Creamy Feta Pasta Tomatoes (Print Version)

Tangy feta and roasted tomatoes create a velvety sauce over tender pasta in this simple Mediterranean favorite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 lb cherry tomatoes
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - Handful fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Dairy

07 - 7 oz block feta cheese

→ Spices & Seasonings

08 - ½ tsp dried oregano
09 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, garlic, red onion, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
03 - Create a space in the center of the dish and place the block of feta cheese. Drizzle additional olive oil over the feta.
04 - Roast for 30–35 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta becomes golden and soft.
05 - While vegetables roast, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven. Using a fork or spoon, mash and mix feta and tomatoes together until a creamy sauce forms.
07 - Add drained pasta and most of the basil to the baking dish. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired sauce consistency.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional fresh basil and freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce creates itself in the oven while you do literally nothing else
  • That tangy feta creaminess coats every single piece of pasta perfectly
02 -
  • The pasta water is not optional, it's the magic ingredient that turns roasted cheese and tomatoes into actual sauce
  • Let the feta cool for just a couple minutes before mashing, or you'll burn your fingers like I definitely did once
03 -
  • Don't use pre-crumbled feta, it won't melt into that creamy sauce texture you need
  • If your tomatoes aren't super juicy, add a splash of water or olive oil before roasting

Go Back