Creamy Viral Baked Feta Pasta Recipe Easy Homemade Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta
A creamy, tangy baked feta pasta with burst cherry tomatoes that creates a luscious sauce perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 block feta cheese (about 7 oz or 200g), preferably full-fat
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 10.5 oz or 300g), fresh and ripe
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 8 ounces pasta (penne or fusilli recommended)
- A handful fresh basil, torn
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the block of feta in the center of a medium-sized ovenproof baking dish. Scatter the cherry tomatoes around the feta.
- Drizzle olive oil over the feta and tomatoes. Sprinkle minced garlic and red pepper flakes on top. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper, being careful with salt as feta is already salty.
- Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes until tomatoes soften and burst and feta becomes soft and creamy. If tomatoes aren’t bursting by 25 minutes, gently poke them with a fork.
- While roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions minus 1-2 minutes for al dente texture. Drain pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup (120 ml) pasta water.
- Remove feta and tomatoes from oven. Use a spoon or spatula to mash and mix them into a creamy sauce.
- Add drained pasta to the baking dish and toss everything together. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to desired consistency.
- Finish by tearing fresh basil over the top, toss gently, and serve. Optionally drizzle extra olive oil or sprinkle cracked black pepper.
Notes
Use a firm block-style feta for best creamy melting texture. Avoid crumbled feta to prevent grainy sauce. Give tomatoes space in the baking dish to avoid sogginess. Cook pasta al dente and add reserved pasta water to loosen sauce. Roasting tomatoes slowly to burst them enhances flavor. Multitasking prep steps saves time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/4 of
- Calories: 400
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Protein: 18
Keywords: baked feta pasta, creamy pasta, cherry tomato pasta, easy pasta recipe, viral pasta recipe, weeknight dinner, vegetarian pasta