Creamy baked feta pasta with cherry tomatoes, herbs, and spinach cooked together in one pan for a hearty dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
→ Vegetables
02 - 17.5 oz whole cherry tomatoes
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 3.5 oz baby spinach
06 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Pasta
08 - 10.5 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
→ Herbs & Seasonings
09 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - Salt, to taste
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (for garnish)
# Steps to Follow:
01 - Set the oven temperature to 400°F to prepare for baking.
02 - Place the block of feta cheese in the center of a large ovenproof baking dish and surround it evenly with whole cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, diced red bell pepper, and minced garlic.
03 - Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the vegetables and feta, then sprinkle dried oregano, dried thyme, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Toss the vegetables gently while keeping the feta block intact in the center.
04 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until the tomatoes burst and the feta becomes golden and soft.
05 - Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve approximately ⅓ cup of pasta water before draining.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and add baby spinach and lemon zest to the hot vegetables and feta mixture.
07 - Add the drained pasta and reserved pasta water to the baking dish. Stir gently until the feta melts and creates a creamy sauce coating the pasta.
08 - Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed.
09 - Sprinkle torn fresh basil leaves over the dish and serve warm.
