Save The first time I made this dish, I wasn't trying to reinvent anything—I was just hungry and had a block of feta sitting in my fridge. It was one of those evenings where the kitchen felt like an experiment. I threw cherry tomatoes in a pan with olive oil and garlic, nestled that feta right in the middle, and something magical happened in the oven. Twenty-five minutes later, the tomatoes had burst into jammy sweetness, the feta had softened into a creamy cloud, and I realized I'd accidentally stumbled onto something worth making again and again.
I remember cooking this for friends on a random Thursday night, and watching their faces light up when they tasted it was somehow better than any formal dinner party I'd hosted. One friend asked if I'd been holding out on them, and another immediately asked for the recipe. That's when I knew this wasn't just dinner—it was the kind of dish that gets passed along, that becomes part of someone's regular rotation.
Ingredients
- Feta cheese (200g block): The star that gets creamy when roasted, so use real feta, not crumbles—the texture transformation is everything.
- Cherry tomatoes (500g): They burst and concentrate into a sweet, jammy sauce that coats every strand of pasta.
- Garlic (3 cloves, finely chopped): Roasting mellows the bite and lets it infuse the oil with gentle, fragrant sweetness.
- Short pasta (350g): Penne or fusilli works best because the shapes trap the creamy sauce in every bite.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (3 tbsp): This carries flavor and helps build that silky sauce, so don't skimp on quality.
- Dried oregano (1 tsp): A Mediterranean anchor that ties everything together.
- Red pepper flakes (1 tsp, plus extra): The heat that balances the honey's sweetness and keeps things interesting.
- Honey (2 tbsp): Drizzled at the end to deepen flavors and create that perfect sweet-spicy tension.
- Lemon zest: The brightness that cuts through richness and makes you notice every flavor.
- Fresh basil leaves: Torn just before serving, it adds color and a whisper of freshness.
Instructions
- Set up your stage:
- Get the oven heating to 200°C and pull out your baking dish—you want everything ready because once you start layering, momentum carries you.
- Build the tomato base:
- Tumble the cherry tomatoes into the dish with chopped garlic, drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt, pepper, oregano, and half the red pepper flakes. Give it a gentle toss so every tomato gets coated.
- Crown it with feta:
- Place that feta block right in the center of the tomatoes like it's taking its throne. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top and scatter the remaining red pepper flakes across the surface.
- Let the oven do the work:
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until you hear tomatoes popping softly inside and the feta gets golden at the edges—this is when you know the magic is happening.
- Cook pasta at the same time:
- Get a large pot of salted water boiling and cook your pasta until just shy of completely tender. Save about 1/2 cup of that starchy pasta water before draining—it's your secret weapon for a silky finish.
- Finish with sweetness and brightness:
- Pull the baking dish from the oven and immediately drizzle honey all over the feta and tomatoes, then scatter lemon zest everywhere. The warmth coaxes out all the honey's fragrance.
- Create the sauce:
- Stir everything in the baking dish together until the feta breaks down and mingles with the tomato juices, forming a creamy sauce. Add the hot pasta and toss gently, using that reserved pasta water a splash at a time until you get a silky, pourable sauce that clings to every piece.
- Finish and serve:
- Tear fresh basil over the top, add extra red pepper flakes for anyone who wants more heat, and serve while everything's still warm and the flavors are bright.
Save There's something almost meditative about watching this dish come together in a single baking dish. It taught me that the best recipes aren't always complicated—sometimes they're just about letting good ingredients have a conversation, a little heat, a little sweetness, and trust that it'll all work out.
The Sweet and Spicy Balance
This dish works because it plays opposing notes against each other. The honey sweetness and red pepper heat were made to dance together, and the roasted tomatoes fill in the middle with their own natural jammy richness. I've tried toning down either one, and it always feels like something's missing. The key is tasting as you go and trusting your palate—if you want more heat, add it; if the honey feels too strong, dial it back with lemon zest instead.
Feta as Your Canvas
Feta is forgiving in a way that surprised me the first time. It doesn't get tough or rubbery when roasted; it actually softens and becomes almost creamy. That block sitting in the center of the tomatoes absorbs all the surrounding flavors while gently melting into the sauce. You're essentially creating a warm, tangy cheese sauce without any cream—just tomato juice, olive oil, and feta's natural richness doing the work.
Make It Yours
The beauty of this recipe is how easily it adapts to what's in your kitchen or what your mood demands. I've made it with goat cheese when feta wasn't available, and the tanginess intensified in a delicious way. Some nights I add a pinch of crushed red pepper to the honey before drizzling it on, which creates a hot honey that coats everything. The core idea—roasted tomatoes, creamy cheese, pasta—stays solid, and everything else is fair game.
- Try a splash of balsamic vinegar if you want deeper, richer tomato notes.
- Add a handful of spinach or arugula at the end for a color pop and subtle green flavor.
- Use hot honey, or warm the honey with chili flakes mixed in for an extra kick.
Save This dish reminds me that the simplest recipes often become the ones we reach for most. It's fancier than it should be, faster than it feels, and absolutely worth making again tonight.
Recipe Questions
- → How do I achieve the perfect creaminess?
Baking the feta until golden and soft, then mixing it with the roasted tomatoes and reserved pasta water creates a rich, creamy sauce that coats the pasta beautifully.
- → Can I adjust the heat level?
Yes, increase or decrease the amount of red pepper flakes and choose between regular or hot honey to control the spice intensity.
- → What pasta works best with this dish?
Short shapes like penne, fusilli, or rigatoni offer the best texture, helping to catch the creamy sauce thoroughly.
- → Is there a good substitute for feta?
Goat cheese can be used as an alternative for a tangier, creamy finish while maintaining the dish's character.
- → How can I make it gluten-free?
Simply swap regular pasta for gluten-free pasta options and follow the same technique for a safe and delicious variation.