Baked Feta Pasta with Chorizo

Baked Feta Pasta is one Tiktok-viral food trend that is definitely worth the hype! This bold variation calls for the addition of chorizo and hot peppers for a zesty one-pan dinner that perfectly complements roasted cherry tomatoes and feta cheese.

Have you seen this? Have you heard about this? Baked Feta Pasta.

At its base, this Baked Feta Pasta recipe is just four simple ingredients:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Feta cheese (in block form)
• Olive oil
• Pasta (think penne, rigatoni, rotini)

When I first heard about Baked Feta Pasta my immediate thought was “Looks tasty.” What I wasn’t expecting was how damn good it would be. Like, unreasonably good. The resulting dish tastes like something you’d eat at a nice Italian restaurant. 

Yeah, that damn good. 

Why Baked Feta Pasta is SO Tasty

Here’s why I think the Tiktok sensation that is Baked Feta Pasta is so unreasonably good.

1. It’s simple. Sometimes the simplest things are the best tasting.
2. Relatedly, it’s approachable. Four ingredients and the majority of the cooking required is done in the oven? Sign me up.
3. Feta is a bomb.com cheese. It’s salty, a ‘lil tangy, and who knew it melted so well? Plus how it melts is so unique from other cheeses. When hot enough, feta blends beautifully into a sauce while also retaining somewhat of a crumbly shape, so the dish gets cheese flavor and texture. Delicious sorcery! 
4. Something amazingly beautiful happens when you roast cherry tomatoes. I tried this recipe with *gasp* store-bought cherry tomatoes. And even though they were predictably bland, roasting transformed them into a wonderfully balanced, slightly sweet, and not-too-acidic sauce. This dish is even more incredible with farmer's market/ homegrown tomatoes.
5. The pasta. Carbs are delicious. 
6. The opportunities for customization! As I’ll show you, this Baked Feta Pasta recipe can be easily customized to suit your tastes. Baked Feta Pasta with Chorizo for the win! 

How to Make Baked Feta Pasta with Chorizo - Ingredients

For this variation of the Tiktok popular recipe Baked Feta Pasta, I add chorizo and hot peppers; it's a bold and spicy variation I think you'll love.

• NatureSweet cherub tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes of your choosing)
• Evil, spicy peppers of your choosing*
• Block feta cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Chorizo links or about ½ pound chorizo** 
• Pasta (I used rigatoni)
• Pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta)
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh herbs like thyme or basil (optional, garnish)

*The peppers I used in this recipe were purchased on a whim at the Farmer’s Market. I believe they are green cayenne chile peppers, but am not 100% on that. They looked evil and spicy so they came home with me :).

**I purchased my chorizo at a local deli.

How to Make Baked Feta Pasta with Chorizo - Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Add 18 ounces of cherry tomatoes and two sliced peppers to a baking dish (I used a 7 ½ by 11 baking dish). Add almost all of the olive oil and toss to coat the tomatoes and peppers. Add a few pinches of salt, if desired.
3. Nestle the feta in the center of the baking dish. Pour the rest of the olive oil directly over the top of the feta, making sure it’s completely covered.
4. Add the baking dish to the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. You want the tomatoes to be burst and to see some browning on the feta before you remove it from the oven.
5. While the feta and tomatoes are baking, cook your chorizo over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, until fully cooked. Strain off excess grease and set aside. 
6. You’ll also want to cook your pasta according to package directions. I used rigatoni and cooked until al dente. Save ½ cup of pasta water before straining.
7. After 40-45 minutes, remove the baking dish from the oven. Stir! It’s super satisfying mixing the feta into the roasted tomatoes.
8. Add the cooked chorizo and cooked pasta and stir until the pasta is well coated. 
9. You may need to add a little bit of pasta water at this time; I added nearly the full ½ cup to get the desired level of sauciness. 
10. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with fresh herbs like thyme or basil. 

Recommendations and Suggested Substitutions

Here are some recommendations and substitutions to consider when making this epic Baked Feta Pasta with Chorizo.

Hot Peppers

I recommend you go bold and spicy. Try jalapeno, serrano, Thai, maybe even a habanero if you dare. No peppers on hand? Toss in some red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or hot Hungarian paprika.

Chorizo

I recommend opting for pre-made chorizo. Choose a high-quality one; I purchased mine at a local deli. You could also use ground beef in a pinch, but make sure you season it well.

Pasta

I recommend rigatoni because the wide tube shape is nice for capturing all the saucy goodness. You might also try penne, rotini, and bowtie pasta.

Cherry Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the key to success in this dish, and I imagine most any cherry tomato would work well here. NatureSweet Cherub tomatoes have worked well for me. Tomatoes are also forgiving when roasted. I have found that even if a tomato is a bit bland tasting (as store-bought are wont to be), they bring the flavor when roasted.

Leftover Proteins

When I get bored with leftover proteins like pulled pork or grilled chicken, it often gets repurposed in this Baked Feta Pasta dish. Just prepare this recipe as instructed, and mix in around ½ pound of leftover protein of choice upon taking the roasted tomatoes and feta from the oven.

Top Tips

1. Use a block of feta. Keeping the feta block intact will ensure maximum creaminess and prevent burning.
2. Leave the tomatoes whole. No need to slice up the cherry tomatoes, just toss them in whole! Keeping them whole also helps prevent them from overcooking.
3. Mix the pasta in as soon as the tomatoes and feta are finished roasting. You want the feta cheese to still be piping hot when you stir in the pasta for maximum cheesiness.
4. If the resulting sauce is too thick, a splash of pasta water will rescue the sauce. Reserve your pasta water just in case you need to make adjustments.
5. If you purchase bland cherry tomatoes from the grocery store, there's no need to throw them away! They can be deliciously used in Baked Feta Pasta because roasting them brings a lovely sweetness out of even the blandest of tomatoes.

FAQ

If you like Baked Feta Pasta with Chorizo, you might also enjoy:

This Baked Goat Cheese Tomato Dip - liked Baked Feta Pasta, in appetizer form!

Quick Sauteed Tex-Mex Beef - ho-hum hamburger transforms into hello! flavor in one pan

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad - made with a homemade Jalapeno Lime Vinaigrette

Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs - juicy, flavorful thighs every time!

Jalapeno Popper Creamed Kale - comforting, yet zesty

Buffalo Ranch Hummus - Gameday-inspired hummus for healthier snacking

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