The tiktok pasta everyone is talking about: baked feta pasta has it all, big bold flavors, creamy comfort, and carbs!
Baked feta pasta is taking the TikTok world by storm and it’s obvious why: it’s creamy, tomato-y, and SO damn delicious. It’s probably the simplest pasta dish you’ll make this month and the reward is so high for an incredibly low effort.
What is this tiktok pasta trend?
It’s super simple: cherry tomatoes are tossed with olive oil and placed in a baking dish with a block of feta. Everything gets baked up until the tomatoes burst, releasing their sweet and jammy flavors. The feta gets melty and oozy. You mix it all up into a quick sauce, toss in minced garlic, basil, crushed red pepper, and pasta. Boom, dinner is done!
This tiktok pasta is actually awesome
Sometimes the best kind of cooking is the kind that takes no time at all so you can spend more time with loved ones enjoying the food. I love that the prep time for this dish is so low and the actual hands on time is super low. If you can stir, you can make this dish.
The predominate flavors of this pasta are feta and tomatoes, it’s practically a two ingredient pasta. If you’re not a huge feta fan, you can definitely use another cheese – baked brie, cream cheese, or ricotta would be AMAZING.
What is baked feta pasta?
Baked feta pasta is a pasta dish that’s currently going viral on TikTok right now because it’s incredibly easy to make, tasty, and it looks good. It’s based off of a Greek appetizer, baked feta. The first mention of mixing baked feta with pasta was popularized by Finnish blogger Jenni Häyrinen. She called it uunifetapasta or baked feta pasta. Apparently feta pasta is incredibly popular in Finland because a couple of other bloggers also blogged about it as well. Now it’s so viral that I heard that it’s difficult to find feta!
How to make baked feta pasta
- Toss: In a baking dish, toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil. Place a block of feta in the middle and drizzle some oil on top.
- Bake: Bake the tomatoes and feta in the oven until the tomatoes burst and the cheese is melty.
- Cook: While the feta is in the oven, cook the pasta.
- Stir: When the tomatoes and feta are done, stir in some minced garlic, some crushed red pepper flakes, and the pasta, loosening with some pasta water if needed. Finish with fresh basil.
- Eat: That’s it! Scoop it up an enjoy a bowl of pure cheesy carby comfort.
Baked feta ingredients
- cherry tomatoes – the sweeter the better! There are so many types of mini tomatoes these days, from strawberry to grape to on the vine to heirloom. I used one package of classic cherry tomatoes and one package of cherry tomatoes on the vine.
- feta – you’ll want to get a nice higher quality Greek feta since it’s the main flavor of the dish. Grab a block of feta, the kind that comes in a brine, not the crumbles. If you want a milder, creamier feta, try French feta, it’s less tart than Greek.
- olive oil – most of the recipes I’ve seen call from anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil. I went with 1/3 cup, you want enough to coat the tomatoes and feta while having a bit of oil pool at the bottom of your baking dish so the tomatoes are essentially doing a tomato confit type thing. Too little olive oil and your tomatoes will end up drying out.
- pasta – you can use any shape you like, we went with casarecce the first time and rotini the second time and both were great.
- garlic – a couple cloves of minced garlic are mixed in and the residual heat of the tomatoes mellows the sharpness out while still giving you a huge hit of garlicky goodness.
- basil – fresh basil and tomatoes are perfect pairing. Slice some up to stir in and keep some extra leaves whole to garnish with!
Tomato season
It’s tomato season and summer is the perfect time to make Tiktok baked feta pasta. There are so many sweet tomatoes out there right now and they’ll all add a nice in season twist to this comfort classic. Even if you aren’t a tomato fan, tomatoes in the summer just hit different, so give them a try!
Tomatoes taste better in the summer, try these:
- roma tomatoes
- grape tomatoes
- beefsteak tomatoes
- cocktail tomatoes
- heirloom tomatoes
No tomatoes please
If you’re really not a fan of tomatoes, try these no tomato baked feta pastas:
- Zucchini and peppers – chop up 1-2 zucchinis and 1 red pepper in place of the tomatoes.
- Broccoli and lemon – chop up 1 head of broccoli in place of the tomatoes and finish with lemon zest.
Air fryer baked feta pasta
To make baked feta pasta in the air fryer:
Make sure your baking dish fits inside your air fryer. Place the ingredients in the baking dish and set inside the air fryer. Air fry at 400°F for 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes have burst and the cheese is golden. Stir the tomatoes and cheese with the garlic and red pepper until everything forms a creamy sauce then pour over cooked pasta. Season to taste and finish with basil.
Instant Pot baked feta pasta
To make Instant Pot baked feta pasta:
Place 1.5 cups water or stock, 2 pints cherry tomatoes, 1/3 cup olive oil, 8 oz of feta cheese, garlic, and 9 oz uncooked short pasta. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Turn on sauté mode and stir, breaking up the tomatoes and feta into a creamy sauce, coating the pasta. Season to taste, stir in the basil and enjoy.
