Description
A viral, one-pan pasta dish featuring a block of feta baked with cherry tomatoes until jammy, then tossed with pasta for a creamy, tangy, and savory meal that requires minimal effort and cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) penne, rigatoni, or fusilli pasta
- 2 pints (about 600g) cherry tomatoes, whole
- 8 ounces (225g) block of feta cheese
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 4–6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil, torn (optional garnish)
- Spinach or arugula (optional add-in)
- Cooked chicken or shrimp (optional protein)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place whole cherry tomatoes in a 9×13 inch baking dish or deep skillet.
- Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the tomatoes.
- Drizzle olive oil generously over the tomatoes and feta.
- Sprinkle with minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until tomatoes are soft, wrinkled, and bursting, and feta is golden.
- While tomatoes bake, boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Remove baking dish from oven. Mash the tomatoes and feta together with a potato masher or spoon until creamy and combined.
- Add the drained pasta to the baking dish and toss to coat in the sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with fresh basil if using, and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not use crumbled feta as it contains anti-caking agents that prevent proper melting; use a solid block. Save pasta water to help emulsify the sauce. For best results, use ripe cherry tomatoes. The dish does not freeze well as the sauce may separate upon thawing.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 14
Keywords: baked feta pasta, cherry tomato pasta, one pan dinner, easy weeknight dinner, viral recipe, feta cheese, pasta recipes, quick meals