Description
This baked feta pasta is a simple yet indulgently creamy dish featuring roasted feta cheese and blistered grape tomatoes, combined with al dente pasta and fresh spinach, herbs, and a hint of crushed red pepper for a flavorful finish. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it requires minimal hands-on time and delivers maximum taste with a luscious, cheesy tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Herbs
- 2 pints grape tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Dairy
- 1 block (8 oz) feta cheese (preferably sheep’s milk)
Pantry Staples
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 10 oz dry pasta (penne, rotini, or fusilli)
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. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss everything gently to coat evenly.
- Add Feta: Place the block of feta cheese right in the center of the tomato mixture, flipping it once to coat both sides with the olive oil and flavors.
- Bake: Roast the mixture at 400°F for 30 minutes to soften the tomatoes and feta. Then increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the feta is golden and tomatoes are blistered and burst.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, cook your pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Just before draining, add the chopped spinach to the pot to wilt. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- Make the Sauce: Remove the baking dish from the oven and use a spoon to mash the roasted feta, garlic, and tomatoes together until creamy and well combined, creating the sauce base.
- Combine: Add the cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), fresh basil, and parsley to the baking dish. Toss everything thoroughly to coat the pasta evenly with the creamy roasted feta tomato sauce.
- Serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm, optionally garnished with extra fresh herbs for a bright finish.
Notes
- For best flavor, use high-quality feta cheese, preferably made from sheep’s milk.
- Reserving pasta water is important as it helps loosen the sauce and helps it cling to the pasta.
- Feel free to swap or add other greens such as kale or arugula if spinach isn’t available.
- If you prefer less heat, omit the crushed red pepper flakes.
- This recipe can be easily doubled or halved depending on serving needs.
