Description
This creamy and delicious sausage feta pasta combines savory sweet Italian sausage with a luscious baked feta and grape tomato sauce, then tossed with bowtie pasta and fresh basil for a hearty, flavorful meal perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Sausage
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
Feta and Veggies
- 5 cups grape tomatoes
- 1½ pounds block style feta cheese
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Italian spices
- ½ cup fresh basil
Pasta
- 12 ounces bowtie pasta
Instructions
- Cook sausage: Slice the sweet Italian sausage into ¼ inch coins. Brown them over medium heat in a skillet until cooked through and browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Assemble feta and veggies: In a 9" x 13" baking pan, spread the grape tomatoes and add peeled garlic cloves. Place the block of feta cheese on top. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian spices over everything.
- Bake feta and tomatoes: Place the baking pan in a preheated oven at 400°F (204°C) and bake for 30 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the feta is bubbly and slightly golden.
- Boil pasta: While the feta and tomatoes are baking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bowtie pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Mix baked feta and tomatoes: Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Using a spoon, mix the softened baked feta and roasted tomatoes into a creamy sauce.
- Combine all ingredients: Add the cooked pasta, sausage coins, and fresh basil to the pan with the creamy feta-tomato mixture. Toss everything together thoroughly to combine.
- Serve warm: Serve the sausage feta pasta immediately while warm. Enjoy this hearty and flavorful dish!
Notes
- Using block style feta cheese works best for creating the creamy sauce.
- Adjust red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- Fresh basil adds a bright, fresh flavor—do not substitute with dried basil for best results.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
- For a lower-fat version, use turkey sausage and reduced-fat feta.