Crock Pot baked feta pasta
To make slow cooker baked feta pasta:
Add the tomatoes, olive oil, feta cheese, and garlic to your crock pot. Cook on high for 1 hour or until the tomatoes have burst and the feta is melty and creamy. Stir everything together into a creamy sauce. Add 9 oz dried pasta and 1.5 cups of water or stock and stir. Cook on high for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente. Season to taste, and add the and basil. Enjoy!
How to choose the best feta
Choose a feta that is made from sheep’s milk! Feta made from cow’s milk or goat milk is more crumby. If you want a smooth and creamy feta, sheep’s milk feta is the way to go. Also, younger fetas are more milky and creamy and aged fetas tend to be more complex and intense.
Greek feta vs French feta
If you’re not a huge fan of feta but you want to try this pasta, try using French feta. Greek feta tends to be saltier, more crumbly, and tangy which can lead to your sauce being grainy. If you’re Greek feta fan, go for feta that has more sheep’s milk rather than goat. French feta is made with only sheep’s milk and is mild and creamy compared to Greek feta. Bulgarian feta is very similar to French feta: it’s made with 100% sheep’s milk and is not aged as long so it’s a lot creamier and not as tangy.
Adding protein
If you’re looking to add some protein to your Tiktok baked feta pasta, it’s super easy, barely an inconvenience. Since the pasta bakes at 400°F for 30 minutes, you can add just about any protein to the baking dish and it’ll crisp up and cook in the oven while the tomatoes are roasting.
Pancetta
For a twist, add cubes of pancetta, they’ll crisp up into little nuggets of rich, porky deliciousness.
Chicken
You can add chicken to the pan, raw and cubed before you roast the feta and tomatoes. They’ll cook up while the tomatoes are roasting. If you have leftover chicken in the fridge, you can also just stir it into the sauce when you stirring in the pasta.
Tofu
If you’re vegetarian, pressed tofu cubed up will add some extra lean protein. Some of the cubes with stay intact and some of them will stir into the sauce making it extra creamy.
Help, my baked feta pasta is too tart!
It’s winter right now and there’s no escaping the fact that the cherry tomatoes out there aren’t the sweetest. Because this feta pasta doesn’t really have much sugar in it, the sauce can end up pretty tart or tangy depending on your tomatoes. The easy fix is adding a bit of sugar but if you don’t want to do that, the best thing to do is add some thinly sliced onions or shallots to the baking dish when you’re roasting the feta and tomatoes. The onions will caramelize in the oil and add a jammy sweetness.
Tiktok pasta FAQ
What if I don’t like feta?
If you don’t like feta, try using French feta which has a bit of a milder flavor or even a different kind of cheese. This pasta recipe will also work with brie, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, or even cream cheese.
Do I have to use cherry tomatoes for feta baked pasta?
If you don’t have cherry tomatoes, literally any tomato will work, you want about 1 lb. If you use larger tomatoes, quarter them before baking.
What kind of pasta should I use for feta baked pasta?
Any kind at all! I ended up using casarecce which is a cute pasta that’s shaped like an “S.” You can use penne, rotini, macaroni, rigatoni, or even long pastas like spaghetti or fettuccine.
What kind of baking dish should I use?
It’s better to use a baking dish that’s not too large – a medium baking dish will help keep all the tomatoes close together and in the olive oil so they don’t dry out too much. We want the tomatoes jammy and soft, not oven dried.
I don’t like raw garlic, does the garlic need to be raw?
When you add the raw garlic to the hot tomatoes, the residual heat of the tomatoes and feta will gently warm up the garlic and take off the raw edge while leaving a huge hit of garlicky flavor. If you really don’t want to use raw garlic, you can add it to the pan before you roast the tomatoes, but make sure they are covered in oil so they don’t get burnt.
Key tips on making Tiktok pasta taste EVEN BETTER
- Add everything to the pan. The original recipe has you stir in raw garlic after the tomatoes and feta are baked in the oven. For an even more delicious pasta, add crushed or smashed garlic directly to the pan when you add the tomatoes. Other aromatics will work too: quarter some onions or shallots for a sweet onion-y addition, or even ginger for a warming touch.
- Think about other herbs. Everyone knows basil and tomatoes go together, but get creative! Add some thyme sprigs, scallions, chives, oregano, parsley, or rosemary. Maybe sprinkle on some everything bagel spice or use Italian seasoning for even more flavor.
- Try a mix of cheeses. Go for half feta and half cream cheese for the ultimate in creamy, cheesy goodness.
