Description
This Baked Goat Cheese Pasta is a creamy, flavorful dish combining roasted cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach with tangy goat cheese melted to perfection. Tossed with fresh basil and perfectly cooked pasta, it offers a comforting, easy-to-make dinner that bursts with Mediterranean-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Herbs
- 500 g Cherry tomatoes
- 100 g Mushrooms
- 1 cup Baby spinach
- 1 cup Fresh basil
- 5 Garlic cloves
Dairy
- 200 g Goat cheese (block)
Pasta
- 400 g Pasta (your choice, such as penne or rigatoni)
Oils, Vinegars, and Spices
- ⅓ cup Olive oil + 1 tablespoon extra for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ teaspoon Chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt + 1 tablespoon for pasta cooking
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 200°C (400°F) to ensure it’s hot and ready for roasting the vegetables and melting the cheese.
- Prepare vegetables: Place the cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and baby spinach in an oven-safe baking dish to create the bed for the goat cheese and roasting.
- Season and toss: Drizzle the vegetables with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, minced garlic, and dried oregano. Toss thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly for rich flavor.
- Add goat cheese: Place the block of goat cheese in the center of the baking dish. Arrange the cherry tomatoes around the cheese to create a balanced roast.
- Final touches before baking: Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the goat cheese block, then sprinkle chili flakes and additional oregano on top to enhance spice and aroma.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until the tomatoes soften and burst, and the goat cheese becomes melty and soft.
- Cook pasta: Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Create sauce: After baking, remove the dish from the oven. Using a fork, mash and mix the softened goat cheese with the roasted tomatoes and vegetables to form a creamy, cohesive sauce.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the fresh basil leaves and cooked pasta into the baking dish. Stir well so the pasta is fully coated with the cheesy, tomatoey sauce and infused with basil aroma.
- Serve: Plate the dish while hot for a comforting meal perfect for lunch or dinner. Enjoy the balance of creamy goat cheese with fresh, roasted vegetables.
Notes
- You can use any short pasta such as penne, rigatoni, or fusilli for best sauce coating.
- For extra spice, add more chili flakes according to taste.
- Fresh garlic can be minced finely or sliced thin for roasting.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days and gently reheated on stovetop or microwave.
- Substitute goat cheese with cream cheese or ricotta for a milder flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
