Baked Feta Pasta Sun-Dried (Print View)

Creamy feta and sundried tomatoes combine with pasta and herbs for a vibrant Mediterranean dish.

# Components:

→ Dairy

01 - 7 oz feta cheese block

→ Vegetables

02 - 18 oz whole cherry tomatoes
03 - 3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, 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

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - In a large baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and red onion if using. Drizzle with 3 tbsp olive oil and season with oregano, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to mix evenly.
03 - Place the feta block in the center of the baking dish and drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over it.
04 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the tomatoes burst and the feta is golden and softened.
05 - While baking, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water and drain the rest.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and mash the feta and tomatoes together using a fork or spoon to create a creamy sauce.
07 - Add drained pasta and reserved pasta water into the baking dish. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta with the sauce.
08 - Stir in torn fresh basil leaves and adjust seasoning if necessary.
09 - Serve immediately, optionally garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The feta becomes creamy and luxurious without any cream—just heat, tomatoes, and a little magic.
  • It comes together in less than an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want to feel like you've made something special.
  • One baking dish means minimal cleanup, and somehow everything tastes better when it's cooked together in the same place.
02 -
  • The pasta water is not optional—it's what transforms a dish of baked tomatoes and feta into an actual sauce that clings to everything.
  • Don't skip the fresh basil at the end; dried basil during cooking is fine, but fresh basil stirred in at the finish is what makes you taste summer.
  • Keep the feta as a whole block while baking instead of crumbling it first; it softens into the sauce more elegantly and holds its structure longer.
03 -
  • Buy the best feta you can find and store it properly—it should taste tangy and creamy, not salty and crumbly, and it makes all the difference in how the finished dish tastes.
  • Don't go rogue with the baking time; 30 to 35 minutes is the sweet spot where the tomatoes burst and the feta is creamy but not broken down into nothing.
  • If your kitchen runs cool, your oven might run slow—start checking at 30 minutes and pull it out the moment the cheese is golden and soft, not when a recipe says so.
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