This Baked Feta Pasta recipe is simple and packed with Mediterranean flavor! Perfect for a fast, easy weeknight dinner. Vegetarian and gluten-free adaptable.
Why You’ll Love Baked Feta PastA
When life gets busy, I often crave a comforting meal that doesn’t demand hours in the kitchen. Enter easy Baked Feta Pasta – a dish that beautifully encapsulates the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean while keeping things refreshingly simple.
As a former restaurant chef, I’ve mastered the art of creating quick yet delicious meals that satisfy both the palate and the busy lifestyle. This recipe is a testament to that philosophy. With minimal prep and just a handful of ingredients, dinner is ready!
Baked Feta Pasta Recipe Ingredients
- Feta: Use a block of feta. Sheep’s milk Greek feta will cream up nicely.
- Pasta: Use fusilli, twists, tourchette, rotini, penne, or cavatappi (short, tubular or craggy pasta works best).
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use good quality Italian olive oil for optimal flavor!
- Tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes work best.
- Red and yellow bell peppers: While you can use just one color, the contrast is beautiful!
- Garlic cloves: Ten cloves may seem like a lot, but they roast up creamy and mild, imparting so much delicious, aromatic flavor.
- Kalamata olives: For briny flavor that adds complexity to the dish.
- Rosemary and thyme: Or sub oregano for the thyme. For earthy, herbal flavor.
- Red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt: This simple seasoning goes a long way in enhancing all of the flavors of the dish.
- Red wine vinegar: For acidity and a tangy taste that balances the dish!
- Fresh basil: Adds a fresh, summery component to elevate.
How to Make Baked Feta Pasta
1. Prep the baking dish. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a 9×13 baking dish, add tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic cloves, olives, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt. Drizzle with olive oil and toss.
2. Bake the feta and veggies. Nestle the feta into the veggies and flip once to coat with oil. Tuck in the fresh herb sprigs. Bake 35 minutes, uncovered. Broil for 5 minutes to lightly char the veggies.
3. Cook the pasta. While the feta and veggies are baking, cook the pasta in salted water, according to package instructions. Drain and reserve ½ cup ( or more!) of pasta water.
4. Mix everything together. Remove the sprigs of herbs, then mash the feta and garlic cloves. Mix the hot, drained pasta into the dish and stir in the pasta water to create a creamy sauce, beginning with just a few tablespoons and working up as needed.
5. Garnish. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve with salad and crusty bread.
Baked Feta Pasta Variations
- Try additional veggies like broccoli or mushrooms.
- Add parmesan cheese over the top before or after baking.
- Use gluten-free pasta if needed!
- Garnish with lemon zest or add a little lemon juice to the sauce.
Chef’s Tips
- Use the right type of feta: Use a block of sheep’s milk feta for a creamier texture. Cow’s milk tends to be crumbly and dryer.
- Choosing your pasta: Short, tubular or craggy pasta works best for clinging onto the sauce and for mixing well in the baking dish with the other ingredients.
- Use high quality extra-virgin olive oil: The olive oil is a major component of the sauce, so you want the flavor to be rich and earthy.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They can be enjoyed chilled or warmed up!
FAQs
Keep it simple with olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper and fresh herbs.
Slightly undercook the pasta when boiling it to prevent mushy baked pasta. Make just al dente pasta.
You’ll still see and taste the texture of the feta, but it will partially melt, creating a creamy sauce with the olive oil. Also depends on the type of feta used. Pre-crumbled feta is not recommended.
Such a simple but satisfying meal! Give it a try and let us know how you like it in the comments below.
More Favorite Pasta Recipes
Baked Feta Pasta Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups
- Category: pasta, vegetarian dinner, weeknight dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Meditteranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Baked Feta Pasta recipe is simple and packed with Mediterranean flavor! A fast, easy vegetarian dinner idea the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
- 2 bell peppers, red and yellow, cut into chunks
- 10 garlic cloves, whole
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives
- 6–8 ounce block of feta cheese – sheep’s milk Greek feta will cream up nicely
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme or oregano
- 1/4– 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4– 1/2 teaspoon salt, or add to taste
- 8–10 ounces pasta- fusilli pasta, twists, tourchette, rotini, penne, cavatappi
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup basil, torn, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a 9 x 13 glass or ceramic baking dish (or equivalent) add tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic cloves, and olives. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, black pepper, salt to taste, and drizzle with olive oil and toss well to distribute the oil.
