Baked Feta pasta is a brilliant way to create pasta sauce. You bake a block of feta in a casserole dish together with tomatoes, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and a little salt and pepper. Once the tomatoes burst and cheese starts melting, you pull it out of the oven and mash the cheese into a creamy pasta sauce that melds with olive oil and juicy tomatoes. This is our spin on this Baked Creamy Feta pasta with tomatoes and asparagus.
Notes
Ingredients for Baked Feta Pasta
- Tomatoes – cherry or grape tomatoes work great.
- Asparagus – we added it for more veggies but you can omit if desired.
- Olive oil – an extra virgin olive oil has the best flavor.
- Salt and pepper – a little goes a long way since the cheese is naturally salty.
- Feta cheese – block-style feta is best and will give you the creamiest consistency. Greek or French Feta cheese is slightly creamier but USA Feta made from cow’s milk also works great.
- Parsley – use a generous 1/4 cup or substitute with fresh chopped basil.
- Garlic – Add half while baking and the rest as soon as it comes out of the oven.
The Best Pasta to Use
We use short pasta for feta pasta because it is much easier to stir and combine with the cheesy sauce. Use only 8 to 10 oz or it will overwhelm the sauce. These are some of our favorite options:
- Row 1: Penne, Rigatoni, Fusilli
- Row 2: Gemelli, Trottole, Cavatapi
Ingredients
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes - or grape tomatoes
- 8 ounces asparagus - ends trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil plus - 1 tablespoon to drizzle over cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 8-ounce block Feta Cheese
- 10 ounces penne pasta
- 4 garlic cloves finely minced - divided
- ¼ cup fresh parsley - or basil, finely minced
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables and feta:
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Add tomatoes and asparagus to a 9×13 casserole.
- Add ⅓ cup olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Toss to combine.
- Make a space in the center and place your 8 ounce block of feta in the pan.
- Drizzle the top with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and another sprinkle of black pepper.
- Bake at 400° for 30 minutes until tomatoes start to burst.
Prepare the pasta:
- About halfway through your baking time, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta.
- Cook according to package instructions, stirring a few times to keep the pasta from sticking.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
Make the sauce:
- After 30 minutes, the tomatoes should burst and start to release their juice. Remove from the oven and immediately stir in the remaining minced garlic and parsley and toss to combine.
- Use the back of a large spoon to press the cheese into the olive oil and stir until the cheese is well dispersed in the dish.
Add the pasta and serve:
- Stir in the drained cooked pasta.
- Add reserved pasta water, if needed until, the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve warm. Be mindful of those tomatoes (the juicy centers can be very hot if you eat them right away).