Baked Feta Pasta Tomatoes (Printable)

Creamy feta baked with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh herbs creates a vibrant, flavorful Mediterranean dish.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 7 oz block feta cheese

→ Vegetables

02 - 18 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

13 - Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
14 - Lemon zest (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F and prepare to bake.
02 - In a large baking dish, mix cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, sliced garlic, and red onion if using. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; toss to combine evenly.
03 - Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the dish and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over it.
04 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the tomatoes burst and the feta becomes soft and golden.
05 - While baking, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water following package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water and drain the rest.
06 - Remove the baking dish from oven. Use a fork or spoon to mash the feta and tomatoes into a creamy sauce.
07 - Add the drained pasta and reserved pasta water to the baking dish and toss to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
08 - Stir in torn fresh basil leaves and adjust seasoning as needed.
09 - Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The feta gets impossibly creamy without any cream, doing all the work while the oven does the heavy lifting.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes add depth that fresh ones alone never could, bringing something almost sweet and concentrated to the party.
  • You look like you've spent hours cooking when dinner is truly on the table in under 45 minutes.
02 -
  • Don't drain your pasta completely dry—that starchy water is the glue holding this entire dish together, so be generous with it.
  • If your feta doesn't soften enough, the dish falls flat; make sure your oven is actually preheated and those tomatoes burst open properly.
  • Fresh basil added at the table tastes infinitely better than basil that's been sitting in the heat for minutes.
03 -
  • Use the highest quality extra-virgin olive oil you're comfortable with—it tastes raw in this dish and carries all the flavor.
  • If your feta is very salty, rinse it quickly under cold water before placing it in the dish; it mellows beautifully without tasting aggressive.
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