Description
This Baked Feta Pasta recipe features roasted grape tomatoes and creamy baked feta cheese combined with al dente pasta and fresh spinach, herbs, and a touch of spice for a simple yet flavorful Mediterranean-inspired dinner that’s ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 2 pints grape tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Dairy
- 1 block (8 oz) feta cheese (preferably sheep’s milk)
Pantry
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 10 oz dry pasta (penne, rotini, or fusilli)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the tomatoes and feta.
- Prepare Baking Dish: In a 3-quart baking dish, combine the grape tomatoes and halved garlic cloves. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Add Feta: Place the entire block of feta cheese in the center of the tomato mixture, flipping it to make sure it is coated with some olive oil.
- Bake: Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Then increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, until the feta is golden and the tomatoes are blistered and soft.
- Cook Pasta: While the tomatoes and feta bake, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the dry pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Just before draining, stir in the chopped spinach to wilt it slightly. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta and spinach.
- Make the Sauce: Remove the baking dish from the oven. Using a spoon, mash the softened feta, roasted garlic, and blistered tomatoes together to create a creamy sauce.
- Combine: Add the cooked pasta and spinach, reserved pasta water, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), fresh basil, and minced parsley to the baking dish. Toss everything until well coated in the sauce.
- Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm, garnished with extra fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute cherry tomatoes if grape tomatoes are unavailable.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free if necessary.
- The crushed red pepper flakes add a nice gentle heat but can be omitted for a milder dish.
- Leftovers store well and can be reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
