Indulge in the delectable world of baked feta pasta recipes, a TikTok viral sensation that has taken the culinary world by storm. With its creamy feta cheese, roasted tomatoes, and perfectly cooked pasta, this dish offers a harmonious blend of flavors that will leave you craving more.
It's quite interesting how social media plays an important role in our lives these days. I was talking to my son the other day about the latest trends, last year Dalgona coffee went viral, then Tortilla wraps hack, and now baked feta pasta.
I first learned about this dish through the internet and social media. It was one of the viral recipes on TikTok. I heard this recipe originally became popular in Finland through some bloggers. Some stories about the grocery stores in Finland ran out of feta cheese due to this viral recipe.
I don't know how true these stories are, but my kids love pasta. Therefore, I decided to give this recipe a try. So, here I am sharing my version of this baked feta pasta. I tried to keep it simple and used the ingredients easily available at my grocery store. I have also shared some variations of this recipe in this blog post.
Table of contents
Baked Feta Pasta
Baked feta pasta has taken the internet by storm in recent years, captivating food enthusiasts with its simplicity and delicious flavors. This viral sensation originated from a Finnish food blogger, and its popularity quickly spread worldwide through social media platforms like TikTok.
The recipe features a delightful combination of feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, pasta, and aromatic herbs, all baked to perfection in the oven. The resulting dish boasts a creamy, tangy sauce infused with the rich flavors of roasted tomatoes and melted feta cheese.
Whether you're a seasoned cook or a beginner in the kitchen, this recipe is sure to impress your taste buds and elevate your pasta game. Join the trend and discover the joy of baked feta pasta for yourself!
Ingredients for Feta Pasta Recipes
Here's a brief description of the main ingredients used in baked feta pasta:
- Pasta: Choose your favorite types of pasta, such as penne, fusilli, or rigatoni. Pasta serves as the base for the dish, providing a hearty and comforting element.
- Feta cheese: Feta cheese is a brined cheese with a tangy and salty flavor. It softens and melts beautifully when baked, creating a creamy and luscious sauce for the pasta.
- Cherry tomatoes: These small, sweet tomatoes add a burst of juicy flavor to the dish. Roasting them in the oven enhances their natural sweetness and creates a rich, caramelized taste.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic brings aromatic and savory notes to the recipe. When roasted, it becomes mellow and adds a subtle depth of flavor to the pasta.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: This high-quality oil is used to drizzle over the pasta and create a luscious texture. It also helps to enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Fresh herbs: Optional fresh herbs like basil, oregano, or thyme can be added to provide a touch of freshness and aroma to the dish. They complement the flavors of the tomatoes and feta cheese.
- Salt and pepper: These essential seasonings are used to enhance the overall taste and balance the flavors of the dish. Adjust the amount according to your preference.
- Red Pepper Flakes: This optional ingredient can be added for a bit of heat. It adds a spicy flavor to the dish.
How to make Baked Feta Pasta
With just a handful of ingredients and in under 30 minutes, you can make this flavor-bursting, creamy, luscious, baked feta pasta. This recipe calls for basic ingredients cherry or grape tomatoes, feta cheese, pasta, olive oil, and some herbs. However, feel free to add veggies, herbs, or protein to amp up the dish.
To make feta pasta recipes, you will first prepare the tomato-feta mixture by tossing cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and minced garlic in a baking dish. You will then bake the mixture in the preheated oven until the tomatoes are soft and bursting, and the feta cheese is melted and slightly browned.
While the tomato-feta mixture is baking, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until it is al dente. Reserve some of the pasta water for later.
Once the tomato-feta mixture is done baking, you will remove it from the oven and use a fork to mash the feta cheese and tomatoes together to create a sauce. Add the cooked pasta to the baking dish and toss it with the tomato-feta sauce, using some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary. You can also add some fresh herbs, such as basil or parsley, at this point for extra flavor.
Transfer the pasta to serving bowls and top with some grated parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy your delicious feta pasta recipes!
