Viral Baked Feta Pasta
This is THE recipe that launched a thousand grocery store feta shortages! Roast a block of feta with cherry tomatoes until everything is melty and caramelized, toss with pasta, and you've got the creamiest, most flavorful dinner in under 30 minutes. It's simple, it's delicious, and now you'll understand why it went so viral.
Ingredients
- 1 block (8oz) feta cheese
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 12 oz pasta (penne or rigatoni)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Lemon zest for serving
Instructions
- 1 Preheat oven to 400°F.
- 2 In a baking dish, add cherry tomatoes and place feta block in the center.
- 3 Drizzle olive oil over everything, then sprinkle with garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- 4 Bake for 30 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta is golden.
- 5 Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, reserve 1 cup pasta water.
- 6 Remove baking dish from oven and immediately add cooked pasta.
- 7 Using a fork, break up the feta and stir everything together, mashing the tomatoes.
- 8 Add pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce.
- 9 Stir in fresh basil leaves.
- 10 Serve topped with lemon zest and extra basil.
Chef's Tips
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Use a good quality block feta, not crumbled - it makes all the difference.
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Don't skip the pasta water, it helps create that silky sauce.
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Feel free to add spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, or grilled chicken for extra nutrition.
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This reheats beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep.
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For extra richness, add a tablespoon of butter when mixing.
Nutrition Information
| Calories | 420kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14g |
| Carbohydrates | 52g |
| Fat | 18g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 6g |
| Sodium | 680mg |
*Nutrition values are approximate per serving and based on ingredients listed. Values may vary based on specific brands used.