Description
This Baked Feta Pasta recipe combines roasted grape tomatoes and creamy feta cheese baked to perfection, then tossed with al dente pasta, fresh spinach, and herbs. The result is a flavorful, comforting dish popularized on TikTok that’s easy to prepare and perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Tomato and Feta Bake
- 2 pints (20 oz) grape tomatoes
- 5 medium garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 7-8 oz block feta cheese (sheep's milk variety, drained)
Pasta and Greens
- 10 oz dry pasta (such as campanelle, rigatoni, rotini, penne, bow tie, or cavatappi)
- 8 oz spinach, roughly chopped (about 8 packed cups)
Herbs and Seasoning
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for roasting the vegetables and cheese.
- Prepare Tomatoes and Feta: In a 3-quart baking dish, combine the grape tomatoes and halved garlic cloves. Drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the tomatoes and turn it gently to coat with olive oil.
- Bake Tomatoes and Feta: Place the baking dish in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to burst and the feta to soften.
- Increase Temperature and Finish Baking: Remove the dish from the oven, move the oven rack to the upper third of the oven, increase the temperature to 450°F (232°C), then return the dish to continue baking for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes and cheese begin to brown slightly.
- Cook Pasta: While the feta and tomatoes are baking, bring a large pot of salted water (about 1 Tbsp salt in 3-4 quarts of water) to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions.
- Wilt Spinach with Pasta: Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Just before draining, add the chopped spinach to the pasta pot to wilt it instantly with the hot pasta water. Drain the pasta and spinach together.
- Combine Pasta with Tomato-Feta Mixture: Use the back of a wooden spoon to smash the roasted tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and feta cheese together in the baking dish, creating a creamy sauce. Toss the drained pasta and spinach into this mixture.
- Add Herbs and Seasoning: Stir in the fresh basil, minced parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes. Gradually add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed. Serve the pasta warm for a delicious and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Use a sheep's milk feta such as Murray's for authentic flavor and creaminess.
- Choose pasta shapes that hold sauce well like campanelle or rigatoni.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to your preferred level of spiciness.
- Reserve pasta water is essential for adjusting sauce consistency and helping it cling to the pasta.
- This dish is best served immediately for optimal flavor and texture.