Tips for Baked Feta Pasta
Key Ingredients
- The two main ingredients in this dish are tomatoes and feta cheese. The sweetness from the cherry tomatoes and saltiness from the feta, add a unique flavor to the sauce, thus making this pasta yummy!!
- I prefer cherry or grape tomatoes, due to their sweet flavor. However, you can also use salad tomatoes, which are less tart as compared to other varieties of tomatoes and can be substituted in this recipe.
- Block feta cheese is what I would recommend. Substitutes for feta cheese would be goat cheese and ricotta cheese.
- Ear-shaped pasta or flat pasta such as Conchigliette (shells), Orecchiette, and Farfalle make a great candidate for this recipe, as those little nooks catch so much sauce. However, feel free to use the pasta of your choice, and cook it as per the package directions.
How to cook pasta in an Instant Pot
Cooking pasta can be very tricky, especially in an Instant Pot (pressure cooker). Here’s how I cook pasta in an Instant Pot:
- For Instant pot cooking, add enough water to cover the pasta. Reduce the cooking time to “HALF” what is recommended on the box of the pasta, followed by a quick pressure release.
- I do not recommend using the broth for this recipe unless the broth you are using has no added sodium (salt) in it. Since, feta cheese is heavily salted, try to avoid any additional sodium.
- Normally, I add salt while cooking pasta. However, for this recipe, I did not add any salt while cooking pasta, as the feta is quite salty, and adding salt to pasta would just make it way saltier.
- Reserve some of the cooking pasta water, to adjust the consistency of the pasta. Pasta thickens over some time.
Herbs and Spices
- Instead of adding whole garlic cloves, add crushed garlic cloves. Garlic when cooked, caramelizes beautifully and adds a ton of flavor to this dish. I used a whole bulb of garlic in this recipe, add as per your liking.
- Herbs and spices enhance the flavor of this dish. Feel free to add herbs of your choice. Fresh or dry herbs such as Thyme, oregano, or Italian seasoning add great flavor to this recipe.
- I like to add some crushed red chili flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper for some heat and additional flavor.
- While baking the tomatoes, and feta cheese impart a nice flavor to this dish. I like to take it a step further and broil it at the end for a few minutes. I think the charred tomatoes and feta cheese add such a depth of flavor.
- The consistency of the sauce is quite creamy, use the reserved cooked pasta water to adjust to the desired consistency.
- Lemon juice and lemon zest are optional. However, I think it helps balance the sweet flavor of the tomatoes, and the saltiness of the feta cheese. It also adds a nice refreshing flavor to this dish.
- Use good-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Olive oil adds a nice flavor and creaminess to the sauce.
Variations
Here are a few ideas for this classic baked feta pasta:
- Add vegetables: You can add other vegetables to the roasting pan along with the cherry tomatoes, such as sliced zucchini, eggplant, or bell peppers.
- Use different types of cheese: While feta is the traditional cheese used in this dish, you can also try using goat cheese, ricotta, or even a blend of different cheeses.
- Add protein: To make the dish more filling, you can add cooked chicken, shrimp, or sausage to the pasta. Simply cook the protein separately and stir it in at the end.
- Make it spicy: If you like a bit of heat, you can add more red pepper flakes to the dish or even add some chopped jalapeno peppers to the roasting pan.
- Use different pasta shapes: While short pasta shapes like penne or fusilli work best for this dish, you can experiment with other shapes like rigatoni, farfalle, or macaroni.
- Add fresh herbs: Garnish the dish with chopped fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or chives to add extra flavor and freshness.
- Use different types of tomatoes: While cherry tomatoes work well in this recipe, you can also use other types of tomatoes such as grape tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, or roma tomatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
When feta cheese is baked in the oven, it softens and becomes creamy, creating a rich and flavorful sauce when combined with other ingredients like cherry tomatoes and pasta.
