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Baked Feta Pasta

Baked feta pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes creates a glossy, creamy sauce when you smash the golden baked feta and stir it into the tomato juices. This easy baked pasta recipe turns simple penne or rotini into a viral Mediterranean pasta dinner with bursts of tomatoes in every bite.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Feta and tomatoes base
  • 1 block (8 oz) feta cheese
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • 0.3333 cup olive oil plus extra for serving
  • 4 garlic smashed
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 cracked black pepper to taste
Pasta and finishing
  • 12 oz penne or rotini pasta
  • 1 cup reserved pasta water measure before draining
  • 1 fresh basil and extra olive oil for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the feta and roasted tomatoes
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F, then place the feta in the center of a 9x13 baking dish.
  2. Surround the feta with cherry tomatoes and smashed garlic, then drizzle with olive oil and season with red pepper flakes, salt, and cracked black pepper.
  3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the feta is golden at the edges and the tomatoes have burst and released their juices (visual cue: glossy tomato juices bubbling around the feta).
Cook the pasta
  1. Cook penne or rotini in well-salted boiling water until al dente, then reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
Make the creamy sauce and toss
  1. Use a fork to smash the baked feta, then stir it with the roasted tomatoes until creamy and glossy.
  2. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to a clingy consistency.
  3. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat until every piece is coated.
  4. Drizzle with extra olive oil and scatter fresh basil over the top before serving.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, mash the feta while the roasted tomato mixture is hot, then add pasta water gradually until the sauce clings to the pasta. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; rewarm gently with a splash of pasta water. Freezing isn’t recommended because the creamy sauce can separate after thawing. Dietary swap: use lactose-free feta for a similar flavor profile if needed.