5-Ingredient Baked Summer Squash Feta Pasta
This summer squash feta pasta is an easy, 5-ingredient dinner that’s fresh, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights. It also makes excellent leftovers for lunch!
⏰ TIME: 45 mins | 🤑COST: $10
🍅 5 INGREDIENTS
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Okay, so I finally tried the viral feta bake recipe from Grilled Cheese Social. Not to be dramatic, but it was life changing and I almost ate half the pan in one sitting! It’s so creamy, tangy, and the tomatoes pair SO well with the feta.
This has become one of my favorite pasta dinners to make during the summer when cherry tomatoes are in season.
I loved the recipe as-is, but I wanted to jazz it up a bit for the summer and throw in some summer squash along with the cherry tomatoes. I may even try it with zucchini next time, or with butternut squash during the summer!
☀️ Looking for more easy 5-ingredient summer dinners? Here are 30 summer dinner recipes all made with 5 ingredients or less!
No matter what veggies you use, you’re still going to end up with a cheesy, creamy, and veggie-packed dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
The best part is that you only need 5 ingredients to make this dump & go dinner. You can even save the leftovers for lunch the next day! If there are any leftovers that is….🤣 Even picky eaters might surprise you with a second helping!
☀️5-Ingredient Summer Recipe Roundups
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Short-cut pasta: I’ve made this pasta bake with regular pasta and also with my favorite Barilla Plus protein pasta. Both versions tasted incredible! You can also try this dish with whole wheat pasta, but that may taste the texture and taste a bit. I would recommend using short cut pasta instead of long spaghetti noodles to make mixing easier.
- Feta cheese: You can find 8oz blocks of feta cheese at any grocery store. I used plain feta, but you could experiment with flavored feta cheese!
- Yellow/summer squash: Adds nutrients, flavor, and a pop of bright yellow to the dish! If you can’t find summer squash, you can substitute this ingredient for zucchini.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes: I’ve also used medley tomatoes before which are a mix of cherry, grape, and cocktail tomatoes.
- Garlic cloves: Adds a yummy garlicky flavor to the pasta! But don’t worry if you don’t have any garlic on hand – I’ve made this pasta without garlic and it still turns out delicious.
📌 OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS: Feel free to use any leftover vegetables you have in the fridge! Bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and red onions all work well in this recipe. You can also add grilled chicken, chicken sausage, or even meatballs for extra protein.
Equipment You’ll Need
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- 9×13-inch baking dish: I recommend using a 9 x 13 dish so your veggies can have space to roast evenly in the oven without overcrowding. I love my Pyrex glass baking dish for this one. Make sure your dish is deep enough to add pasta once the veggies are done roasting
- Saucepan: For boiling pasta! I use the T-fal brand because it’s good quality non-stick at a decent price.
How to Make the Baked Summer Squash Feta Pasta
Storage Instructions
- Make Ahead: You can definitely make this recipe ahead of time! Make the pasta bake, let the dish cool, and then store in individual meal prep containers.
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, since the texture of squash and feta may change after thawing.
- Reheat: Add a splash of water first since the pasta may dry up a little in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave for about 60 seconds, stirring halfway through.
The Printable Recipe Card
5-Ingredient Baked Summer Squash Feta Pasta
Equipment
- 9 x 13 baking dish
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 12 oz short-cut pasta (e.g.: farfalle, rotini, penne, rigatoni, etc)
- 8 oz feta cheese block
- 1 yellow squash (medium-sized, sliced into rounds)
- 1 pint cherry, grape, or medley tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled and minced)
Pantry Staples
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- Black pepper (to taste)
- Olive oil spray (for coating the baking dish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉
- Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and then drain the pasta. Set aside for now.
- Prep the veggies. Slice the yellow squash into 1-inch thick circles/rounds. Don't slice them too thin. Mince the garlic.
- Assemble the dish: Generously coat a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil. Place the block of feta cheese at the center. Surround the feta with the sliced yellow squash, tomatoes, and minced garlic.
- Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables + feta cheese. Sprinkle with black pepper if desired. Gently mix so that the veggies and feta cheese are evenly coated.
- Roast the veggies and feta. Bake uncovered for about 40-45 minutes, until tomatoes are blistered and are starting to burst, the squash is tender, and the feta cheese has a slightly golden hue on top. Cooking times will vary depending on your oven, so check closely after the 35-minute mark!
- Mash the feta and veggies. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Mash the feta and mix with the roasted tomatoes, squash, and garlic.
- Add the pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the baking dish. Gently fold into the feta-vegetable mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved pasta water at a time until you get a creamy sauce (I added about 4 tablespoons).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Add extra flavor – if you want more flavor or an “herby” taste to your pasta dish, add a dash of Italian seasoning. Make it more spicy by adding some red pepper flakes!
- Don’t have yellow squash? No problem! This recipe goes great even with zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, or red onions.
- Add some protein: I love eating this pasta bake with grilled chicken or meatballs for some extra protein!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it went!
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