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–+ servings
Baked feta and tomatoes smushed in oil in a large pan with a wooden spoon

Baked Feta Pasta

mylifeinbalancegroup.com/baked-feta-pasta/
This baked feta pasta is based on a viral TikTok recipe, which is famous for very good reason! A block of feta is baked with cherry tomatoes and plenty of olive oil until caramelized and softened, then gently mashed into a creamy, rich, perfectly salty sauce. Add fresh basil and the perfect amount of pasta, and you have a super easy, gourmet dinner on the table.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 50 minutes
Total 1 hour
Recipe Makes (Approximate): 6 servings

Equipment

  • Medium bowl
  • 2½- to 3-quart baking dish
  • Large pot
  • Large spoon

Ingredients

  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
  • 1 8-ounce block feta (at room temperature)
  • 8 ounces short pasta (like penne, rigatoni, fusilli, cavatappi)
  • 2 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
  • 2-4 tablespoons fresh basil leaves (for garnish, chopped or chiffonaded (see Notes), divided)
  • olive oil (extra, for finishing)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
  • In a medium bowl, toss whole cherry tomatoes with olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and lots of black pepper until well coated. Pour mixture into baking dish. Place block of feta in center of tomatoes, and season with more black pepper.
    Cherry tomatoes and feta in a pool of olive oil in a rectangular baking dish
  • Bake until tomatoes have burst and feta has softened, approximately 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450° Fahrenheit. Continue to cook until tomatoes and feta are golden brown, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
    Baked feta and tomatoes in a casserole dish
  • Meanwhile, boil a large pot of generously salted water over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente, approximately 13 minutes. Set aside ½ cup of cooking water, then drain all remaining water.
    Penne pasta in a pot
  • As soon as tomatoes and feta come out of oven, stir in garlic. Use back of spoon to smash tomatoes and feta into a smooth and creamy sauce. If some of the oil doesn't combine completely, that's fine.
    Baked feta and tomatoes, mashed together, with basil and olive oil in a casserole dish, with a wooden spoon laid across diagonally
  • Toss in pasta and half of basil until evenly coated. Mix in pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time, to help the mixture become a true sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
    Baked feta pasta in a casserole dish
  • Top with remaining basil. Serve with additional top-quality olive oil.

Recipe Notes

  • Make it Low Carb/Keto: Most of the carbs in this recipe come from the pasta. Use palmini pasta, shirataki noodles, or veggie noodles in place of the traditional short pasta. A zero-carb pasta substitute will knock this down to around 10g net carbs per serving.
  • Make it Dairy-Free/Vegan: Use a dairy-free feta, ricotta, or mozzarella.
  • Make it Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free pasta.
  • To Chiffonade the Basil: Stack fresh basil leaves on top of each other, then roll tightly lengthwise. Use a small, sharp knife to slice the roll into thin ribbons. Slice perpendicular to roll.
 
Cook times will vary based on your specific oven. Adjust as needed.

Nutrition Information (Approximate)

Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 430calProtein: 12gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 645mgPotassium: 458mgTotal Carbs: 36gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gNet Carbs: 34gVitamin A: 966IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 215mgIron: 2mg
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
https://mylifeinbalancegroup.com/baked-feta-pasta/