Description
A creamy and flavorful baked feta pasta featuring roasted grape tomatoes, melted feta cheese, and fresh basil, tossed with perfectly cooked bow tie pasta. This simple yet delicious dish comes together in under an hour, making it ideal for a comforting weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups grape tomatoes, washed and dried
- 1 (8 oz) block of feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 12 oz bow tie pasta, cooked and drained
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the tomatoes and feta evenly.
- Prepare Tomatoes: Place the washed and dried grape tomatoes into a medium-sized baking dish, spreading them out evenly.
- Add Feta: Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the tomatoes in the baking dish.
- Drizzle Oil: Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over both the tomatoes and the feta cheese, ensuring even coverage.
- Season: Sprinkle the Italian seasoning and salt evenly across the tomatoes and feta to infuse flavor during baking.
- Add Remaining Oil: Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the feta block to help it soften beautifully.
- Bake: Bake the dish in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until the tomatoes burst and release their juices and the feta becomes soft and creamy.
- Mix Roasted Ingredients: Remove the baking dish from the oven and stir together the softened feta and roasted tomatoes, creating a luscious sauce.
- Add Basil: Stir in the chopped fresh basil thoroughly to add a fresh, aromatic note to the sauce.
- Combine with Pasta: Add the cooked and drained bow tie pasta to the baking dish and toss well until the pasta is fully coated with the feta and tomato sauce.
- Serve: Serve the baked feta pasta hot for a comforting and flavorful meal.
Notes
- You can substitute bow tie pasta for a similar short pasta like penne or fusilli if preferred.
- For a spicier kick, add crushed red pepper flakes before baking.
- Use fresh Italian herbs if available to enhance the flavor instead of dried Italian seasoning.
- This dish can be made ahead by baking the tomatoes and feta, then refrigerating and reheating with pasta.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
