I am an avid cook, and although I love nothing more than deep diving into a multiple-page recipe, life doesn’t always afford time for that.
On days that seem a little chaotic with the dinner hour looming around the corner, I always bust out this ridiculously easy, go-to recipe for roasted feta pasta.
Unopened feta has a substantial shelf life, so I always try to keep some in the fridge along with the other key ingredient, tomatoes. Although I’ve been making this recipe for years, the younger crowd might be familiar with it as well since it’s taken the internet by storm. It’s perfect for those evenings when you want something comforting yet effortless and with little to no mess.
This dish is incredibly simple but also impressively flavorful. The rich, creamy texture of the roasted feta combined with the burst of cherry tomatoes creates a sauce that clings beautifully to every strand of pasta. It is vibrant with a Mediterranean taste that will transport you to a coastal paradise, or at least keep you sane on a last-minute dinner night.
Below I will walk through what you need for the bare-bones, basic version of this stress-free recipe; however, the options are unlimited. For example, you could go the healthy route and switch out your pasta for chickpea pasta like the brand Banza and swap out traditional full fat feta for reduced fat feta.
As far as the ingredients go, the term “the more the merrier” applies here. If you feel like you have extra time and energy, add in some chopped garlic, roasted red pepper flakes, herbs, spinach, basil or really any vegetable or seasoning you fancy, as all of them will blend beautifully into this recipe. Just the other night I added about a half cup of Chardonnay to the casserole dish before popping it into the oven and it came out fantastic, so get creative.
Gather your ingredients, fire up your oven and give it a try. It’s sure to become a staple in your weekly meal rotation or save you on certain nights. Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or a kitchen novice, this recipe promises to deliver big on taste with minimal effort. Enjoy every bite.
Ingredients:
- 1 8-ounce block of feta cheese
- 2 pints of cherry tomatoes (rinsed)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or more as needed)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 10 ounces (or so) pasta of your choice (I prefer cavatappi)
- Zest of 1 lemon
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the cherry tomatoes in an oven-proof baking dish with the lemon zest and drizzle heavily with olive oil. Mix to combine.
In the middle of the tomatoes make a little space and place the block of feta cheese in the center. Drizzle the feta generously with olive oil. Sprinkle everything with salt and pepper.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the tomatoes are bursting and the feta is golden and melty. When the oven has about 15 minutes left, boil the water and salt it. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
Remove the baking dish from the oven. With a fork, mash the roasted feta and tomatoes together until they form a creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash at a time of reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
Add the cooked pasta to the baking dish and toss everything together until the pasta is well coated with the creamy feta-tomato sauce.
