Description

Baked Feta Pasta is a delightful dish combining creamy feta, sweet tomatoes, and fresh spinach. It’s a simple, flavorful one-pan meal that easily satisfies cravings for 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

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a 3-quart baking dish, combine grape tomatoes and halved garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the feta cheese in the center and coat it with oil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, move the oven rack to the upper third and increase the temperature to 450°F (230°C). Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the tomatoes and cheese are slightly browned.
While the feta and tomatoes bake, cook the pasta according to the package instructions in salted water until al dente.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Just before draining the pasta, add spinach to the pot to wilt it. Drain the pasta and spinach together.
In the baking dish, mash the tomatoes, garlic, oil, and feta with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the pasta to this mixture, along with the basil, parsley, and red pepper flakes.
Gradually add reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.

Notes

For a spicier dish, increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
Feel free to substitute whole wheat or gluten-free pasta if desired.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated for a quick meal.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 410
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 800mg
Fat: 21g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 16g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 41g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 12g
Cholesterol: 20mg