Baked Cream Cheese Pasta

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Step 2

Pour cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions into a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Add olive oil, white wine, and lemon juice into the casserole dish and toss until the tomatoes are coated.

Step 3

Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper and toss again.

Step 4

Next, place a block of cream cheese into the middle of the casserole dish and bake the cream cheese dish at 400ºF for 40 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook the pasta until it is cooked to al dente.

Step 6

Before pouring the pasta into a strainer remove 1 cup of starchy pasta water from the pot and set it aside.

Step 7

Strain pasta and set aside.

Step 8

Remove the cream cheese dish from the oven and use a fork or spoon to smash the cream cheese with a fork or spatula. Smash the tomatoes, making sure they have burst, and then stir the cream cheese, tomatoes, and mushrooms together until it forms a creamy pasta sauce.

Step 9

Add the lemon zest and fresh herbs to the casserole dish and then pour in around 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water to the sauce and mix.

Step 10

Add the cooked pasta to the casserole dish and toss until the pasta is coated in the sauce.

Step 11

Serve immediately with fresh cracked black pepper and lemon zest.