Baked Feta and Tomato Pasta

A baking pan with pasta with tomatoes and feta and fresh basil.

The Greek version of the famous baked feta pasta — a block of real Greek feta melted with cherry tomatoes, a whole head of roasted garlic, and fresh herbs into the creamiest tangy sauce. One pan, 40 minutes, no cream.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings

Calories 370kcal

Author by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves

Equipment

11" x 8" baking pan

Ingredients

8 oz Greek feta cheese
2 lbs cherry tomatoes
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic head Sliced or crushed cloves
2-3 fresh herbs basil, oregano or thyme
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chili pepper flakes
8 oz cooked pasta of your choice. I used penne.
freshly ground pepper
sea salt

For serving

fresh basil leaves
parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C
Place the block of feta in the center of your baking dish. Arrange the tomatoes and garlic cloves around the feta. Tuck the fresh herbs between tomatoes and garlic.
Drizzle everything evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of oregano and season with freshly ground pepper.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Cook the pasta al dente. Usually 1 minute less than recommended boiling time.
Make sure to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, you might need it later.
Remove the baking dish from the oven. Immediately add ⅔ of the basil leaves. Stir the mixture together until the feta has melted into a creamy sauce.
Add in the pasta.
Gently toss until the pasta is evenly coated.
If you need to, add a little of the reserved pasta water, about ⅕ cup, to loosen it up a little and make it creamier.
Serve in bowls with grated parmesan cheese(optional), chopped fresh basil leaves, and a pinch of chili flakes.

Notes

Storage. Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Flavors get even better on day two.
Reheating. Best on the stovetop with a splash of water over medium heat, stirring until creamy again. The microwave works too — 60–90 seconds with a spoonful of water.
Make ahead. Assemble the whole baking pan up to a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bake straight from cold, adding 5 extra minutes.
Freezing. Don't freeze the finished pasta, the texture suffers. You can freeze just the baked tomato-feta sauce for up to 2 months.
Feta matters. Use a block of Greek feta in brine (Dodoni, Mt. Vikos, or Trader Joe's Greek feta all work). Skip pre-crumbled or fat-free feta — they won't melt into a proper sauce.

Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only an estimate and can vary based on the products used.

Nutrition