- Nestle the feta among the tomatoes and peppers, and turn once to coat it with oil. Tuck in the fresh herb sprigs. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, uncovered. Broil for another 5 minutes for a nice flavorful light char on the veggies.
- While it is baking, boil a pot of salted water and cook pasta according to the package. (Salted water optional, but more flavorful). Drain and reserve 1/2 cup (or more) of pasta water.
- Remove the sprigs of herbs. Mash the feta and garlic cloves. Mix hot, drained pasta into the feta mixture, and stir in some pasta water to create more of a sauce if desired. Start with a few tablespoons and add more as needed.
- Taste, adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add the red wine vinegar to add more acid if needed.
- Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve with salad and crusty bread.
Notes
Leftovers are delicious warmed up or eaten chilled. Store in an airtight sealed container in the fridge up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Short tubular or craggy pasta works best at hanging on to all the flavor.
Use quality feta for the best flavor and texture. Sheep’s milk is creamy while cows milk will be more crumbly and dryer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/3 cup
- Calories: 343
- Sugar: 5.6 g
- Sodium: 350.4 mg
- Fat: 17.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.2 g
- Fiber: 3.6 g
- Protein: 10.4 g
- Cholesterol: 25.2 mg
My vegetarian son was visiting for Easter and we wanted to spend most of the day out of the kitchen; this pasta was so delicious and super-easy. We made as written and had a few lamb chops on the side. Thank you!
Perfect Madeleine, happy you all enjoyed! Thanks for taking time to review.
Another winner! Because of what was in my pantry, I used frozen cherry tomatoes from last summer, dried oregano instead of the rosemary, and balsamic instead if red wine vinegar – otherwise according to the directions. Rave reviews, This is going into our rotation!
Love it Delphulia! Sounds perfect. Thanks for taking time to review. 🙂
So delicious. You’ve never let me down with any of your recipes though so I’m not surprised. Super simple, quick and yummy dinner. I’ll definitely add this recipe to the rotation.
So happy to hear this Andrea! Appreciate you taking time to leave a review.
Outstanding and delicious! Couldn’t believe how easy this was! The flavors are so good with the roasted garlic, veggies, and rosemary together 😍 Also thanks for introducing me to sheep’s milk feta – so creamy after the bake!!
Yay, happy you liked this one Angeli!
The feta generously sauced a whole pound of pasta for me. Which was great because it was even better chilled the next day. My husband devoured it. I think next time I’ll halve the feta and up the veggies because they were so good roasted. Couldn’t be easier to make. Thanks for another keeper.
Great tips Lily! So glad you enjoyed this!
This was easy and delicious! We loved it! Served with a side of sautéed mushrooms and spinach which I needed to use up and they went beautifully together. Also a green salad.
Perfect Judy, thanks for taking time to let us know!
This pasta was delicious. So easy to make too. I didn’t have fresh thyme or oregano but had tarragon so used it with the rosemary. Lots of juice from the roasted veggies so also didn’t need to use pasta water. Will be making on regular rotation. Served with your rainbow salad with your dilly ranch dressing which were also delicious. Thanks!
So glad to hear this Victoria!
Great pasta dish, colorful, tasty and easy to prepare. I used canned, diced tomatoes because in March, store-bought tomatoes, even cherry tomatoes, have very little flavor.
Great to hear Jax! Appreciate you taking time to review.
Easy weeknight meal. Came out well. Didn’t think red wine was necessary. 1/4 C olive oil seemed a bit too oily — will scale back next time. Also only 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes so it’s not so spicy. Some spinach or artichokes might be nice, won’t add pasta water in that case.
Glad you enjoyed this Barbara! Yes a great recipe to rift off of and make your own- love it!
Where can i find sheep’s milk feta in southern California? I used to be able to find Belwether Farms sheep milk ricotta, but they quit making it.
Hey Robin, I am pretty sure Trader Joe’s carries it. At least they used to!
Whole foods 365 brand. I love it — it’s tangy and creamy
Thanks!