Baked Feta Pasta (TikTok Pasta)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
5
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Course
Main Course
Baked Feta Pasta (TikTok Pasta)
Description
The Baked Feta Pasta starts by roasting grape tomatoes and garlic cloves tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper alongside a block of feta cheese. The tomatoes soften and burst, releasing juices that combine with the melting feta to form a creamy sauce with a slightly roasted, savory edge, enhanced further by an additional high-heat finish to brown the top. Meanwhile, pasta is cooked al dente, and fresh spinach is wilted by adding it to the drained pasta.
Once baked, the softened tomatoes and feta are mashed together, yielding a rich, creamy sauce that coats the pasta along with fresh basil, parsley, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a mild heat. The process creates a dish that’s simultaneously creamy, tangy, and herbaceous, with varied textures from the roasted vegetables and fresh greens.
This dish pairs well as a casual meal and can be customized with different pasta shapes, making it approachable and visually appealing. It is a straightforward way to enjoy baked cheese intertwined with pasta and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 2 pints (20 oz) grape tomatoes
- 5 medium garlic peeled and halved, cloves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 7 oz. block feta cheese (sheep's milk variety, such as Murray's), drained
- 10 oz. pasta such as campanelle, rigatoni, rotini, penne, bow tie, or cavatappi, dry
- 8 oz. spinach roughly chopped (8 packed cups
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil fresh
- 2 Tbsp minced parsley fresh
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1/2 cup water reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add grape tomatoes and garlic to a 3 quart baking dish. Toss with olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Place feta in the center of tomatoes, turn to coat with oil.
- Bake in center of preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Then remove the baking dish, raise oven rack up to upper 1/3 of the oven. Return baking dish to oven and increase oven to 450 degrees. Bake until tomatoes and cheese are starting to brown slightly, about 10 minutes longer.
- Meanwhile boil pasta to al dente in salted water (I use 1 Tbsp salt and about 3 or 4 quarts of water), according to time listed on pasta package.
- Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and right before draining pour and submerge spinach in with the pasta (it should wilt almost instantly). Drain pasta and spinach.
- Smash the tomatoes, garlic, oil and feta together with the back of a wooden spoon. Toss pasta in with mixture along with basil, parsley and red pepper flakes.
- Thin mixture with a few tablespoons of pasta water at a time to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use any short pasta shape such as campanelle, rigatoni, rotini, penne, bow tie, or cavatappi.
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if needed.
- Fresh herbs like basil and parsley added at the end brighten the dish.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to taste for mild or more pronounced heat.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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