This delicious tomato and feta pasta recipe is coated in a simple sauce made from tomatoes, feta, and basil. It uses only 5 ingredients and is ready in under 30 minutes, making it one of my favorite quick and easy recipes!
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Let's add another quick and easy pasta dish to our repertoire, shall we?
This one is ready in under 30 minutes and uses some of my favorite fresh summer produce. I always have a few grape or cherry tomatoes clinging to my tomato plant, and fresh basil growing in a box outside my front door.
If you're also overflowing with these goodies, you're only three ingredients away from making this delicious pasta recipe!
This seriously couldn't be easier, so it's great for busy weeknights, summer days at the lake, or any time you don't feel like cooking but still want a delicious, comforting meal.
A lot of feta cheese recipes with pasta are cold pasta salads, but I love that this recipe uses the stove top to make it warm and melty. Pair this pasta with a green salad and some garlic bread and you have a full meal.
Tomato and feta pasta ingredients
- Penne
- Olive oil
- Grape tomatoes
- Feta cheese
- Basil
How to make penne with tomatoes and feta
- Boil pasta
- Cook tomatoes
- Add the cheese
- Stir in basil
- Toss it all together
Top tips
Should I buy crumbled feta or block feta?
Either will work in this recipe, but I like the extra moisture found in a block of feta. To crumble it yourself, simply use a fork or your fingers to break it up.
What kind of tomatoes are good for this feta pasta?
You'll definitely want to choose the sweetest in-season tomatoes for this dish because the feta cheese is already very tangy and you'll get a nice contrast of flavors between the two. I like sweet cherry or grape tomatoes.
How to cook tomatoes on the stovetop
The tomatoes cook easily in the olive oil over medium heat in less than 10 minutes. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and break down.
I recommend using a deep skillet if you have one, but you could also use a regular large skillet and pour the tomato mixture and the pasta back into the pasta pot to combine them.
Tips for customizing
- Skip the cooking all together and mix cooked penne with the remaining cold ingredients to make a cold feta pasta salad
- Swap the feta for tiny balls of fresh mozzarella cheese or use a vegan feta to make this vegan
- Skip the basil and stir a spoonful of pesto in at the end
- Use whatever shape pasta you have on hand, or use gluten-free pasta to make it gluten-free
More easy pasta recipes
- Roasted Garlic and Tomato Penne
- Tortellini with Garlic Chile Oil and Feta
- Roasted Garlic and Broccoli Penne
- Easy Fettuccine Alfredo
- Spaghetti Aglio Olio
- Pesto Linguine with Crispy Balsamic Chickpeas
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Tomato and Feta Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Penne
- 5 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 pints Grape tomatoes, halved
- 8 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
- 12 leaves Fresh basil
- Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil and tomatoes in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break down, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the cheese and cook another couple of minutes until warm and melty. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.
- Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Tips for customizing
- Skip the cooking all together and mix cooked penne with the remaining cold ingredients to make a cold feta pasta salad
- Swap the feta for tiny balls of fresh mozzarella cheese or use a vegan feta to make this vegan
- Skip the basil and stir a spoonful of pesto in at the end
- Use whatever shape pasta you have on hand, or use gluten-free pasta to make it gluten-free
Carrie Latimer says
Unfortunately this recipe seems to be lacking a key ingredient. Possibly a small amount of sugar to offset the acid of the tomatoes. I didn't find it very good.
Sally says
Very good! I added fresh garlic and some pepper.