Description
This Creamy & Cozy Baked Cream Cheese Pasta is the ultimate comfort food. Featuring roasted cherry tomatoes, melted cream cheese, and perfectly tender pasta, this viral-inspired dish is rich, creamy, and effortlessly satisfying. It’s a one-pan wonder that turns simple ingredients into a crowd-pleasing dinner you’ll crave every week.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 8 ounces cream cheese (block-style, not whipped)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 8 ounces pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
- Grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the block of cream cheese in the center of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Scatter cherry tomatoes around it.
- Drizzle everything with olive oil, then sprinkle on the garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until the tomatoes are blistered and the cream cheese is soft and melty.
- While the cheese and tomatoes bake, cook your pasta in salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Once out of the oven, stir and mash the tomatoes and cream cheese together into a creamy sauce. Add a bit of reserved pasta water to loosen if needed.
- Add the drained pasta to the baking dish and toss everything together until the pasta is well coated.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and a sprinkle of Parmesan if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use block-style cream cheese for the smoothest melt.
- Don’t skip the olive oil; it helps ingredients roast evenly.
- Reserve pasta water to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
- Assemble up to 24 hours ahead; bake when ready to serve.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of liquid.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: Baked Cream Cheese Pasta, Easy Baked Cream Cheese Pasta, Cream Cheese Baked Pasta Dish, Simple Baked Cream Cheese Pasta, One Pan Baked Cream Cheese Pasta, Creamy Baked Pasta with Cream Cheese