Baked Pasta and Feta: A Dive into Mediterranean Flavors Easy and Quick
Let yourself be captivated by a flavor explosion that smells of sun and sea! Our baked pasta with feta and cherry tomatoes is an ode to simplicity and the authentic flavors of Mediterranean cuisine. A dish born from the happy meeting between the enveloping creaminess of Greek PDO feta, the juicy sweetness of sun-ripened cherry tomatoes, and the savoriness of Greek black olives, all enhanced by a drizzle of fragrant extra virgin olive oil and the aromatic notes of fresh basil and oregano.
This recipe is designed for those who love flavorful dishes but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. The preparation is incredibly easy and fast: just bake the feta with the cherry tomatoes to release a creamy and fragrant sauce, meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente and then mix everything for a result that will surprise you with every bite. Perfect for a light and tasty lunch, an informal dinner with friends, or an intriguing alternative to the usual main courses.
The secret of this dish lies in the quality of the ingredients and their harmony. The feta, with its unique texture and slightly acidic flavor, melts in the oven creating a delicious cream that wraps the pasta. The cherry tomatoes, with cooking, release all their sweetness, while the black olives add a touch of intense and characteristic flavor. A dish that celebrates the freshness and simplicity of Mediterranean ingredients, ready to conquer even the most demanding palates.
Don’t wait any longer! Follow our simple recipe and bring a corner of Greece to your table with our delicious baked pasta with feta and cherry tomatoes!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stove, Oven
- Cuisine: Greek
- Energy 315.67 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 34.96 (g) of which sugars 9.47 (g)
- Proteins 13.00 (g)
- Fat 13.74 (g) of which saturated 7.15 (g)of which unsaturated 4.02 (g)
- Fibers 2.92 (g)
- Sodium 852.17 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
what you need to make BAKED PASTA with FETA
- 11 oz pasta (I chose casarecce)
- 14 oz cherry tomatoes
- 7 oz feta
- 1.75 oz Greek black olives
- to taste dried oregano
- A few leaves basil
- 1 pinch black pepper (ground)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Baking dish
- Oil sprayer
- Pasta pot
Prepare Your Baked Pasta with Feta and Cherry Tomatoes
Preheat the oven to convection mode at 392°F. In an ovenproof baking dish, place the whole block of feta. Add the washed and dried cherry tomatoes in the dish, around the feta. Season with torn fresh basil leaves. Generously drizzle everything with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes are slightly wilted and the feta begins to brown and soften.
Meanwhile, bring plenty of salted water to a boil in a large pot. When the water boils, pour in the mezze maniche rigate and cook them al dente according to package instructions.
Drain the pasta directly into the baking dish with the baked feta and cherry tomatoes. Add the pitted Greek olives. Gently mix everything to blend the flavors well, ensuring that the feta crumbles and creates a creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Finish with a sprinkle of dried oregano to taste. Serve the baked pasta with feta and cherry tomatoes hot.
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
PDO FETA: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) ensures the provenance and quality of the cheese. If unavailable, you can use another similar Greek cheese, but the characteristic flavor of PDO feta is irreplaceable. For a lighter version, you can opt for reduced-fat feta, but the creaminess may be slightly affected.
CHERRY TOMATOES: Their sweetness is ideal for this recipe. Alternatively, you can also use grape tomatoes, which are equally sweet and flavorful. If you prefer a more intense taste, you can also add some sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and cut into pieces.
GREEK OLIVES: Kalamata olives are the most common Greek variety and pair perfectly with the other ingredients. You can replace them with other good quality pitted black olives. If you prefer a more savory touch, you can also use Taggiasca olives.
CASARECCE PASTA: This pasta shape is ideal for collecting the creamy sauce. You can replace them with other short pasta shapes like rigatoni, penne rigate, or fusilli.
BASIL and DRIED OREGANO: These are aromatic herbs that enhance Mediterranean flavors. You can replace fresh basil with chopped parsley, although the aroma will be slightly different. Dried oregano can be substituted with dried thyme for a different aromatic note.
STORAGE
Baked pasta with feta and cherry tomatoes is best consumed immediately to appreciate its creaminess and fragrance. However, you can store leftovers in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for a maximum of 1-2 days. When reheating, I recommend adding a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and, if necessary, a splash of water or milk to revive the creaminess of the sauce. Oven cooking might make the pasta slightly drier after storage. Freezing this dish is not recommended, as the texture of the feta and pasta may change.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
1 Pasta with feta and cherry tomatoes WITH CHILI: For a spicy touch, add half a chopped fresh chili or a pinch of dried chili flakes to the dish along with the cherry tomatoes and feta.
2 Pasta with feta and cherry tomatoes WITH GRILLED VEGETABLES: For a richer dish, you can also add grilled vegetables diced like zucchini, eggplant, or peppers (about 7 oz total) to the dish. In this case, you may need a little more oil.
3 Pasta with feta and cherry tomatoes WITH CHICKEN or SHRIMP: For a more substantial one-dish meal, you can add about 7 oz of cubed sautéed chicken or 7 oz of peeled shrimp to the dish along with the feta and cherry tomatoes in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.
4 Pasta with feta and cherry tomatoes WITH TAGGIASCA OLIVES and PINE NUTS: Replace the Greek olives with 1.75 oz of pitted Taggiasca olives and add 1 oz of pine nuts to the dish for a crunchy note.
5 Pasta and feta WITH PESTO: After baking the feta and cherry tomatoes and draining the pasta, you can mix everything by adding 2-3 tablespoons of Genovese pesto for an even more intense flavor. In this case, slightly reduce the amount of fresh basil in cooking.
ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF THE RECIPE
Baked pasta with feta and cherry tomatoes is a dish that celebrates the simplicity and flavors of the Mediterranean, combining basic ingredients like olive oil, tomatoes, and Greek feta. Although it doesn’t have a defined ancient history, the idea of baking feta and tomatoes to create an easy and flavorful sauce is a recent culinary practice, appreciated for its speed and authentic taste. Adding Greek olives completes this homage to Mediterranean flavors, making this dish a modern expression of regional culinary tradition.
