Easy Baked Feta Pasta with Basil and Garlic (TikTok Pasta)
Easy baked feta pasta with basil and garlic is a creamy, flavorful dish where roasted feta, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic garlic come together to create a simple yet indulgent meal that's perfect for any night of the week.
Equipment
- 9x13 baking dish to hold the feta, tomatoes, and other ingredients while baking
- large pot for cooking the pasta
- colander to drain the cooked pasta
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- measuring cups and spoons
- spoon or tongs to toss cooked pasta with tomatoes and feta
- aluminum foil for covering the baking dish, if desired, to prevent over-browning during the roasting process
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta (fusilli, rigatoni, or penne work best) (about 4 cups dry pasta)
- 1 block feta cheese (8 ounces)
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup fresh basil sliced into ribbons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large baking dish (about 9x13 inches), add the feta cheese in the center. Arrange the cherry tomatoes around it. Drizzle everything with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- While the feta and tomatoes bake, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, then drain, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water.
- While feta and tomatoes are cooking, mince the garlic and chiffonade the basil. Set aside.
- After 30 minutes, remove baking dish from the oven. Even sprinkle minced garlic and basil ribbons throughout the dish. Return to oven for another 5 minutes, until tomatoes are bursting and feta is browning and beginning to melt. Remove from oven.
- Once the feta and tomatoes are out of the oven, use a spoon to mash the feta and tomatoes together into a creamy sauce. Add the cooked pasta to the dish and toss everything together. If the sauce looks too thick, add reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Plate the pasta and enjoy this cheesy, garlicky, basil-infused goodness. It’s comfort food at its finest!
Notes
Any neutral-tasting oil can be substituted for olive oil (avocado, vegetable, canola, etc.).
Use aluminum foil to cover the baking dish if the feta and tomatoes are browning too quickly during baking.