This simple recipe for Baked Goat Cheese Pasta is filled with flavor, and surprisingly easy to make.
Creamy goat cheese is roasted in the oven with extra virgin olive oil and cherry tomatoes to create a creamy sauce, making for an indulgent pasta dish you won't soon forget!
If you're a goat cheese lover like I am, you probably look for any and every opportunity to work it into your favorite meals.
From crispy fried goat cheese atop a salad, to a few crumbles worked into your scrambled eggs, it's the perfect way to add a subtle flavor and amazing creaminess to just about any dish.
I started to wonder if I could swap out the feta cheese in the viral Baked Feta Pasta recipe for goat cheese. After trying a few flavor variations, I realized the original cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and basil was the best way to go. And boy, was it delicious!
If you weren't a fan of original recipe for baked feta because of the sharp, briny flavor, you're going to love this version. The goat cheese sauce is creamy, mild, and picky-eater approved.
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It uses fresh ingredients like cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and creamy goat cheese.
- Perfect for the whole family. The subtle flavors mean this cheesy pasta recipe is going to be the star of the show.
- Easy to find ingredients. You won't have any trouble finding what you need in the grocery stores - the short list of ingredients includes staples that are almost always in stock.
- It's a satisfying and delicious meatless dinner idea. Add a nice salad on the side and you're good to go!
Ingredients
- Goat cheese: This is often sold in logs or crumbles. I recommend using a large log (or 2 smaller ones). Costco has the best price on these in my area, so if you have a membership I recommend checking them out.
- Cherry tomatoes: You'll need 2 pints of cherry tomatoes (also known as grape tomatoes), which is roughly 4 cups.
- Olive oil: Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil since you're using it primarily for flavor.
- Pasta: This recipe calls for 12 ounces of medium-cut pasta, and you can use whatever type you like best. I like to use one with ridges to hold the sauce. Yum!
- Basil: Fresh basil adds a truly lovely flavor, and it's highly recommended. If you can't find it, go ahead and use dried instead - it'll still taste great!
- Garlic: A few cloves of fresh garlic are added in just as you take the tomatoes and goat cheese out of the oven.
- Salt and black pepper: This is added to taste. If you've made baked feta pasta before you may think cheese has enough salt, but goat cheese is not as salty, so be generous.
Check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and the quantities needed.
Equipment
- Large casserole dish: A broil-safe 9 x 13" baking dish (23 x 33 cm) is recommended for this recipe. If yours isn't broil-safe, that's fine - just skip the optional broiling step. I use and recommend Staub baking dishes.
- Wooden spoon
- Large pot
- Colander
How to Make Baked Goat Cheese Pasta
This easy recipe is inspired by the viral TikTok recipe for Baked Feta pasta, and you'll notice the cooking instructions and ingredients are similar.
While the two recipes seem similar, the flavor is completely different. You won't believe it until you try it!
Step one: Add the cherry tomatoes to a large baking dish (9 x 13" or 23 x 33 cm).
Step two: Pour in ½ cup of olive oil, and add salt and pepper to your taste. Stir well to coat the tomatoes.
Step three: Make a rectangular well in the middle of the tomatoes, and nestle in the goat cheese.
Step four: Bake in a 425ºF (218ºC) oven for 30-35 minutes, or until everything is bubbly and blistered.
Break up the cheese and tomatoes with a wooden spoon, bringing them together into a creamy sauce.
Flavor tip: If you like a hint of spiciness, feel free to add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Step five: Add in the minced garlic and fresh basil and stir until well combined.
Step six: Add in your cooked pasta and stir until it's completely coated in the sauce.
Serve and enjoy!
Cooking Pasta
Cook your pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. I like to start boiling the water (I use hot tap water) around 15-20 minutes before the baking dish comes out of the oven.
Once the water comes to a boil, salt generously, then add your pasta and cook for the determined amount of time on your package (I tend to take 1-2 minutes off for al dente).
Tip: Reserve a cup of the pasta water. That way, if the sauce seems dry you can thin it out with some of the starchy water.
Storing and Reheating
Baked goat cheese pasta keeps and reheats well!
- Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat any leftovers in the oven using 30-second intervals until completely heated through.
