Lighter Baked Feta Pasta (Printable)

Creamy baked feta paired with roasted veggies and whole-grain pasta for a wholesome, flavorful Mediterranean meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dairy

01 - 7 oz reduced-fat feta cheese block

→ Vegetables

02 - 14 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 small red onion, sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11 - Fresh basil leaves, to serve

→ Pasta

12 - 10.5 oz whole-grain penne or fusilli

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large baking dish, combine halved cherry tomatoes, diced zucchini, diced red bell pepper, and sliced red onion. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
03 - Place the reduced-fat feta cheese block in the center of the vegetables. Drizzle a little olive oil over the feta.
04 - Roast in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are caramelized and feta is golden and soft.
05 - While roasting, cook the whole-grain pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Add minced garlic to the hot vegetables and feta. Gently mash the feta and mix until creamy and well combined.
07 - Add the cooked pasta and a splash of reserved pasta water to the baking dish. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta evenly in the creamy feta-vegetable sauce.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One baking dish means one pan to wash, and somehow that makes everything taste better.
  • The vegetables caramelize while you're doing something else, turning ordinary ingredients into something restaurant-worthy.
  • It's filling enough to satisfy, light enough that you don't feel weighed down afterward.
02 -
  • Don't use pre-crumbled feta—it won't melt into sauce the same way, and you'll end up with grainy bits instead of creamy texture.
  • That pasta water is crucial; it's starchy and helps the feta coat the noodles like a proper sauce instead of sliding off.
  • Add the garlic after roasting, not before, or it'll turn bitter and ruin the delicate balance of the whole dish.
03 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain—you'll forget otherwise, and then you'll be sad when your sauce is too thick.
  • Don't skip the fresh basil at the end; it transforms the whole dish from good to genuinely restaurant-quality in about 30 seconds flat.
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