Description
This Baked Feta Zucchini Pasta is a delicious, comforting dish combining creamy baked feta cheese with roasted zucchini, leek, and shallot, tossed with perfectly cooked chunky pasta. The roasted garlic adds a sweet, mellow flavor while the optional fresh lemon juice and herbs brighten up the dish, making it perfect for a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese and Vegetables
- 7-ounce block of feta cheese
- 2 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 leek, sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, in their skin
Seasonings and Oil
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Pasta
- 1 pound chunky shaped pasta
Optional Toppings
- Fresh lemon juice
- Microgreens
- Chopped parsley
- Chopped sage
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the feta and vegetables.
- Combine Ingredients: In a 9×13 or 9×11 baking dish or sheet pan, combine the feta block, diced zucchini, sliced leek, and sliced shallot. Tuck the garlic cloves (in their skins) around the edges of the dish.
- Add Oil and Seasonings: Drizzle the feta and vegetables with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle evenly with kosher salt, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes for a balanced seasoning.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, allowing the feta to soften and the vegetables to roast until tender.
- Cook Pasta: While the feta and vegetables are baking, cook the pasta in very salty boiling water according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Mince Roasted Garlic: When the baking is complete, remove the dish from the oven. Take out the garlic cloves and squeeze the soft, roasted garlic out of their skins. Mince the garlic finely and stir it back into the feta and vegetable mixture to enhance flavor.
- Toss and Serve: Combine the cooked pasta with the baked feta and vegetable mixture, tossing well to coat the pasta evenly. Add optional toppings such as fresh lemon juice, microgreens, chopped parsley, or sage if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use chunky pasta shapes like rigatoni, penne, or cavatappi to hold the sauce well.
- Make sure to use a very salty pasta water to enhance the overall flavor of the dish.
- The baked feta mixture can be made a day ahead and reheated gently before serving.
- Optional herbs and lemon juice added at the end brighten the dish perfectly.
- Roasting garlic in the skin mellows its flavor, preventing harshness.
