Baked Feta Honey Chili (Printer-friendly)

Creamy baked feta pairs with roasted tomatoes and pasta, finished with honey and chili for balanced flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheese & Dairy

01 - 7 oz block feta cheese

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 lb cherry tomatoes
03 - 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

→ Pasta

04 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)

→ Oils & Acids

05 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

→ Spices & Seasonings

06 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus extra for garnish
08 - Kosher salt, to taste
09 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnishes & Sweeteners

10 - 2 tablespoons honey
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
12 - 1 handful fresh basil leaves, torn

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Place cherry tomatoes in a baking dish. Add finely chopped garlic, drizzle with olive oil, season with kosher salt, black pepper, oregano, and half the red pepper flakes. Toss to evenly coat.
03 - Nestle the feta block in the center of the tomatoes. Drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle remaining red pepper flakes over the top.
04 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until tomatoes burst and feta turns golden with a slightly melted texture.
05 - While baking, cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
06 - Remove baking dish from oven. Drizzle honey over the feta and tomatoes, then sprinkle lemon zest. Stir the contents until a creamy sauce forms.
07 - Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a smooth consistency. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and extra chili flakes if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent an hour on it, but you barely touched the ingredients before they went into the oven.
  • The honey and chili balance is dangerously good, sweet enough to make you smile and spicy enough to keep you coming back.
  • Cleanup is shockingly easy since everything roasts in one dish and comes together in minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the only thing that will bring the sauce together without making it greasy or dry.
  • If your feta isn't browning after 25 minutes, give it an extra five under the heat, those golden edges add so much flavor.
  • Let the dish sit for a minute before serving so the flavors settle and the sauce thickens just a touch.
03 -
  • Use a good quality block feta, the texture and creaminess make all the difference when it melts into the sauce.
  • Toss the pasta in the baking dish itself instead of transferring everything to a bowl, it saves dishes and keeps the sauce warm longer.
  • If you like things extra garlicky, add a few more cloves or toss in some roasted garlic cloves from a previous batch.
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