Description
A creamy, tangy, and addictive weeknight dinner featuring roasted cherry tomatoes and a block of feta cheese baked together, then tossed with pasta and starchy water for a rich sauce without heavy cream.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 block (140g / 5 oz) brine-packed feta cheese
- 2 cups (250g) cherry or grape tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 oz (225g) penne or rigatoni pasta
- ½ cup (120 ml) reserved starchy pasta water
- ¼ cup (10g) fresh basil, chopped
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Rinse and pat dry the cherry tomatoes. Arrange them in a single layer in a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- 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, dried oregano, and a pinch of black pepper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until tomatoes are soft and bursting, and feta is golden and soft.
- While the sauce bakes, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente.
- Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Drain the pasta.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Mash the roasted tomatoes and melted feta together with a wooden spoon until a chunky, creamy sauce forms.
- Add the cooked pasta to the baking dish (or sauce to the pasta pot). Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
- Stir in chopped fresh basil. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not use pre-crumbled feta as it contains potato starch which ruins the sauce texture. Always reserve starchy pasta water to emulsify the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water. If too salty, add lemon juice or sugar. For best results, mash the tomatoes thoroughly when combining.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 15
Keywords: baked feta pasta, viral recipe, 30 minute dinner, mediterranean pasta, easy weeknight meals, one pot pasta, creamy pasta, vegetarian dinner