as campanelle, rigatoni, rotini, penne, bow tie, or cavatappi
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
Other
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for roasting the tomatoes and baking the feta.
- Prepare Baking Dish: In a 3-quart baking dish, add the grape tomatoes and halved garlic cloves. Toss them with extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until evenly coated. Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the tomatoes, turning it to coat with the oil.
- First Bake: Bake the tomatoes and feta in the center of the preheated oven for 30 minutes to soften the tomatoes and heat the cheese through.
- Increase Oven Temperature: Remove the baking dish. Move the oven rack to the upper third of the oven and increase the temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the tomatoes and cheese begin to brown slightly.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil (about 1 tablespoon salt per 3-4 quarts of water). Cook the dry pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- Wilt Spinach: Just before draining the pasta, add the chopped spinach directly into the boiling pasta water and allow it to wilt, which takes only moments.
- Drain and Reserve Water: Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and spinach together.
- Mash Roasted Ingredients: Using the back of a wooden spoon, smash the roasted tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and feta cheese together in the baking dish until well combined and creamy.
- Toss Pasta: Add the cooked pasta and wilted spinach to the baking dish with the smashed tomato-feta mixture. Toss to combine.
- Add Herbs and Seasoning: Stir in the fresh basil, parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes. Slowly add some of the reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve the baked feta pasta warm for best flavor.
Notes
- This recipe works well with various dry pasta types such as campanelle, rigatoni, rotini, penne, bow tie, or cavatappi.
- Using sheep’s milk feta provides a tangier and creamier texture than cow’s milk varieties.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to your desired level of spiciness.
- Reserve pasta water is essential for loosening the sauce and binding all ingredients together.
- For a richer flavor, use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 57 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