To reheat in the oven, add a few tablespoons of water to the baking dish and cover it with aluminum foil. Place the cold dish in the oven, and then set the heat to 350ºF (177ºC) and bake until the pasta is heated through, stirring several times through the reheating time.
Substitutions
- Gluten free: Swap out the regular pasta for a gluten free version of your choice. I've tried chickpea pasta a few times for the added protein and it was quite tasty!
- With crumbled goat cheese: If you don't have a log, you can use crumbles instead. Use your hands to pack them tightly into the center of the dish in a cohesive mound.
- With gnocchi: Use 1 ½ pounds (750g) of packaged gnocchi in place of the pasta in this recipe. Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions.
- Tomatoes: You could use 2 (15oz) cans of good quality canned cherry tomatoes (drained) in place of the tomatoes in this recipe, but fresh is best. Regular diced tomatoes won't cut it.
- Basil: Use 2 teaspoons of dried basil as a substitute for fresh if you cannot find fresh basil.
Variations
With herbed goat cheese: Feel free to swap out the regular stuff for a herbed or flavored kind. Just keep in mind that will impact the flavor of your finished dish, so think about whether the flavors are compatible.
With fresh spinach: Add 1-2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach (chopped or whole) to the sauce mixture, just before adding the pasta. Stir until the spinach wilts, then stir in the pasta.
Different types of cheese: I've tried this recipe and format with many different cheeses, and I have recipes for Baked Feta Pasta (the original) and Baked Boursin Pasta (our favorite). If you have a soft cheese that you think will melt well into blistered cherry tomatoes, I'd encourage you to give it a try!
Different pasta shape: Generally you can use anything that is a medium-cut pasta on a 1:1 ratio and it will work out great. Smaller pastas like macaroni and orzo require some math and testing to get the amount right. For that reason I recommend fusilli, penne, cavatappi, and mafalda, and rotini.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
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Baked Goat Cheese Pasta
Equipment
- 9X13" baking dish 23 x 33 cm
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes about 4 cups
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large log goat cheese 8-10oz (227-300g)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
For the pasta
- 12 oz dried pasta medium cut (340 grams)
- Boiling salted water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425ºF (218ºC).
- Add the cherry tomatoes to a large broil-safe 9X13" (23x33cm) baking dish, then pour in the olive oil.
- Add salt and pepper to your taste (I like to be generous with the salt, as goat cheese is not very salty), and toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil until well coated.
- Make a rectangular well in the center of the baking dish big enough for the log of goat cheese and place it in the middle.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes blister and the cheese begins to brown.
- When there are 15-20 minutes left in the baking time, fill a large pot with hot water.
- Bring the water to a boil, then salt generously. Add in your pasta and cook according to package directions.
- When the pasta is al dente, drain it in a colander over the sink and place a plate on top to keep it warm.
- Once your cooking time is up, set the oven to "broil." NOTE: Only do this if you have a broiler-safe dish, if not you can just bake for an additional 5-10 minutes at an increased heat of 450ºF if desired.
- Broil for 2-3 minutes, keeping a close eye on the pan; it's done once many of the tomatoes are blistered and the cheese is lightly browned on top.
- Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven, then add in 3 minced garlic cloves.
- Use the bottom of a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes and goat cheese, and combine it into a creamy sauce. The residual heat will help to "cook" the garlic.
- Sprinkle in the fresh basil and stir to combine.
- Finally, add in the cooked pasta and stir until it is coated in the goat cheese and tomato sauce.
- Serve with additional fresh basil (if desired), and enjoy.
Notes
- Pasta: Use 12 oz (340g) of your favorite pasta to make this recipe. Medium- sized types are best (fusili, rotini, cavatappi, etc). You could also substitute your favorite gluten-free or chickpea pasta if you are gluten-free.
- Tomatoes: You could use 2 (15oz) cans of good quality canned cherry tomatoes (drained) in place of the tomatoes in this recipe, but fresh is best. Regular diced tomatoes won't cut it.
- Basil: Use 2 teaspoons of dried basil as a substitute for fresh if you cannot find fresh basil.
Nutrition
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Yesenia G says
Great recipe! Made a few times already and we cant get enough. I use half garbanzo (Banza brand) and half zucchini spaghetti and we love it!