Baked Feta Pasta with Spinach
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Baked Feta Pasta with Spinach is a creamy, cheesy pasta dish that you’re going to want to make ASAP. This recipe combines an easy sauce of baked cherry tomatoes and feta cheese with some cooked pasta and fresh spinach. So delicious!
There’s nothing better than a bowl of pasta, and I love trying new recipes. Next time, try my Parmesan Chicken Orzo Skillet, my Butternut Squash Lasagna with Spinach, or my Skinny Fettuccini Alfredo. There is also The Ultimate Lasagna Recipe that you should definitely put on your menu!
Viral TikTok Recipe
If this recipe looks familiar to you, it’s because the versions of this pasta dish went viral on TikTok earlier this year. I couldn’t resist giving it a try and decided what the heck, I’ll share my own version on here too. I originally experimented with Rachel Ray’s version who explained that the original Baked Feta Pasta was brought to the states by MacKenzie from Grilled Cheese Social. She got her idea from a Finnish food artist in 2019, and now EVERYONE ON THE INTERNET is making it!
If you look around, folks are using different types of cheese (although c’mon, feta is the BEST), adding more or fewer tomatoes, different oils, using pesto sauce (which I think would be delish), adding other veggies like asparagus and zucchini, and adding various proteins. I personally think some grilled chicken would be a perfect pairing.
My version? I added more tomatoes, baby spinach, and used two types of pasta. I basically just wanted to document this recipe on SueBee Homemaker so my family would have it handy. Because it’s delish, y’all. And simple too! 😀
It’s Farmer’s Market Week!
This week I’m collaborating with some of my food blogging friends to celebrate the best flavors of summer in what we are calling Farmer’s Market Week.
All week we will be sharing some of our favorite recipes that incorporate ingredients you will find at your local farmer’s market. You can find more farmer’s market inspiration at the bottom of this post after the recipe, so keep scrolling!
Farmer’s Market Week is always the first week in August. Whether you have a great local farm stand or market, are a member of a CSA or purchase your fruits and vegetables at the supermarket, follow our Pinterest board, for great recipes including those for appetizers, drinks, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and more.
Ingredients Used
Gosh, I can’t believe how EASY this recipe is. It requires just seven ingredients plus salt and pepper!
- Cherry Tomatoes – I used a combo of red and yellow cherry tomatoes but any color will do just fine. You’ll want plenty of tomatoes for the sauce so don’t skimp here.
- Feta Cheese – Just one 8 oz. block of feta cheese is required. As the cheese bakes, it will get all melty and delicious.
- Olive Oil – One-third cup of extra-virgin olive oil is needed. Add an extra drizzle to the top of the cheese!
- Salt and Pepper – I always use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Garlic – Some minced garlic adds the best flavor to this dish.
- Spinach – I added a couple of large handfuls of fresh baby spinach for some extra nutrition and color. This wilts down so extra can be used as well.
- Pasta – I love using a combo of pasta noodles for fun. Totally not required but I used half rigatoni and half orecchiette pasta.
How to make Baked Feta Pasta with Spinach
In less than an hour, you can have delicious pasta ready for your family. There is very little prep and leftovers are amazing too.
- Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cook pasta. Cook pasta in some salty water according to the packaged directions. Reserve some pasta water and strain pasta in a fine mesh strainer.
- Combine tomatoes and feta. In an 8×10 baking dish, add the cherry tomatoes and olive oil. Add some kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir well with a spatula. Nestle the feta cheese block in the middle of the tomatoes and add an extra drizzle of olive oil to the top, along with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Bake. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Add garlic and broil. Remove the dish and add the minced garlic. Return to the oven and change oven temp to broil for a few minutes. Stay close to the oven to avoid burning. You want the tomatoes and cheese to start browning slightly on top.
- Add spinach and pasta. Remove the dish and use a spatula to stir the melty cheese and tomatoes together. Then add the spinach and stir until wilted. Finally, add the cooked and strained pasta and stir well. If needed, add some reserved pasta water to make it creamier.
- Serve. Serve feta tomato pasta with some extra salt and pepper.
What to pair with this pasta
- A protein – Some Grilled Chicken Skewers or a Smoked Spatchcock Chicken would be great.
- A salad – How about the Best Italian Chopped Salad or a simple Arugula Caprese Salad?
- Bread – I highly recommend some Chewy French Bread or some Soft Brioche Dinner Rolls!
- Dessert – Gotta have something sweet! Let’s make some Brown Butter Toffee Cookies or some Mint Chip Ice Cream.
Tips for the best pasta
- Don’t skimp on the tomatoes. Using extra will produce a “saucier” sauce. Six cups worked great for me. I used some tomatoes from the store PLUS some garden-fresh tomatoes from my very own garden. (Yes, it’s true!)
- Can’t find a feta cheese block? Simple. Just use the crumbled variety and pile it up high in the center of the baking dish. I think you could even use a flavored feta, like the tomato basil variety (which is my favorite).
- Use Extra-Virgin olive oil. For best results, use extra-virgin olive oil in the sauce. It contains a true olive taste and has a peppery finish, which is amazing in this recipe.