Recipes similar to this Tiktok pasta
Did you enjoy making super delicious and easy pasta with under 5 ingredients? You can try these other ones too:
- 2 Ingredient Creamy Herby Garlicky Pasta
- Everything Bagel Spice Aglio E Olio Pasta
- Sour Cream and Onion Pasta
- 2 Ingredient Alfredo Sauce
That’s it! I hope you give this pasta a try. It’s all my cheesy, carb-y, garlicky, tomato dreams in a bowl.
xoxo steph
Baked feta pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes or any other tomatoes
- 1/3 cup olive oil the good stuff
- 8 oz feta cheese 1 block
- 9 oz pasta of choice
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- fresh basil chopped, to finish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a baking dish, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil and place the feta in the middle, turning it to coat it in oil. Season everything with salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, turn the heat up to 450°F and roast until the feta is golden brown 10-15 minutes.
- While the feta is baking, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Save 1-2 cups of the pasta water, then drain well.
- When the feta and tomatoes are done, remove from the oven and immediately add the garlic and crushed red pepper, if using. Stir everything together until the tomatoes and feta combine into a creamy sauce.
- Stir in the drained pasta until well coated and creamy, adding in a bit of pasta water to loosen if too thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in some chopped basil and finish with crushed red pepper. Enjoy!
Have you tried using it as a dip? Before putting the pasta in, I set aside some of the sauce and use it as a dip! It works pita bread, pita chips, or even carrots/veggies! It’s highly addicting though – yum!!!
Don’t have tiktok but this was great! Would 100% recommend ONLY sheep’s milk feta (like French feta)—that’s what we used and I think the goat milk would’ve made this too sour for us. Thank you for sharing with uncool olds!!
Do you think this would work with a full pound of pasta? Maybe with some pasta water to stretch the sauce? I hate using only half a box of pasta
hi kat,
definitely! i like my pasta extra saucy but 1 lb will work for sure :)
It will definitely work; I just made it that way ?
My family LOVED this recipe! Made it tonight and it was gone instantly! My younger siblings are not huge tomato fans so we had blended a portion of the sauce for them and they found it amazing! Will definitely be making this again!
I’ve just made this, adding diced bacon and shallots. Instead of plain olive oil, I’ve used a blend of two – one garlic infused olive oil, the other balsamic infused olive oil. I’ve sprinkled the lot with a few pinches of brown sugar also.
Super easy, perfect weeknight meal. It tasted good however was a bit tart, I guess the tomatoes were not sweet enough.
I topped mine with a little arugula and it was a great companion for the meal.
Couldn’t find a block of feta. Will blue cheese work?
it definitely will but the predominant flavor will be blue cheese, which can be pretty strong! try half blue cheese and half cream cheese!
We love this recipe! Making it for the second time tonight. Easy and delicious.
This was great! We used a pound of pasta and found it to be enough sauce. Didn’t have basil on hand so we just left it out. So easy and delicious – I can imagine it’s even better in summer when the cherry tomatoes are better.
Truly delicious! Thanks for sharing. This is something i will cook to share with friends and finally often going forward. Thank you, thank you, thank you! ?
Would crumbled Feta work? The block is hard to find in my town.
hi traci,
i haven’t tried but i’ve heard it will work – you have to kind of push it all together in the middle of the dish.
Yes we use 10 oz of crumbled all the time
Thinking about making this but don’t really care for feta. I’m excited to use Brie. Do you think shrimp would go with the dish? Thank you!
i think shrimp would be wonderful!
I bought the wrong kind of block feta will the cow’s milk feta be any good?
It should still be great
What happens if you use regular tomatoes not small cherry tomatoes?
hi nicole, you can use regular tomatoes, the sauce might not be as sweet though, since cherry tomatoes tend to be sweeter than regular :)
I made this last night for my boyfriend and I and it was sooo good! I used a bit of the brine that the feta came in, plus I topped the dish with some mozzarella then let it sit some extra minutes in the oven. Absolutely amazing
Hi, I am making this dish tonight – is there another ingredient I could add so it’s not just pure feta and tomato? I saw your list on proteins you can add but I’d rather add a vegetable, any thoughts? :)
hi jahnavi,
you can absolutely stir in vegetables – you can stir in spinach at the end when you’re adding the pasta, the heat from the sauce will wilt and cook it. hope that helps!
I didn’t add pasta and added veggies instead – broccoli, artichoke hearts, asparagus, zucchini flowers – I wanted to cut down the carbs. It was delicious!
This was soooo good. I added red onions and rosemary to the oil and arugula and parsley in with the pasta. My kids loved it. Thanks for posting!
Looks tasty!!Feta is unique Greek cheese as registered name all over the world as the Greek yogurt also…So may be there is a French cheese like Feta cheese..
Can I use tinned cherry tomatoes
hi diane,
i haven’t used them myself personally. i think it would work but would be quite saucy, if you like saucy pasta, go for it!
hi Diane, i used a mix of fresh cherry toms and drained tinned cherry toms worked well.
Do you drain the feta?
yes, drain the feta!