Baked Feta Pasta Cranberries (Printable)

Creamy baked feta pasta featuring fresh cranberries and a hint of honey for a sweet-tart flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Place feta block in the center of a baking dish and arrange cherry tomatoes, cranberries, and smashed garlic cloves around it.
03 - Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper over the ingredients.
04 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until feta is golden and cranberries begin to burst.
05 - Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven and gently mash feta, tomatoes, and cranberries together to form a creamy sauce.
07 - Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, honey, and chopped basil to the baking dish, tossing until fully combined and creamy.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste and serve warm, garnished with additional fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, but it's mostly just the oven doing the work while you relax.
  • The sweet-tart cranberries cut through the richness of the feta in a way that feels both comforting and exciting.
  • You only dirty one baking dish and one pot, which means cleanup is a breeze even on a weeknight.
  • It's festive enough for guests but simple enough to make on a Tuesday when you need a little spark.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's what brings the sauce together and makes it silky instead of dry.
  • If your cranberries aren't bursting after 30 minutes, give them a gentle poke with a fork to help them release their juices.
  • Mash the feta while it's still hot from the oven, it's much easier to work with and blends beautifully.
03 -
  • Use a block of feta, not crumbled, so it holds its shape and gets that gorgeous golden crust in the oven.
  • Don't rinse your pasta after draining, the starch on the surface helps the sauce cling better.
  • Taste before you add more salt, feta is already quite salty and you might not need any extra.
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