- Use your favorite type of pasta. You can use any pasta shape you prefer, but I’d go with regular pasta (instead of gluten-free or chickpea or kale, etc). I tend to often use a variety of shapes. But take note. If the cooking time varies, you should boil them separately. For this recipe, I used two shapes that cooked well together in one pot.
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Baked Feta Pasta with Spinach
Ingredients
- 6 cups cherry tomatoes – any color
- 8 oz. feta cheese – a solid block
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 10 oz. pasta – any shape
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a 8×10 baking dish, add the cherry tomatoes, olive oil and salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Add the feta cheese block to the dish, nestling it in between the tomatoes. Add a little extra drizzle of olive oil to the cheese and some salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and add the minced garlic. Place the dish back in the oven and turn the oven to broil.
- Broil for a few minutes or until the tomatoes brown sligthly. Watch carefully to avoid burning!
- Remove the dish and stir the tomatoes and cheese, breaking the feta block apart and stirring it around with a spatula. Then add the spinach leaves and stir until wilted.
- Meanwhile, boil the pasta in some salty water until al dente. You want a slight bite to the pasta. Reserve a bit of the pasta water and then strain the pasta.
- Immediately add the pasta to the baking dish and stir to combine. Add a little bit of pasta water if needed for extra creaminess. Check seasonings.
- Serve pasta with any protein of your choice, or a side salad.
Video
Notes
Tips for the best pasta
- Don’t skimp on the tomatoes. Using extra will produce a “saucier” sauce. Six cups worked great for me. I used some tomatoes from the store PLUS some garden-fresh tomatoes from my very own garden. (Yes, it’s true!)
- Can’t find a feta cheese block? Simple. Just use the crumbled variety and pile it up high in the center of the baking dish. I think you could even use a flavored feta, like the tomato basil variety (which is my favorite).
- Use Extra-Virgin olive oil. For best results, use extra-virgin olive oil in the sauce. It contains a true olive taste and has a peppery finish, which is amazing in this recipe.
- Use your favorite type of pasta. You can use any pasta shape you prefer, but I’d go with regular pasta (instead of gluten-free or chickpea or kale, etc). I tend to often use a variety of shapes. But take note. If the cooking time varies, you should boil them separately. For this recipe, I used two shapes that cooked well together in one pot.
Nutrition
Here’s more Farmer’s Market Week Recipes
Starters and Drinks Recipes
- Baked Feta Pasta with Spinach by SueBee Homemaker
- Cheese Stuffed Banana Peppers by Savory Moments
- Dill Vinegar by Palatable Pastime
- Herb Cream Cheese Dip by Take Two Tapas
- Zucchini Walnut Bread by West Via Midwest
- Watermelon Slush by The Fresh Cooky
- Whipped Feta with Honey by Books n’ Cooks
- Zucchini Pico de Gallo Salsa by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
Side Dishes Recipes
- Air-Fried Zucchini by Our Good Life
- Brussels and Bowties by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Classic 3-Bean Salad by Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata by House of Nash Eats
- Mexican Street Corn by Blogghetti
- Air Fryer Parmesan Squash Fries by Cookaholic Wife
- String Beans with Shallots by Family Around the Table
- Watermelon and Feta Salad by Life Love and Good Food
Main Dish Recipes
- Asparagus and Coconut Stir-Fry by Magical Ingredients
- Fresh Chicken and Veggie Pizza by The Freshman Cook
- Gluten Free Eggplant Parmesan by Frugal & Fit
- Grilled Chicken Tacos with Strawberry Salsa by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Dessert Recipes
- Blueberry Pie by Lemon Blossoms
- Chai Snickerdoodle Peach Cobbler by The Spiffy Cookie
- Fresh Peach Shortcakes by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Peach Bruschetta by The Redhead Baker
- Peach Ice Cream by Devour Dinner
- Peach Kuchen by Hostess At Heart
- Peaches and Cream Cake Roll by Kate’s Recipe Box
- Yogurt Panna Cotta with Fresh Raspberry Sauce by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Let’s eat pasta!!
Enjoyed this recipe very much. Used a combination of Greek feta and cream cheese, because I did not have enough feta on hand. Added two tablespoons of sundried tomatoe pesto once the added spinach had wilted. Will definitely make this dish again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I made this recipe using gluten free penne noodles
No changes to the recipe and cooked the noodles to our 1 minute past Al dente preference.
I covered the dish with shredded fresh Parmesan cheese before serving!
It was Amazing…and our guest Loved it as well!
I’m so glad to here this, Steve! Thank you!
Could this be made using diced or whole canned tomatoes? I have a ton of canned tomatoes and want to use them up.
I haven’t tested that, JHow. Let me know if you experiment with that.
Very flavorful and easy to make.
Mmmm
I used my own sun dried tomatoes and added kalamati olives.
That sounds delicious, Kate!
I could eat this everyday for a month!
Me too!
Delicious! I used shell macaroni & the sweet tomatoes nestled beautifully inside. I also used arugula that I had on hand; simply placed it on the plate & spooned the pasta & tomatoes over top. Will definitely make again!
Hi Shirley! So glad you tried the pasta. It’s so easy, and always a hit!
This pasta is so creamy and perfect!