Baked Feta Pasta Cranberries (Printable version)

Creamy baked feta pasta combined with fresh cranberries and honey for a sweet-tart Mediterranean dish.

# 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 (plus extra for garnish)

# Directions:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Place the feta block at the center of a baking dish and arrange halved cherry tomatoes, fresh cranberries, and smashed garlic cloves around it.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the ingredients, then sprinkle dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and freshly ground black pepper evenly.
04 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the feta turns golden and cranberries burst.
05 - While baking, cook the pasta in boiling water according to package instructions until al dente; reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water then drain.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and use a fork to gently mash the feta, tomatoes, and cranberries to create a creamy sauce.
07 - Add the cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, honey, and chopped basil to the baking dish; toss everything together until well combined and creamy.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste and serve warm, garnished with additional fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The feta melts into a silky sauce that clings to pasta without any cream in sight.
  • Sweet cranberries and honey balance the salty cheese in a way that feels unexpectedly elegant.
  • It looks like you spent hours planning when it really takes about 40 minutes, start to finish.
02 -
  • Don't chop or crumble the feta beforehand—you need that solid block to hold together while roasting so it can meld into a proper sauce.
  • Reserve the pasta water before draining; that starchy liquid is what makes the sauce creamy and cohesive, not cream or butter.
  • Taste everything after roasting but before adding the pasta, because the feta and tomatoes will have concentrated flavors and you might need less salt than you think.
03 -
  • Use the best quality feta you can find and make sure it's truly a solid block, not crumbles—the transformation from block to creamy sauce is what makes this work.
  • Don't skimp on the pasta water; it's the secret to making everything silky and coating the noodles evenly without adding heavy cream.
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