Description
This Baked Feta Pasta recipe combines roasted feta cheese and blistered cherry tomatoes to create a creamy, flavorful sauce tossed with al dente pasta and fresh spinach. Enhanced with garlic, fresh herbs, and a hint of crushed red pepper flakes, it’s a simple yet elegant dish perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Tomatoes and Cheese
- 2 pints grape tomatoes
- 1 block (8 oz) feta cheese (preferably sheep’s milk)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pasta and Greens
- 10 oz dry pasta (penne, rotini, or fusilli)
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
Herbs and Seasoning
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Additional
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for roasting the tomatoes and feta.
- Prepare Baking Dish: In a 3-quart baking dish, combine the grape tomatoes and halved garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then toss well to evenly coat the ingredients.
- Add Feta: Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the tomato mixture. Flip the block to coat it well with the olive oil and seasoning.
- Bake: Roast in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes until tomatoes begin to soften and blister. Then increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the feta turns golden brown and the tomatoes are nicely blistered.
- Cook Pasta: While the feta and tomatoes bake, cook the dry pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Just before draining, add the chopped fresh spinach to wilt it in the pasta water. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta and spinach.
- Make the Sauce: Remove the baking dish from the oven. Using a spoon, mash the roasted feta, garlic, and blistered tomatoes together until smooth and creamy, creating a luscious sauce.
- Combine: Add the cooked pasta and wilted spinach back into the baking dish with the sauce. Pour in the reserved pasta water, sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes (if using), fresh basil, and minced parsley. Toss everything thoroughly to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
- Serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve the baked feta pasta warm, optionally garnished with extra fresh herbs for added color and flavor.
Notes
- You can use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes interchangeably for this recipe.
- For a spicier kick, increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes.
- If you prefer a creamier sauce, add more reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency.
- Fresh herbs like basil and parsley brighten the dish; feel free to adjust quantities or substitute with your favorite herbs.
- Use pasta shapes that hold sauce well such as penne, rotini, or fusilli for best results.
- Make sure not to overcook the pasta; al dente texture works best to balance the creamy sauce.
