Baked Feta Pasta Cranberries (Print Version)

Creamy baked feta with pasta, fresh cranberries, honey, and basil for a rich, seasonal dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Place feta block in the center of a baking dish and arrange cherry tomatoes, cranberries, and smashed garlic cloves around it.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the ingredients and season with oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until feta turns golden and cranberries begin to burst.
05 - Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain pasta.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven and mash feta, tomatoes, and cranberries together using a fork to create a creamy sauce.
07 - Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, honey, and chopped basil to the baking dish. Toss until fully combined and creamy.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste and serve warm, garnished with additional basil leaves.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The feta melts into a luxurious sauce without any cream, turning simple ingredients into something that tastes restaurant-worthy.
  • Sweet cranberries and honey play beautifully against salty feta and garlic, giving you those surprising flavor notes that make people ask what's different.
  • It comes together in about 40 minutes and actually gets better when you're relaxed about the timing.
02 -
  • The pasta water is essential; it's the emulsifier that turns everything creamy without cream. Regular water won't have the starch needed, so don't skip saving it.
  • Don't overbake the feta or it hardens instead of melts. 25 to 30 minutes is the sweet spot where it's soft enough to mash but still holds together.
  • Taste before serving because the salt level varies with different fetas, and you want to avoid oversalting.
03 -
  • Use a shallow baking dish rather than deep so the feta and tomatoes roast evenly and the bottom doesn't steam.
  • If your feta is very salty, you can briefly rinse it under cold water and pat dry before baking to dial down the salt level.
  • Leftover pasta keeps for two days in the fridge but tastes best served warm; a splash of olive oil stirred through before reheating brings back the silkiness.
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