Description
This viral baked feta pasta transforms simple ingredients into a creamy, restaurant-quality dinner in just 45 minutes. Cherry tomatoes and feta cheese create an irresistible sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta (or your favorite pasta shape)
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 8-ounce block feta cheese
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup fresh basil, packed and chopped (plus extra for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place cherry tomatoes in your baking dish, pour olive oil over them, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until well combined.
- Place the feta block in the center of the dish, surrounded by tomatoes. Flip it a couple times to coat with oil and seasoning.
- Bake for 35 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta melts completely.
- While baking, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- Remove dish from oven, immediately add garlic and basil to the hot tomatoes and feta. Mix everything together.
- Add cooked pasta to the baking dish and toss to combine. Add pasta water if needed for creaminess. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.
Notes
- Use a block of feta, not crumbles – the block melts better and creates the perfect creamy consistency
- Don’t skip reserving pasta water – its starch content helps bind the sauce and adjust consistency
- Add garlic after baking to prevent burning and maintain its fresh, aromatic flavor
- Choose pasta shapes with ridges or curves like cavatappi or rigatoni to hold the sauce better
- Let the dish rest for 2-3 minutes after mixing to allow the sauce to thicken slightly
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: viral feta pasta recipe, cherry tomato pasta bake, creamy feta cheese pasta, easy weeknight pasta dinner, one-dish pasta recipe, Mediterranean pasta dish, TikTok pasta trend, roasted tomato feta pasta