Baked Brie Pasta Sauce (Print Version)

Silky fettuccine tossed in a creamy baked brie and cherry tomato sauce with herbs.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz fettuccine

→ Sauce

02 - 9 oz brie cheese wheel, rind on, cut into large chunks
03 - 1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
05 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
07 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

10 - 10 fresh basil leaves, torn
11 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Recipe Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Combine cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a large ovenproof baking dish. Toss to mix evenly.
03 - Nestle the chunks of brie into the center of the baking dish, partially surrounded by the tomatoes.
04 - Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until tomatoes soften and burst, and the brie melts to a creamy consistency.
05 - Cook fettuccine in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven and stir melted brie and tomatoes to form a creamy sauce. Add hot fettuccine and toss well, incorporating reserved pasta water as needed for silkiness.
07 - Scatter torn basil leaves over the pasta, season with freshly ground black pepper, and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The entire sauce melts together in one dish while you cook pasta, leaving almost nothing to clean up.
  • Brie does the heavy lifting here, transforming into pure comfort without a single cream or butter addition.
  • This feels fancy enough to serve guests, yet casual enough for a weeknight when you want something special.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining, because those starchy few spoonfuls transform the sauce from thick to luxurious in seconds.
  • Don't let the brie get too dark in the oven or it can taste slightly bitter, so watch it after the 20 minute mark.
  • Toss everything together quickly in the hot baking dish rather than transferring to a serving bowl, because moving it slows the cooling process and the sauce works better warm.
03 -
  • Bring your brie to room temperature for 15 minutes before baking so it melts more evenly and quickly.
  • The rind of the brie should stay on because it adds structure and a subtle flavor that keeps the sauce from becoming one-note.
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