35-minute oven-baked dinner: creamy feta-tomato sauce, protein-packed chickpeas, lemon-basil finish, weeknight-easy.
Tomatoes burst around a melting feta block, then twirl with pasta and chickpeas for a silky, tangy sauce that tastes like a restaurant bowl.
Why You’ll Love It
- Viral Feta Pasta method—hands-off bake turns feta + tomatoes into a glossy, creamy sauce.
- Chickpeas add protein and fiber, making this a satisfying Feta Recipes Dinner.
- Flexible: spin into Lemon Feta Pasta, Pasta Salad With Feta, or Feta Tomato Pasta With Chicken.
- Pantry staples + one pan = fast, affordable Oven Baked Pasta Recipes.
Fresh sides to pair (internal links)
Cool things down with tzatziki cucumber salad, add a juicy cucumber caprese salad, or keep the Mediterranean vibe with this chickpea feta avocado salad.
Ingredients — notes only
Bake base: Cherry/grape tomatoes (burst best), feta block (not crumbles), EVOO, garlic, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper.
Pasta: Short shapes (rigatoni, rotini, penne) hold the sauce.
Chickpeas: 1 can, drained/rinsed; pat dry so they roast a bit.
Finishers: Lemon zest/juice, fresh basil (or parsley), pasta water for emulsifying, optional baby spinach.
Chicken option: Fold in shredded rotisserie chicken for Feta Chicken Pasta.
Step-by-Step
- Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a 9×13 pan, toss 2 pints tomatoes with ¼ cup EVOO, 3–4 minced garlic cloves, ½–1 tsp red pepper flakes, ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper. Nestle a 7–8 oz feta block in the center; drizzle with 1 Tbsp oil.
- Bake 25–30 min until tomatoes burst and feta is lightly golden.
- Boil pasta (12 oz) in salted water until al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water.
- Add chickpeas: stir 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas into the hot pan; smash some tomatoes.
- Emulsify: add drained pasta, ½ cup reserved water, zest of 1 lemon (plus 1–2 tsp juice). Toss until creamy, adding more water as needed.
- Finish: fold in 2 cups baby spinach (optional) to wilt and ½ cup torn basil. Taste; adjust salt, pepper, heat, and lemon.
- Serve immediately; top with extra basil and a drizzle of EVOO.
Doneness cues: sauce turns glossy and clings to pasta; tomatoes look jammy; feta melts into the oil and pasta water.
Pro Tips
- Use a feta block in brine—melts creamy and tangy.
- Salt the pasta water well (it’s your seasoning base).
- Start with ½ cup pasta water; add more gradually so the sauce stays silky, not watery.
- For extra roast flavor, broil the pan 2–3 min before mixing.
- Toss the chickpeas dry—moisture prevents those toasty edges.
Variations
- Lemon Feta Pasta: +extra zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice; finish with parsley.
- Feta Tomato Pasta With Chicken / Chicken Feta Pasta: fold in 2 cups shredded cooked chicken; warm through 2–3 min.
- Pasta Salad With Feta: cool pasta + tomatoes; toss with 2 Tbsp extra EVOO, more lemon, chopped cucumber/olives.
- Spicy: add Calabrian chili paste or double the flakes.
- Veg boost: add zucchini ribbons or roasted peppers when mixing.
How to Serve
Twirl into warm bowls with more basil and cracked pepper; add a crisp salad and crusty bread to swipe the sauce.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Fridge: 3–4 days. Loosen with a splash of hot water/EVOO on reheat.
- Freeze: best to freeze the baked sauce (without pasta) up to 2 months; thaw, reheat, then mix with fresh pasta.
- Meal prep: keep pasta and sauce separate; combine when reheating.
FAQs
Can I use feta crumbles?
They don’t melt as evenly—use a block for best creaminess.
What if my sauce looks greasy?
Whisk in hot pasta water little by little; it emulsifies the oil and cheese.
Gluten-free?
Use GF pasta; all other ingredients are naturally GF.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Swap a dairy-free feta-style block and add a spoon of cashew cream if needed.
Simple Nutrition (estimate, per serving, 6 servings)
| Calories | Carbs | Protein | Fat | Fiber | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ~520 | 65g | 19g | 19g | 8g | 720mg |
| Estimates only; varies by feta and pasta. |
Baked Feta Pasta with Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½–1 tsp red pepper flakes
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 7–8 oz feta block (in brine, drained)
- 12 oz short pasta (rigatoni, rotini, or penne)
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced (1–2 tsp juice)
- 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
- ½ cup fresh basil, torn
- 1 cup reserved pasta water (as needed)
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- strainer or colander
- Wooden spoon
- zester or grater for lemon
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a 9×13-inch baking dish, toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Nestle the feta block in the center and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta is lightly golden on top.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water and drain.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Stir in chickpeas and lightly smash some of the roasted tomatoes with a spoon to create a sauce base.
- Add the cooked pasta, ½ cup reserved water, lemon zest, and juice. Toss until creamy, adding more water as needed for desired consistency.
- Fold in spinach to wilt and basil to finish. Taste and adjust seasoning. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.