Save to Pinterest I threw this together on a Tuesday night when I had absolutely no plan for dinner and a block of feta about to go sad in the fridge. The oven did all the work while I answered emails, and when I pulled it out, golden and bubbling, I thought I'd stumbled onto something worth keeping. That first bite—creamy, sweet, spicy, all at once—made me text three people immediately.
I made this for my sister when she came over unannounced, and she stood at the counter eating straight from the baking dish before I could even plate it. She kept saying it tasted like vacation, which I guess makes sense—there's something about warm tomatoes and feta that feels like summer no matter what month it is. Now she asks for it every time she visits.
Ingredients
- Block feta cheese: You need the block, not crumbles, so it holds its shape and gets that golden exterior while staying creamy inside.
- Cherry tomatoes: They burst and release all their sweet juices, creating the base of your sauce without any effort.
- Garlic: Chop it fine so it melts into the tomatoes and doesn't burn in the high heat.
- Short pasta: Penne or rigatoni are perfect because their ridges grab onto the sauce and hold every bit of flavor.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use the good stuff here since it's doing a lot of the heavy lifting for flavor.
- Dried oregano: It blooms in the heat and adds that classic Mediterranean warmth.
- Red pepper flakes: Start with less if you're not sure, you can always add more at the table.
- Honey: This is what makes the dish sing, balancing the salty feta and the heat with a touch of sweetness.
- Lemon zest: Just a little brightens everything up and cuts through the richness.
- Fresh basil: Tear it at the last second so it stays vibrant and fragrant.
Instructions
- Heat the oven:
- Set it to 200°C (400°F) and let it get fully hot before anything goes in.
- Prep the tomatoes:
- Toss cherry tomatoes with chopped garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and half the chili flakes in your baking dish. Spread them out so they roast evenly.
- Nestle the feta:
- Place the whole block right in the center of the tomatoes, drizzle it with a little more oil, and sprinkle the remaining chili flakes on top. It should look almost too simple to work.
- Bake until golden:
- Let it go for 25 to 30 minutes until the tomatoes burst and the feta turns golden at the edges. Your kitchen will smell incredible.
- Cook the pasta:
- While everything bakes, boil your pasta in well salted water according to the package. Reserve half a cup of the starchy water before you drain it.
- Add honey and zest:
- Pull the dish from the oven and immediately drizzle honey over the hot feta and tomatoes, then scatter lemon zest on top. The heat will loosen the honey into the sauce.
- Stir it all together:
- Use a spoon to mash and mix everything in the dish until it becomes a creamy, messy sauce. Add the drained pasta and toss, using reserved pasta water to loosen it into something silky.
- Serve right away:
- Plate it while it's hot, top with torn basil and extra chili flakes if you want more heat. This is best eaten immediately.
Save to Pinterest The first time I served this to friends, one of them scraped the baking dish clean with bread and declared it better than the pasta itself. Now I always make extra tomatoes and keep a baguette on standby, because that sauce is too good to waste.
How to Store and Reheat
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. When you reheat it, add a splash of water or olive oil to bring the sauce back to life, either in a pan on the stove or in the microwave in short bursts. I've eaten this cold straight from the fridge more than once and it still holds up.
Swaps and Substitutions
If you can't find block feta, goat cheese works beautifully and gives you a tangier, creamier result. For a milder version, skip the chili flakes entirely and just rely on black pepper and the sweetness of the honey. Gluten free pasta works perfectly here, and if you want to make it vegan, try a plant based feta block with nutritional yeast stirred in at the end.
What to Serve Alongside
I usually keep it simple with a green salad dressed in lemon and olive oil, or some crusty bread for mopping up every last bit of sauce. A crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the richness perfectly, but sparkling water with lemon works just as well if you're keeping it casual.
- A handful of arugula tossed in at the end adds a peppery bite and makes it feel a little fresher.
- Roasted vegetables like zucchini or bell peppers can go into the baking dish alongside the tomatoes for extra bulk.
- If you want protein, shredded rotisserie chicken stirred in at the end turns this into an even heartier meal.
Save to Pinterest This dish has become my go to when I need something that feels special without any fuss. I hope it gives you the same kind of relief it's given me on those nights when cooking feels like too much.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → How do I prevent the feta from drying out during baking?
Ensure feta is placed in the center of the tomatoes and drizzled with olive oil. Baking with the tomatoes helps keep it moist and creamy.
- → Can I substitute the pasta type?
Yes, short pasta like penne, fusilli, or rigatoni work well to hold the creamy sauce created by the baked feta and tomatoes.
- → How can I adjust the spiciness?
Increase the amount of red pepper flakes or use hot honey to add more heat to the dish.
- → Is there a way to make this dish gluten-free?
Use gluten-free pasta alternatives to accommodate dietary needs without compromising flavor.
- → What herbs complement this dish best?
Fresh torn basil leaves add a bright, aromatic finish that balances the richness of the feta and sweetness of the honey.