Description
Baked Feta Pasta is a flavorful and easy meal featuring fresh tomatoes, creamy feta, and wilted spinach. Perfect for a quick dinner or satisfying comfort food!
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 oz grape tomatoes
- 5 medium garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 8 oz spinach, roughly chopped about 8 packed cups
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 7 – 8 oz block feta cheese (sheep's milk variety) drained
- 10 oz dry pasta such as campanelle, rigatoni, rotini, penne, bow tie, or cavatappi
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp salt for pasta water
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a 3-quart baking dish, combine grape tomatoes and garlic, and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the feta cheese in the center of the tomatoes, turning to coat with oil.
- Bake the dish in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the dish and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Move the rack to the upper third of the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes and cheese start to brown.
- While the feta is baking, cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Add the spinach to the boiling pasta in the final moments of cooking to wilt it, then drain the pasta and spinach together.
- Smash the tomatoes, garlic, oil, and feta together with a wooden spoon. Toss the pasta mixture with this blend along with basil, parsley, and red pepper flakes.
- Adjust the consistency by adding reserved pasta water a little at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.
Notes
Feel free to customize with your favorite vegetables or herbs.
Use whole wheat or gluten-free pasta for a healthier alternative.
Adjust the crushed red pepper flakes for heat preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 30mg