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Baked Feta Zucchini Pasta Recipe

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4.4 from 80 reviews

A creamy and flavorful baked feta zucchini pasta that combines roasted feta, zucchini, leek, shallot, and garlic with perfectly cooked pasta. This easy, wholesome dish is enhanced with olive oil and a touch of spice, ideal for a comforting weeknight meal.

Ingredients

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

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it’s hot enough for roasting the vegetables and feta.
  2. Prepare Ingredients: In a 9×13 or 9×11 baking dish or sheet pan, combine the feta block, diced zucchini, sliced leek, and shallot. Tuck the garlic cloves with skin into the edges of the pan to roast alongside.
  3. Season and Oil: Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil evenly over the feta and vegetables. Sprinkle kosher salt, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to season the mixture.
  4. Bake Mixture: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, allowing the feta to soften and the vegetables to roast and caramelize.
  5. Cook Pasta: While the feta mixture bakes, cook the pasta in very salty boiling water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
  6. Prepare Roasted Garlic: Remove the baking dish from the oven when done. Take out the garlic cloves and squeeze the softened roasted garlic out of their skins, then mince finely and stir back into the baked feta and vegetables to impart rich roasted garlic flavor.
  7. Combine and Serve: Mix the cooked pasta with the baked feta vegetable mixture until well combined. Add optional toppings like fresh lemon juice, microgreens, chopped parsley, or sage if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Use chunky pasta shapes such as rigatoni, penne, or shells to hold the creamy feta sauce well.
  • Removing garlic skins after roasting releases mellow roasted garlic flavor without overpowering the dish.
  • Adjust the crushed red pepper flakes to control spiciness according to preference.
  • This dish is excellent served immediately but also reheats well for leftovers.
  • For a vegan adaptation, substitute feta with a plant-based cheese alternative.

Find it online: https://justsosavory.com/baked-feta-zucchini-pasta-recipe/