Description
A simple, viral pasta dish featuring a block of feta cheese and cherry tomatoes baked until blistered and creamy, then tossed with pasta and fresh basil for a flavorful weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 block (250g) feta cheese
- 2 pints (500g) cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound (450g) pasta (rigatoni or penne recommended)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Rinse and pat dry cherry tomatoes; mince garlic and chop basil.
- Place the block of feta cheese in the center of a 9×13 baking dish. Arrange cherry tomatoes around the feta in a single layer.
- Drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle minced garlic and red pepper flakes over everything. Season lightly with black pepper.
- Bake for 30 minutes until tomatoes are blistered and feta is soft and golden.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, boil pasta in salted water until al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Mash the baked feta and tomatoes together in the dish to form a creamy sauce. Add pasta to the dish and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water if needed to adjust consistency.
- Sprinkle fresh basil on top and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not skip the pasta water; the starch helps the sauce cling to the pasta. Score the feta block before baking to help it break apart. Use good quality olive oil as it is a major flavor component. Add fresh basil at the end to preserve its color and flavor. This dish does not freeze well due to the dairy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 15
Keywords: viral baked feta pasta, easy dinner, weeknight meals, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, pasta recipes, one dish meal