Baked Feta Pasta
Roasted cherry tomatoes and softened feta mash into a sauce that coats short, ridged cavatappi. Keep the tomatoes close to the feta as they roast so their juices collect in the baking dish, then toss the sauce with separately cooked, al dente pasta. The finished dish should be moist, with burst tomato pieces throughout and fresh basil leaves on top.
The sauce can vary with the moisture in the tomatoes and feta. Save some pasta cooking water before draining so you can loosen it if needed.
Ingredients for Baked Feta Pasta
Makes 4 to 6 servings. Allow about 10 minutes to prepare and about 50 minutes total.
- 12 ounces cavatappi pasta (340g)
- 8 ounces block feta, preferably packed in brine and drained (225g)
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes (about 575g)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed and peeled
- About 1/2 cup torn fresh basil, plus a handful of whole leaves for topping (about 20g total)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- Up to 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water, as needed
How to Make Baked Feta Pasta
- Arrange the feta and tomatoes: Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C) with a rack in the center. Place the feta in the center of a 9-by-13-inch oven-safe baking dish. Cluster the tomatoes around it and add the garlic. Drizzle the olive oil over the feta and tomatoes, then sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the black pepper.
- Roast until soft: Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, without stirring. Start checking around 30 minutes. The tomatoes should be burst and collapsed, with juices in the dish, and the feta should be soft enough to mash. If the tomatoes are still firm or the feta resists mashing, continue roasting and check again. A few light golden spots on the feta are fine.
- Cook the pasta: While the feta and tomatoes roast, cook the cavatappi in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions, stopping when it is al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of cooking water before draining.
- Mash the sauce: Remove the baking dish from the oven. Mash the hot feta, tomatoes, and roasted garlic together with a fork or sturdy spoon. Leave some recognizable tomato pieces in the sauce.
- Toss with the pasta: Add the drained cavatappi and torn basil to the baking dish. Toss until coated. If the sauce is too thick to coat the pasta, stir in reserved pasta water a tablespoon or two at a time until it looks creamy and lightly glossy, not soupy.
- Finish and serve: Taste before adding more salt; feta is already salty. Scatter the whole basil leaves over the pasta and serve warm from the baking dish.
How to Keep the Sauce Creamy
Tomatoes release different amounts of juice, and the feta sauce can tighten when tossed with pasta. Keeping the tomatoes clustered around the feta helps their juices collect rather than roast away in a thin layer. If the finished pasta seems dry, use the reserved pasta water gradually; you may not need the full cup.
Choosing Feta and Pasta
A block of feta, especially one packed in brine, is the best choice for a cohesive sauce. If using crumbled feta, pack it together in the center of the dish before roasting; the finished sauce may be less cohesive.
Fusilli or penne can replace cavatappi, and grape tomatoes can replace cherry tomatoes. Cook any pasta shape to al dente before tossing it with the hot sauce.
Baked Feta Pasta Variations
- For gentle heat: Add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes before roasting, or offer them at the table.
- For a brighter finish: Stir 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest into the mashed sauce.
- For sweet-salty contrast: Add a small drizzle of honey to an individual serving.
How to Store and Reheat Baked Feta Pasta
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and use within 3 to 4 days. The sauce may thicken as it chills. Warm leftovers gently, adding a small splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce; the original texture may not fully return.
For another tomato-forward pasta dinner, try One Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta with Fusilli.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 1 of 6 servings: 445 calories, 14g protein, 21g fat, and 51g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 155 calories, 5g protein, 7g fat, and 18g carbohydrates. Values vary with the feta, pasta, and final sauce consistency.
Equipment
- 9-by-13-inch oven-safe baking dish
- Oven
- Large pot
- Colander
- Fork or sturdy spoon
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 12 ounces cavatappi pasta (340 g)
- Kosher salt, for the pasta water
For the sauce
- 8 ounces block feta, preferably packed in brine and drained (225 g)
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes (about 575 g)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed and peeled
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- About 1/2 cup torn fresh basil (about 20 g total, including topping leaves)
- Up to 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) with a rack in the center.
- Place the feta in the center of a 9-by-13-inch oven-safe baking dish. Cluster the tomatoes around it and add the garlic.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the feta and tomatoes. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the black pepper.
- Roast uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes without stirring. Start checking around 30 minutes; the tomatoes should be burst and collapsed, and the feta soft enough to mash.
- While the feta and tomatoes roast, cook the cavatappi in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of cooking water before draining.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Mash the hot feta, tomatoes, and roasted garlic together with a fork or sturdy spoon, leaving some tomato pieces intact.
- Add the drained pasta and torn basil to the baking dish and toss until coated.
- If the sauce is too thick, stir in reserved pasta water a tablespoon or two at a time until creamy and lightly glossy.
- Taste before adding more salt. Top with whole basil leaves and serve warm.
Tips
- Keep the tomatoes clustered around the feta so their juices collect in the baking dish.
- Start checking the tomatoes and feta around 30 minutes; continue roasting if the tomatoes are firm or the feta is difficult to mash.
- Reserve pasta cooking water before draining, and add it gradually only as needed.
- Cook the pasta al dente so it holds its shape when tossed with the hot sauce.
- Taste before adding extra salt because feta is already salty.
Variations
- Gentle Heat: Add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes before roasting, or offer them at the table.
- Brighter Finish: Stir 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest into the mashed sauce.
- Sweet-Salty Contrast: Add a small drizzle of honey to an individual serving.
- Alternative Pasta or Tomatoes: Replace the cavatappi with fusilli or penne, or use grape tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes.