Baked Feta Pasta Cranberries (Printable)

Creamy pasta with oven-roasted feta, tart cranberries, and a honey drizzle for a festive touch.

# 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 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Place the feta block in the center of a baking dish. Arrange cherry tomatoes, cranberries, and smashed garlic cloves evenly around the feta.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the feta and surrounding ingredients. Sprinkle with dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the feta turns golden and the cranberries start to burst.
05 - While baking, cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Gently mash the feta, tomatoes, and cranberries together using a fork to form a creamy sauce.
07 - Add the cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, honey, and chopped basil to the baking dish. Toss thoroughly until the sauce coats the pasta evenly.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve warm, garnished with additional fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The feta becomes this silky, warm sauce that clings to every pasta strand without any cream needed.
  • Cranberries add a tart sweetness that keeps every bite interesting instead of heavy.
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
02 -
  • The pasta water is essential, not optional. It's what transforms the roasted mixture into an actual sauce that coats the pasta instead of clumping.
  • Don't skip arranging the ingredients around the feta before roasting. They cook in the feta's rendered fat and create a unified flavor rather than separate components.
03 -
  • If fresh cranberries aren't available, soak dried ones in hot water for five minutes to plump them up, but use less honey since they're already concentrated and sweet.
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, and add it gradually while tossing so the sauce stays creamy instead of pooling at the bottom of the dish.
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