| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 45 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 pints (20 ounces) cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- One 8-ounce block feta cheese, drained (see Cook’s Note)
- 10 ounces mezze rigatoni
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- Flaky sea salt, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Toss the cherry tomatoes and olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Transfer to a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish, place the feta in the center of the tomatoes and season with a pinch of black pepper. Bake until the tomatoes have burst and the feta has softened, about 30 minutes. Raise the heat to 450 degrees F and continue to cook until the tomatoes and feta are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 13 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then thoroughly drain the pasta.
- As soon as the tomatoes and feta come out of the oven, stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using). Use the back of a spoon to smash the tomatoes and feta into a smooth and creamy sauce (it’s okay if some of the oil isn’t fully integrated). Add the pasta and half the basil and toss until evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, stir in some pasta water a couple tablespoons at a time. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the remaining basil and a pinch of sea salt.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 454 |
| Total Fat | 27 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Cholesterol | 34 mg |
| Sodium | 464 mg |
Reviews
I deviated quite a bit after reading the reviews but what I came up with tasted so ahmazing to me that I’m already trying to make it again (yes I just made it last night and am eating it right now for breakfast haha).
To start, I cut the feta in half and substituted the other half with cream cheese. I also added half a small onion diced as small as possible and doubled the garlic. (I LOVE garlic.) After baking for twenty minutes per the directions, I pulled it out and added the onions, garlic, and cream cheese. after 10-15 minutes, I pulled it out and mixed it all together to create the “sauce”. I let bake an additional 10ish minutes before adding the pasta and used about 1/4 cup of the pasta sauce to make it a bit more creamy. Topped with fresh cut basil and squeezed a bit of lemon on top.
Love this recipe! Played around with it some and it’s always a crowd favorite. Tammy Martinez, try Violife 100% Vegan “just like Feta”, we tried it and loved the variation. It’s less zest and less tangy. Much milder and less dry.
Loved it! Used spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Good Feta is a must.
I’m in the camp that did not like this. First, not a fan of raw garlic so cooked it with the tomatoes, as well as the pepper flakes. This worked out well. It was the feta that was the problem. It was just too intense, tangy and overpowering. And I used the sheep’s milk feta which is supposed to be milder. Basically, it only tasted like feta, not much else. Will not be making again.
Very good – made some slight adjustments – Added shallots to the tomatoes, added extra garlic during the last 15 minutes of cooking & then when I took it out of the oven, I poured about a 1/3 cup of white wine in the pan. I did not pasta; I used Palmini – hearts of palm “pasta” so that it was low carb – delish!
This looks so good
I made this and LOVED it! I modified it just a little. In my cast iron, (10 inch) Skillet I sauteed Leeks, garlic and mushrooms, then baked my Feta and grape tomatoes, plus a couple of Roma tomatoes. I had salted and peppered along the way to finish I added Lawry’s season salt and coarsely
chopped fresh Basil with about a cup of Pasta water! Wow, Devine dish, now I know what all the fuss was about, DELISH!! I’ll try the Brie variation next.
chopped fresh Basil with about a cup of Pasta water! Wow, Devine dish, now I know what all the fuss was about, DELISH!! I’ll try the Brie variation next.
PS I forgot also added a bit of cooked BACON lovely.
This was so fun to make! I subbed carrots for tomatoes because my roommate is allergic, and it worked out great!
Great recipe. My family loves it! Definitely child approved (minus the red pepper flakes ) and super easy to make. I have made this many times, including at family reunions (a big hit with the in-laws.) I always have grape tomatoes on hand just for this recipe. 10 out of 10, I would 100% recommend.
Yummmm! I added bacon and mushrooms to the mix and it was HEAVEN!!!
Next I think I’ll add artichoke hearts… Many of my fave things to eat!
Oh and I prefer the grape tomatoes rather than the cherry tomatoes. Seems the grapes are much sweeter so it balances the flavors!
Next I think I’ll add artichoke hearts… Many of my fave things to eat!
Oh and I prefer the grape tomatoes rather than the cherry tomatoes. Seems the grapes are much sweeter so it balances the flavors!