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Baked Feta Pasta

Baked Feta Pasta

Baked Feta Pasta became a viral sensation in early 2021, largely thanks to its simplicity and the rise of TikTok recipes. The dish features baked feta cheese, which melts into a creamy sauce that coats the pasta. It's a quick, flavorful, and comforting meal that has become a favorite for busy weeknights or casual dinner parties. But its appeal goes beyond the viral trends—it's delicious and can easily be tailored to suit various tastes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 5

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pints 20 oz grape tomatoes
  • 5 medium garlic cloves peeled and halved
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 7 - 8 oz. block feta cheese sheep's milk variety, such as Murray's, drained
  • 10 oz. dry pasta such as campanelle rigatoni, rotini, penne, bow tie, or cavatappi
  • 8 oz. spinach roughly chopped (8 packed cups)
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Add grape tomatoes and garlic to a 3 quart baking dish. Toss with olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Place feta in the center of tomatoes, turn to coat with oil.
  • Bake in center of preheated oven for 30 minutes.
  • Then remove the baking dish, raise oven rack up to upper 1/3 of the oven. Return baking dish to oven and increase oven to 450 degrees. Bake until tomatoes and cheese are starting to brown slightly, about 10 minutes longer.
  • Meanwhile boil pasta to al dente in salted water (I use 1 Tbsp salt and about 3 or 4 quarts of water), according to time listed on pasta package.
  • Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and right before draining pour and submerge spinach in with the pasta (it should wilt almost instantly). Drain pasta and spinach.
  • Smash the tomatoes, garlic, oil and feta together with the back of a wooden spoon. Toss pasta in with mixture along with basil, parsley and red pepper flakes.
  • Thin mixture with a few tablespoons of pasta water at a time to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.