Creamy Pasta with Roasted Red Peppers & Baked Feta

This pasta started as a quick way to use up some extra cherry tomatoes and bell peppers, and it ended up becoming a regular in our home. It’s simple to prepare, yet the flavor is bold and comforting — roasted vegetables, warm spices, and creamy feta blended into a silky sauce that coats every bite of pasta.

I roast everything together in one dish: the tomatoes soften and burst, the peppers char slightly, and the feta turns golden and soft. A quick blitz in the blender with a splash of pasta water is all it takes to create a rich, flavorful sauce — no cream needed.

It’s the kind of dinner I turn to when I want something cozy but uncomplicated. Just a few ingredients, one tray in the oven, and dinner is ready by the time the pasta’s cooked.

Baked pasta with creamy roasted red pepper and feta sauce, topped with grated parmesan cheese in a white dish on a dark surface.

Ingredients

• 400 g pasta of choice

• 20–25 cherry tomatoes

• 2 red bell peppers, halved and deseeded

• 125 g block of feta cheese

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• Herbs of choice (such as dried oregano, thyme, or basil)

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• ½ cup reserved starchy pasta water

• Optional: freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan-forced).

In a baking dish, place the halved red bell peppers, scatter the cherry tomatoes around, and nestle the block of feta in the center.

Drizzle everything with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, herbs, a bit of black pepper, and a light pinch of salt.

Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the peppers are soft and slightly charred and the tomatoes have burst.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the starchy cooking water.

Transfer the roasted peppers, tomatoes, and feta, along with the juices in the dish, to a blender. Add the reserved pasta water and blend until smooth and creamy.

Toss the blended sauce with your cooked pasta. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Serve warm, topped with grated Parmesan, more black pepper, or chili flakes if you like.