Baked Feta Pasta Tomatoes (Print Version)

Creamy baked feta paired with sun-dried and cherry tomatoes tossed with herbs and pasta.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 7 oz block feta cheese

→ Vegetables

02 - 18 oz whole cherry tomatoes
03 - 3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

→ Pasta

06 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)

→ Herbs & Seasoning

07 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1 tsp dried basil
10 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Garnish

13 - Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
14 - Lemon zest (optional)

# How To Make:

01 - Heat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and red onion if using. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with oregano, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss thoroughly.
03 - Place the feta block in the center of the baking dish and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
04 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta is golden and soft.
05 - Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water then drain pasta.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Mash feta and tomatoes together with a fork or spoon until creamy.
07 - Add drained pasta and reserved pasta water to the baking dish. Toss well to coat evenly.
08 - Stir in fresh torn basil leaves and adjust seasoning as needed.
09 - Serve hot garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The feta melts into a silky, creamy sauce without any cream, which feels like a small kitchen miracle every single time.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes add an umami punch that regular tomatoes alone could never achieve, making this feel restaurant-worthy.
  • Minimal prep, maximum flavor, and it actually tastes better than takeout at half the cost.
02 -
  • Don't drain the sun-dried tomatoes over the sink by accident like I did the first time—that oil is where all the flavor hides, so save it and use it.
  • Overcooked pasta will turn mushy the moment it touches the hot sauce, so stop cooking it just shy of where you normally would.
  • Feta blocks vary in how quickly they soften; if yours isn't getting creamy enough, tent the dish loosely with foil to trap more heat and give it another five minutes.
03 -
  • Room-temperature feta melts faster and more evenly than cold feta straight from the fridge, so pull it out while your oven preheats.
  • The starch in the pasta water is your secret weapon—it emulsifies everything and creates a sauce that clings to every piece of pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the dish.
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