This easy Salmon Feta Pasta Bake is a brilliant, minimal-effort dinner that combines rich, flaky baked salmon with a creamy, bright, and tangy baked feta-and-tomato sauce. It’s quick enough for a weeknight, but the resulting flavor and beautiful colors make it feel special enough for company.
Finished with a generous drizzle of olive oil and your choice of savory seasoning, this pasta bake brings together buttery, tender salmon pieces with a simple yet luscious sauce and comforting cooked pasta.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Savory, tangy, and rich, with bright acidity from the roasted cherry tomatoes and the aromatic punch of garlic, all complemented by the strong, salty tang of the baked feta cheese.
- Textures: Flaky, tender baked salmon pieces, a smooth and creamy feta-tomato sauce that coats every strand of pasta, and hearty, cooked pasta.
- Total Active Time: About 10 minutes of active prep time, plus a simultaneous 25 minutes of hands-off baking time for the sauce base and the salmon.
- Difficulty Level: Easy. This recipe is a simplified, simultaneous cooking method that produces a maximum-flavor meal with very little fuss or complicated steps.
What You’ll Need
This streamlined recipe relies on just a handful of fresh components and pantry staples. You’ll need a hearty cut of salmon, a block of quality feta cheese, a generous container of cherry tomatoes, garlic, and your favorite pasta shape. You will also need two separate baking dishes to cook the salmon and the sauce base simultaneously.
Ingredient Notes
- 1 pound cooked pasta – Use a sturdy pasta shape that can hold up well to the thick sauce, such as penne, rotini, or farfalle. Remember to cook this according to package directions before mixing it in.
- 1 block feta cheese – We use one full block of feta cheese, placed right into the dish with the tomatoes. As it bakes, it softens and melts into the olive oil and tomato juices, creating the creamy base of the sauce.
- 1 10 0z container cherry tomatoes – These are essential for the sauce! They burst and caramelize in the oven, releasing the sweet juices that blend with the melted feta.
- 8 oz cooked salmon – This portion is perfectly sized to cook at the same temperature and time as the feta and tomatoes. The baked fish will flake easily into the pasta.
Add-ins and Substitutions
This bake is highly adaptable, allowing for simple variations without changing the core cooking technique:
- Add Greens: Before adding the cooked pasta to the sauce, stir in a handful of fresh spinach, kale, or arugula to wilt down and add a fresh, green element to the meal.
- Spice it up: Add a quarter teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the tomato and feta mixture before baking for a bit of pleasant heat.
- Change Seasoning: The recipe calls for a preferred seasoning blend (like Za’atar), but you can easily swap this for Italian seasoning, dried oregano, or smoked paprika on the salmon for a different flavor profile.
How to Make Salmon Feta Pasta Bake
The magic of this recipe is that the protein and the sauce base cook simultaneously in the oven, saving you time and steps. Be sure to cook your pasta separately and have it ready to go when the salmon and sauce come out of the oven.
Salmon Instructions
- Prepare Salmon: Take your salmon and season it generously with salt, pepper, and your preferred seasoning blend. (The recipe developer chose Za’atar seasoning for an earthy, savory flavor!)
- Bake Salmon: Place the seasoned salmon in its own small baking pan. You will use a total of two small pans (or dishes) to allow the pasta sauce base and salmon to cook together at the same time. Bake the salmon at 400°F for 25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Pasta Instructions (Sauce Base)
- Prepare Sauce Base: In a separate baking dish, place the cherry tomatoes and the entire block of feta cheese. Add seasonings to taste, the minced garlic, and drizzle generously with olive oil.
- Bake Sauce Base: Bake this mixture at 400°F for 25 minutes (at the same time as the salmon).
- Create the Sauce: Once baked, remove the dish from the oven. Using a fork or a potato masher, mash the softened, roasted cherry tomatoes. Continue to mix the mashed tomatoes with the melted feta cheese until they combine to form a uniform, creamy sauce.
Assemble the Bake
- Mix in Pasta: Add the cooked pasta to the dish containing the sauce and mix everything together until the pasta is completely coated.
- Add Salmon: Remove the cooked salmon from its cooking pan and place it on top of the prepared pasta. Break up the salmon into smaller, flaky pieces right over the dish, and mix it into the pasta and cheese sauce.
- Serve Immediately: Serve while warm!
Pro Tip: The Double Bake
To maximize your time, ensure your preheated oven is ready at 400°F and place both the pan of seasoned salmon and the dish of feta and tomatoes in the oven at the same time. This is the key to having a full meal ready in 25 minutes!
