Baked Goat Cheese Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
This recipe for baked goat cheese pasta comes together in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love! Inspired by the viral TikTok baked feta pasta, my version of the recipe uses goat cheese instead and pairs it with a fresh cherry tomatoes and garlic sauce. Mix with short pasta noodles (I love it with cavatappi) for a pasta dinner that’s rich in flavor and low in effort!
Servings 6
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes washed and dried
- 6-8 whole peeled garlic cloves
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 10 oz log of goat cheese can use 6-8 oz as well
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- fresh thyme, crushed red pepper, pine nuts, parmesan optional
- 1 lb cavatappi, cavatelli or fusilli dried pasta I prefer Barilla or DeCecco
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- In a oven safe baking dish with sides, toss the tomatoes, garlic and olive oil until the tomatoes are coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt , 6-8 whole peeled garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Nestle the cheese in the center of the baking dish. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper10 oz log of goat cheese
- Place on the center rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the tomatoes are roasted and are juicy and bubbly.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in sea salted, boiling water according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and then drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.1 lb cavatappi, cavatelli or fusilli dried pasta
- Remove the baked goat cheese and tomatoes from the oven. Using a spoon, stir the cheese into the tomatoes and olive oil sauce until mixed and creamy. Stir in half of the chopped fresh basil.1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- Add in the cooked pasta a cup at a time. Add in some reserved pasta water by the tablespoon as needed to make the sauce creamier. Sprinkle over the remaining basil and fresh parmesan before serving.fresh thyme, crushed red pepper, pine nuts, parmesan
Notes
Make ahead. To save some time, you can have the pasta made ahead (or even use leftover cooked pasta when you've made too much). Run some warm water over the pasta sitting in a colander to loosen it up. Shake off the excess water before tossing with the sauce.
Reheating. Heat the leftovers in a microwave safe dish in 30 second increments with a teaspoon or two of leftover pasta water or chicken broth and stir until creamy.
Store in an airtight sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
