Description
Baked Cream Cheese Pasta is a comforting and cheesy dish featuring roasted cherry tomatoes and a smooth cream cheese sauce. It’s an easy, restaurant-quality meal perfect for any night.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pints (about 4 cups) cherry tomatoes
- 8 oz cream cheese block
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 10 oz pasta (penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- Fresh basil leaves, for serving
- Optional: 1 cup baby spinach, grilled chicken, shrimp, sausage, roasted bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. Toss to coat and make a space in the center for the cream cheese block. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil.
- Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes until tomatoes burst and cream cheese softens. Stir to create a creamy, tangy sauce.
- While baking, cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Add cooked pasta to the baked tomato and cheese mixture. Stir well, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
- Serve and garnish with Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use room temperature cream cheese for smooth melting.
- Don’t overbake tomatoes; they should be juicy.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency.
- Reheat leftovers with a splash of milk or cream.
- Not freezer-friendly; enjoy within 3 days for best flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Pasta, Dinner, Comfort Food
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: Baked Cream Cheese Pasta, Cherry Tomato Pasta, Easy Baked Pasta, Creamy Tomato Pasta, Cheesy Pasta Recipes, Weeknight Dinners, Comfort Food, Italian Recipes