Recipe Tips
- Pre-Cook Your Pasta: This recipe requires fully cooked pasta that is added after the sauce base is baked and mashed. Start the pasta water boiling while you prep your salmon and sauce ingredients.
- Mash Thoroughly: Spend a moment mashing the tomatoes. The more thoroughly you crush the roasted tomatoes, the more juice will release, leading to a creamier, smoother sauce when mixed with the melted feta.
- Feta Placement: Try to keep the block of feta whole in the center of the dish during baking. This ensures it softens evenly and is perfectly ready to mix into the tomatoes once they come out of the oven.
- Olive Oil is Key: Don’t skimp on the olive oil when drizzling the feta and tomatoes. It helps the tomatoes roast and ensures the final sauce has a luxurious, emulsified texture.
FAQs
Q: Can I use frozen salmon? A: You can use frozen salmon, but you must thaw it completely and pat it dry before seasoning and baking. Using thawed fish ensures it cooks fully and flakes properly within the 25-minute timeframe.
Q: Can I make the sauce with less oil? A: The olive oil is integral to achieving the creamy sauce consistency when the mashed tomatoes and melted feta combine. Reducing it significantly may result in a thicker, less uniform sauce.
Q: How do I store leftovers? A: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta may absorb more of the sauce over time, so you may need to add a splash of olive oil when reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This savory Salmon Feta Pasta Bake is a hearty meal all on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with light, fresh sides:
- Fresh Salads: A simple green salad tossed with a vinaigrette made from lemon juice and olive oil.
- Hearty Bread: Serve with a slice of crusty bread or garlic toast for soaking up the delicious extra sauce.
- Steamed Vegetables: A side of simple steamed asparagus, broccoli, or green beans provides a fresh textural contrast.
Make This Recipe in Advance
The best part of this dish is that the active cooking is very fast! You can significantly speed up the final assembly by completing these steps ahead of time:
- Cooked Pasta: Cook your pasta completely and lightly toss it with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Mince Garlic: Have your garlic minced and ready to toss with the tomatoes and feta before the bake.
- Pre-Season: You can season your salmon and keep it covered in the refrigerator up to 4 hours before baking.
Salmon Feta Pasta Bake (Minimal-Effort Weeknight Dinner)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Salmon Feta Pasta Bake is a brilliant, minimal-effort weeknight dinner that combines rich, flaky baked salmon with a creamy, bright, and tangy sauce base of baked feta and cherry tomatoes. With minimal active prep, this recipe delivers maximum savory flavor and satisfying comfort in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked pasta (such as penne, rotini, or farfalle)
- 8 oz cooked salmon
- 1 block feta cheese
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
- Seasoning to taste (such as Za’atar, Italian seasoning, or oregano)
- 1 (10 oz) container cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
Step 1: Prep and Preheat
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Cook the pasta according to package directions until cooked, drain, and set aside.
Step 2: Prepare Salmon
Place the salmon in a small, separate baking dish. Season it generously with salt, pepper, and your preferred seasoning blend.
Step 3: Prepare Sauce Base
In a second baking dish, place the cherry tomatoes and the entire block of feta cheese. Add the minced garlic, sprinkle with your preferred seasoning, and drizzle generously with olive oil.
Step 4: Simultaneously Bake
Place both the pan of seasoned salmon and the dish of feta and tomatoes in the preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the tomatoes have burst and softened.
Step 5: Create the Sauce
Remove the feta-tomato dish from the oven. Using a fork or a potato masher, mash the softened, roasted cherry tomatoes. Continue mixing the mashed tomatoes with the melted feta cheese and olive oil until they combine to form a uniform, creamy sauce.
Step 6: Assemble and Mix
Add the cooked pasta to the dish containing the sauce and mix everything together until the pasta is completely coated.
Step 7: Add Salmon and Serve
Remove the cooked salmon from its pan and place it on top of the pasta. Break up the salmon into smaller, flaky pieces right over the dish, and gently mix it into the pasta and cheese sauce. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
Add Greens: For added freshness and nutrition, stir in a handful of fresh spinach, kale, or arugula into the sauce after mashing the tomatoes (Step 5), just before adding the cooked pasta. The residual heat will wilt the greens.
Spice it Up: For a pleasant touch of heat, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes over the tomato and feta mixture before baking.
Reheating Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb the sauce, so you may need to add a small splash of olive oil when reheating to restore moisture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean / Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 654
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 735mg
- Fat: 37g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: salmon feta pasta, baked feta pasta, easy weeknight dinner, minimal effort recipe, one pan meal, mediterranean flavors, tomato feta salmon
