Description
This Baked Feta Pasta bursts with flavor from roasted tomatoes, creamy feta, and fresh spinach, making it a perfect choice for a quick and comforting meal.
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 oven to 400 degrees.
- Combine grape tomatoes and garlic in a 3 quart baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place the feta in the center and turn to coat.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, move the rack to the upper third of the oven, increase heat to 450 degrees, and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the tomatoes and feta begin to brown.
- In the meantime, boil salted water (1 tablespoon salt and 3-4 quarts water) and cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions.
- Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then add spinach to the pot to wilt just before draining the pasta.
- Drain the pasta and spinach mixture and mash the tomatoes, garlic, feta, and oil with a wooden spoon.
- Mix the pasta with the mashed mixture, adding basil, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water.
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.
Notes
For an extra kick, adjust the crushed red pepper flakes according to your taste.
Using sheep’s milk feta adds a distinct flavor, but cow’s milk feta can be used as a substitution.
This dish can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 15mg