February 16, 2022
We all know that viral Feta pasta Tik Tok recipe, but here is my take. Goat Cheese + Pesto make this baked goat cheese a healthy, quick & easy weeknight meal.
HOW TO MAKE BAKED GOAT CHEESE PASTA
The tomatoes are the star of the show making this during tomato season is a must – but even if tomatoe’s aren’t in season any sweet cherry tomato is the way to GO with this recipe.
In a large baking dish, toss together the tomatoes, olive oil, a little bit of salt & pepper. Add some red pepper flakes in you want a little kick.
Spread the tomatoes out and add in a 5-ounce log of goat cheese and pesto. I am using the Vegan Kale Pesto from Trader Joes, not only is this some hidden veggies in the dish but it’s also made of clean ingredients.
Bake the tomatoes, pesto & goat cheese in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Dependent on the size of your tomatoes you may need to increase your cooking time. You want them to be browning and beginning to burst.
While the tomatoes and cheese are baking, cook up your pasta per the instructions on the packaging and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. We’ll use that to help the sauce come together.
When this comes out of the oven, smash the tomatoes down with a fork and stir to combine your sauce. All you have to do at this point is toss in your cooked pasta and a little bit of that reserved water as needed.
HOW TO ADD MORE VEGGIES
My husband does not care for spinach so I didn’t add any to this recipe, but adding spinach when you add in the pasta would be a great way to add in some extra veggies. Or even some frozen peas.
If you aren’t into adding veggies into the pasta, I would recommend serving with a side salad. Eating a green salad with a balsamic vinaigrette along side pasta is proven to help balance your blood sugar when eating a bunch of carbs! I love that hack.
TRADER JOES KALE PESTO
This is the best store bought pesto, in my opinion. It’s less than $4 per container and a single one goes a long way. It’s so versatile and really does a lot to enhance every dish it touches.
20 Minute: Baked Pesto & Goat Cheese Pasta
Ingredients
- 24 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 5 oz log goat cheese
- 1/2 C pesto
- 16 oz pasta of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. In a large baking dish, toss tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread tomatoes into an even layer in the dish, leaving a small space in the center for the goat cheese. Add goat cheese and add a few dollops of pesto. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
- While the dish is baking, boil your pasta in salted water according to package directions. Before you drain the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and set aside.
- Remove dish from oven. Use a fork to smash the tomatoes and blend the sauce together before adding in the pasta. Toss in cooked and drained pasta. If needed (for creaminess preference), add in pasta water. Enjoy!
