Cherry Tomato & Feta Pasta Recipe Is Simple Yet Surprisingly Delicious by Terri Kendrick

This is one of those recipes that might catch your eye, but it’s so simple you may question whether it could be all that good or not. Well, I’m here to tell you that this cherry tomato and feta pasta recipe, which is inspired by New York Times Cooking and adapted from a very popular recipe from a Finnish blogger, is that good … and then some!

The star of this simple pasta recipe is the healthy feta! It turns the pasta into a creamy, almost mac-and-cheese-like dish, with the juicy roasted tomatoes and pesto making it so much more than just mac and cheese.

Don’t be intimidated by the amount of time it takes as most of that time is spent in the oven. It’s amazingly effortless and practically foolproof. To make this easy pasta dinner you will need cherry tomatoes, garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, sea salt, extra-virgin olive oil, feta cheese, black pepper, ground red pepper, short pasta and basil pesto.

This feta pasta makes a great, company-worthy dinner served with a salad and some crusty bread, or a tasty lunch all by itself!

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Cuisine: Italian / American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1  1/2 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 ounces (block) feta
• pinch of black pepper
• pinch of ground red pepper
• 9 ounces short pasta, such as farfalle, rotini or cavatappi
• 3/4 cup reserved pasta water
• 3 teaspoons jarred pesto

Helpful Products

• Mixing Spoon
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Salt and Pepper
• Baking Dishes
• Airtight Containers
• Pasta Pot
• Pasta Bowls

Recipe Notes

• Add meatballs or sausage for extra protein.
  

• You can substitute fresh herbs, but reduce the quantity.

• To make this a gluten-free dish, use gluten-free pasta.

Here's how to make it: 

1. In a casserole dish, combine tomatoes, garlic, thyme, rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss with half of the olive oil to coat. Place the feta in the middle of the dish, and top with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle the black pepper and red pepper over everything. Bake for about 35 minutes in preheated 400-degree F oven, or until the tomatoes have burst their skins.
   
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta until it’s al dente. Drain, reserving about 3/4 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the pan in an even layer and sprinkle with the remaining salt. Add the pesto and mix everything together. Pour the pasta water on top of this mixture. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for about 15 minutes.
   
3. Remove from the oven. Keeping the dish covered, let it stand for about 5 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
   
4. Serve topped with more black pepper, salt and oil, if desired.
   

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 674

Total Fat: 57g

Saturated Fat: 13.3g

Cholesterol: 38mg

Sodium: 1463mg

Total Carbohydrate: 28.9g

Dietary Fiber: 1.9g

Total Sugars: 6.8g

Protein: 14.3g

Vitamin D: 0mcg

Calcium: 227mg

Iron: 2mg

Potassium: 159mg

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by VeryWellFit. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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