Baked Feta Pasta Sun-Dried (Printable View)

Creamy baked feta pasta with sun-dried and cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs for a Mediterranean touch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 7 oz block feta cheese

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 lb 2 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 (optional)

13 - Grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Lemon zest

# How To Make It:

01 - Set 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, then season with dried oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Toss gently to coat evenly.
03 - Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the baking dish and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
04 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the tomatoes have burst and the feta is golden and softened.
05 - While baking, prepare pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain the rest.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Using a fork or spoon, mash the baked feta and tomatoes together to create a creamy sauce.
07 - Add the drained pasta and reserved pasta water to the baking dish. Toss until the pasta is fully coated with the sauce.
08 - Stir in the torn fresh basil leaves and adjust seasoning as needed.
09 - Dish out the pasta hot, garnished with grated Parmesan and lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when really you just let the oven do the work.
  • The feta melts into something so creamy you'll question whether you actually made it yourself.
  • One pan, mostly hands-off time, and enough flavor to make you forget about takeout menus.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water—it's what transforms a creamy mash into an actual silky sauce that coats the pasta instead of just sitting on it.
  • The feta will split and separate if you overstir after it's mashed; toss gently and trust that it's going to work.
03 -
  • Use feta from a barrel if you can find it—it has better flavor and creamier texture than pre-crumbled versions packaged in plastic.
  • Don't drain the oil from sun-dried tomatoes when you're using them; that oil carries flavor and helps everything cook together beautifully.
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