To make a quick feta pasta, cook your choice of pasta according to package instructions. In a separate pan, combine crumbled feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, minced garlic, and your preferred herbs, then toss with the cooked pasta and season with salt and pepper for a simple and flavorful meal.
A good substitute for feta cheese in pasta is goat cheese, as it shares a similar tangy and creamy flavor.
The best way to reheat feta pasta is to gently warm it in a skillet or pan over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water to prevent it from drying out, and stir occasionally until it reaches your desired temperature. Avoid using high heat, as it can cause the cheese to separate and the pasta to become mushy.
Yes, you can add other ingredients to this dish such as spinach, roasted red peppers, or grilled chicken. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time and seasoning accordingly.
TRIED THIS RECIPE?
Hope you enjoy this Baked Feta Pasta!! If you give this recipe a try, please rate the recipe by clicking the stars on the recipe card. Leave a comment and share your experience. Thank you!
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Some more pasta recipes
Baked Feta Pasta – TikTok Viral Video
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS FOR BAKED FETA PASTA
- 8 oz. pasta of choice ** recipe uses large shells pasta
- 8 oz. block feta cheese
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes; 20-24 oz. approx.
- 6-8 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ lemon zest + juice (optional)
- ⅓ cup olive oil; **reserve 1 tbsp. oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning; **reserve ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes, adjust to taste
- salt & pepper, adjust to taste
- Handful of fresh basil chopped; plus more for garnish
Instructions
How to make Baked Feta Pasta
- Pre-heat oven to 400 F.
- In a baking dish, add cherry tomatoes, and crushed garlic.Note: I used a 9 ” x 13 ” baking dish.
- Toss the tomatoes with olive oil, spices – oregano, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Make some space in the center of the baking dish, and place a block of feta cheese. Drizzle reserved 1 tbsp. of olive oil, oregano, and red chili flakes.
- Bake at 400 F for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, turn the oven to the “BROIL” setting and broil it for 3-5 minutes or until the feta cheese is slightly brown.
- In the meantime, cook pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid for later use.
- Remove the tomatoes from the oven. With a help of a spatula or a fork, mash all the cheese, tomatoes, and garlic. Combine everything into a nice sauce.
- Toss in cooked pasta, basil, lemon zest (optional), and combine everything. Add cooking pasta water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
- Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice (optional), mix, and cover the baking dish with some foil. Allow the pasta to rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will ensure that the pasta soaks up all the beautiful flavors from the sauce.
- Garnish with some more basil, and serve baked feta pasta warm. Bon-Appetit!!
How to cook pasta in an Instant Pot
- Add pasta and water to the inner pot. Make sure the pasta is covered fully in the water.Note: Add enough water to fully cover the pasta. **recipe uses 3 cups of water
- Close the Instant Pot lid, vent sealed. Turn ON MANUAL / PRESSURE COOK (high) for 4 minutes.Note: Reduce the cooking time to “HALF” what is recommended on the box of the pasta, followed by a quick pressure release.
- Once the Instant Pot beeps, do a quick pressure release. Open the lid.
- Drain the pasta and keep it aside. Reserve some cooking pasta water for later use.
Video
Notes
- Tips for Best Baked Feta Pasta
- Variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
KEYWORD
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Chenée says
I love this pasta! So easy to make and the feta flavor is perfect.
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi Chenee, I’m so glad you liked my recipe ?
Cathleen says
I still haven't tried this pasta!! This needs to change ASAP because I know I will love it!
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi Cathleen, My family devours this feta pasta. Hope you love it as much as we do.
Tawnie Kroll says
I love this dinner so much! I added more chili flakes and everyone loved it!
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi Tawnie, I’m so glad you liked my recipe!
Cynthia says
Love the twist on a traditional Italian pasta dish with the Greek feta! So delish and a family favorite!
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi Cynthia, I’m so happy to hear this! You’re so welcome!
kushigalu says
Totally in love with the flavors in the pasta recipe. I will be making this soon for dinner.
Jyoti Behrani says
Hi Kushi, So happy to hear this! You’re so welcome!