Festive pasta with baked feta, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, and lemon zest for a colorful meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 7 oz feta cheese block
→ Vegetables
02 - 17.6 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)
# How-To:
01 - Set the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place the feta block in the center of a large ovenproof dish and surround it with cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, diced red bell pepper, and minced garlic.
03 - Drizzle the olive oil over vegetables and feta, then sprinkle dried oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Gently toss the vegetables, ensuring feta remains centered.
04 - Bake for 25 minutes, until tomatoes burst and feta is golden and softened.
05 - Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ⅓ cup of pasta water, then drain.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven and stir in baby spinach and lemon zest.
07 - Add cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to the dish. Mix thoroughly until feta melts into a creamy sauce coating the pasta.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, then garnish with fresh torn basil leaves. Serve warm.
