Baked Feta Pasta Cranberries (Printable)

Oven-roasted feta and cranberries create a creamy sauce tossed with tender pasta and fresh basil.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dairy & Cheese

01 - 7 oz block feta cheese

→ Vegetables & Fruits

02 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup fresh cranberries
04 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

→ Pasta

05 - 10 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)

→ Oils & Seasonings

06 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Sweetener

10 - 2 tbsp honey

→ Herbs

11 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 400°F and allow it to reach temperature.
02 - Place the block of feta in the center of the dish. Surround with halved cherry tomatoes, fresh cranberries, and smashed garlic cloves.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the feta and produce. Sprinkle dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper evenly.
04 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until feta is golden and cranberries have burst.
05 - While baking, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven and mash feta, tomatoes, and cranberries together using a fork to form a creamy sauce.
07 - Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, honey, and chopped basil to the dish. Toss gently until everything is well incorporated and creamy.
08 - Taste the mixture, adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately with additional basil garnish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you barely lift a finger while the oven does all the work.
  • The sweet-tart cranberries cut through the richness of the feta in a way that keeps you coming back for another bite.
  • You only dirty one baking dish and a pot, which means cleanup is faster than the actual cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the pasta water, it's what turns the mashed feta and cranberries into an actual creamy sauce instead of a dry tangle.
  • If your cranberries are especially tart, taste the sauce before serving and add a little more honey to balance it out.
03 -
  • Use a block of feta, not crumbled, it melts into a creamy base that crumbled feta just can't replicate.
  • Taste the sauce before you toss in the pasta and adjust the honey, some cranberries are more tart than others and you want that sweet-savory balance just right.
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