Baked Feta Pasta with Basil

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 400 g (14 oz) pasta of choice (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)

→ Oven Pan Ingredients

02 - 200 g (7 oz) block of feta cheese

03 - 500 g (1 lb) cherry tomatoes, whole

04 - 3 tbsp olive oil

05 - 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

06 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

07 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

08 - ½ tsp sea salt

→ Finishing & Garnish

09 - 1 handful (about 15 g) fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

10 - Zest of ½ lemon (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).

02 - In a baking dish, place the feta block in the center. Surround it with cherry tomatoes and smashed garlic cloves.

03 - Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), and sea salt. Toss the tomatoes to coat evenly.

04 - Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes, until the tomatoes burst and the feta is golden and soft.

05 - While the feta bakes, cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.

06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Stir the feta and tomatoes together until a creamy sauce forms.

07 - Add the drained pasta directly to the dish and toss well to coat, adding a bit of pasta water if needed to reach desired creaminess.

08 - Stir in fresh basil and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

09 - Serve hot, garnished with extra basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

Glossy tomatoes and creamy feta turn humble pasta into something you’ll crave again before you’ve put down your fork.
It comes together in under an hour, with hardly any fuss and just one baking dish—weeknight heroes unite.

02 -

I once tried using crumbled feta in a pinch, but it never melted properly; the block form really is essential.
Reserving pasta water seems skippable, but adding it at the end gives you a lusciously creamy sauce every time.

03 -