Baked Feta Pasta Cranberries (Print Version)

Festive creamy pasta with oven-baked feta, fresh cranberries, honey, and herbs for a sweet-tart flavor.

# 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 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Sweetener

10 - 2 tablespoons honey

→ Herbs

11 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (plus extra for garnish)

# How to Make It:

01 - Set your oven to 400°F to prepare for baking.
02 - Place the block of feta in the center of a baking dish and arrange cherry tomatoes, cranberries, and smashed garlic cloves around it.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the feta and surrounding ingredients; sprinkle with dried oregano, optional crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
04 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the feta is golden and cranberries have burst.
05 - While baking, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven and gently mash feta, tomatoes, and cranberries together with a fork to form a creamy sauce.
07 - Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, honey, and chopped basil to the dish. Toss everything until evenly combined and creamy.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste, then serve immediately, garnished with additional fresh basil.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It transforms a handful of simple ingredients into something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The cranberries burst in the oven and mingle with the feta to create a creamy, sweet-tart sauce that clings to every piece of pasta.
  • You only need one baking dish and a pot, which means cleanup is mercifully quick.
  • It feels festive enough for a holiday table but easy enough for a weeknight when you're too tired to think.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the secret to making the sauce come together smoothly without feeling dry.
  • If your cranberries aren't bursting after 30 minutes, give them a quick press with the back of a spoon to release their juices.
  • Let the baking dish cool for a minute or two before tossing in the pasta, or the basil will wilt too fast and lose its brightness.
03 -
  • Roast the feta on the top rack of your oven so the top gets golden and slightly crispy while the bottom stays creamy.
  • If you're feeding a crowd, double the recipe and use a larger baking dish, but keep an eye on the timing because it might need a few extra minutes in the oven.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully in a skillet with a splash of water or broth to bring the sauce back to life.
Go Back