Recipe Background
Oven-Baked Feta Pasta offers creamy feta, sweet roasted tomatoes, and velvety sauce—perfect for sharing.
There’s something incredibly comforting about a dish that requires minimal fuss but rewards you with bold flavors. Oven-Baked Feta Pasta blends the creamy tang of feta with the sweetness of roasted tomatoes. As it bakes, the kitchen fills with a savory aroma, promising warm, indulgent bites. It offers a harmony that only a combination of garlic and herbs can create, their scents mingling as they roast to bring depth to every forkful.
When you break into the blistered tomatoes and silky cheese, the textures truly shine. The feta transforms into a velvety sauce that gently coats the pasta, while the tomatoes add a satisfying pop. For a richer taste, gently crush the garlic into the sauce immediately after baking. This integrates its mellowed, buttery flavor, enhancing each mouthful.
Enjoyment heightens when shared. As you serve this dish, its inviting colors and aromas spark easy conversation and laughter. Whether it’s a casual weeknight meal or an impromptu get-together, this pasta manages to turn ordinary ingredients into a memorable experience. Sprinkle some fresh basil on top for a burst of herbal freshness, completing the comforting symphony on your plate.
Ingredients
- 1 (16.5-ounce) package grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked peppercorns
- 1 (8-8.65-ounce) block feta cheese
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3/4 pound riccioli or other spiral pasta
- salt to taste
- fresh basil optional, to taste, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In an ungreased baking dish, add the tomatoes and evenly drizzle them with the olive oil.
- Evenly sprinkle the dried basil, the dried chives, the dried oregano, and the cracked peppercorns over the tomatoes and stir well to coat.
- Move the seasoned tomatoes to the edges to make an opening in the center of the baking dish and place the feta block in the empty space.
- Nestle the garlic cloves into the seasoned tomatoes.
- Bake the tomato mixture until the cheese is soft and the tomatoes have burst, about 35-45 minutes.
- While the tomato mixture is roasting, in a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the riccioli to al dente, according to the package directions.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest.
- Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack and use a wide spoon to crush the garlic cloves and the tomatoes.
- Stir the tomato mixture and the melted feta until all the ingredients are well-combined.
- Taste the tomato mixture and season with the salt, as needed.
- Add the cooked riccioli to the tomato mixture and toss until the ingredients are well-combined.
- Add the reserved pasta water to the pasta mixture and stir to combine.
- Serve the pasta garnished with the fresh basil.
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