Baked Feta Pasta Recipe

Name: Baked Feta Pasta Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 pints cherry tomatoes; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 7 ounces Greek feta cheese 1 block; 7 ounces medium-length dried pasta such as ziti or rigatoni; Fresh basil leaves for serving; Salt and Black pepper to taste; Dried Oregano 1 teaspoon

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This baked feta pasta recipe will be your go-to comfort food and a family favorite from your kitchen. It’s easy to make and the flavors are simply scrumptious.

Baked feta pasta in white casserole dish on brown napkin.

With only a few simple ingredients like feta and cherry tomatoes, the prep on this looks too easy to be true. That may be why this has become a viral recipe food sensation on TikTok. The good news is that it actually does taste amazing!

If you love simple dinner meals, you have to try this easy Margherita pasta recipe. It's SO good! We also make grape tomatoes with pasta pretty regularly, often topping it with pistachio pesto. They are the perfect pairing.

If you're entertaining, serve one of these Italian appetizers recipes before dinner. Try one of these traditional Italian dessert recipes for something sweet following the meal.

Whether you want to make this for a special occasion or a family dinner, grab some cherry tomatoes and feta cheese and get started on this pasta dish.

Here’s everything you need to know about this super easy one-pan meal.

Why This Recipe Works

You’ll love this recipe because it is easy. But don’t let the simpleness of this recipe fool you.

The salty tang of the feta cheese blends amazingly well with the sweet flavor of the cherry tomatoes.

The bursting cherry tomatoes that roast easily in a pan have just enough moisture to keep from drying out. Once the tomatoes and feta are cooked, they blend together into a creamy sauce for the pasta.

This recipe can also be modified in so many ways. We love adding a couple of tablespoons of pesto, too, just to change it up. Learn how to make a pistachio pesto and you'll be adding it to everything!

Like it spicy? Add in some peppers, chili powder, or hot sauce. Want a creamier texture? Mix in some cream cheese.

There are so many ways to do your own take, and the best thing is that this recipe is hard to mess up.

Other vegetables, like fresh spinach or zucchini, can be added in for extra flavor and nutrition. This recipe works as a great base for so many variations.

What Goes Into This Recipe

Ingredients for baked feta pasta dish on white marble tabletop.

You’ll be in and out of the store in no time picking up the handful of ingredients for this dish. Here are the essentials that you’ll need.

Key Ingredients

Cherry Tomatoes: Make sure the tomatoes are ripe, but not over-ripe. They should still be firm to the touch. We like Sugar Bombs. Look for the black and gold label.

Grape tomatoes can also be used, but larger tomatoes (like Roma tomatoes or Beefsteak tomatoes) won’t work as well for this recipe.

In a pinch you could use canned cherry tomatoes, but only if you absolutely can't find fresh.

Feta Cheese: Just one block of feta cheese is all you need for this recipe to work. If you want a creamier sauce, however, you can add a dollop of cream cheese before serving.

Other cheeses, like goat cheese, work well with this recipe and provide a distinctly different flavor.

Pasta: Any medium-length dried pasta of your choice like ziti or rigatoni works for this dish. Make sure there’s plenty of surface for the sauce to stick to. Great examples are penne, rigatoni, or fusilli, but feel free to use your favorite pasta.

See the recipe card for quantities and full directions.

How to Make this Recipe

Wash and dry the cherry tomatoes while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a casserole dish or similar baking pan.

Place the block of feta in the center of the baking dish. Pour the cherry tomatoes around the feta.

Feta topped with spices and tomatoes in white dish.

Season with a bit of oregano, freshly ground pepper, and red pepper flakes (if desired). Pour the remaining olive oil on the tomatoes.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened in texture and look roasted. Be sure not to let the feta burn.

Feta with tomatoes baked in a white casserole dish.

While the tomatoes are cooking, boil the pasta according to the package directions.

Pasta in pan surrounded by tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Once the tomatoes and feta have finished cooking, smash the tomatoes with a fork and blend in the dish with the feta.

Mix with the cooked pasta, garnish with fresh basil if desired, and serve immediately. A side salad (try this beet salad!) along with this Rosemary Garlic Bread or a toasted baguette rounds out the meal perfectly.

Cooked feta, tomatoes, and pasta in white dish with basil.

Variations

Baked Feta Pasta With Chicken: This makes a great easy recipe for dinner. In the same dish as the tomatoes and feta, add two chicken breasts.

The chicken breasts should be done in around 30 minutes. When the chicken has reached 165 degrees, take it out, and let it rest for a couple minutes while you finish up the tomatoes and feta.

Slice the chicken, and mix it back in with the tomatoes, feta, and pasta.

Other Cheese Options: Feta is amazing, but you can make this dish pop with other cheeses.

Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs cheese gives great flavor, as does goat cheese.

True gourmets can also try out burrata. Once the dish is done, you can also sprinkle it with parmesan cheese to make it extra cheesy.

Veg Out!: Although this dish is great on its own, it can also be a blank canvas for so many flavors.

Put your own spin on it! A wide variety of vegetables work great in this dish including onions, baby spinach, olives, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, summer squash, fresh garlic cloves, and even eggplant!

And of course don’t forget the power of fresh herbs, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, or a little lemon zest.

There are so many variations for this dish that you can make from this easy recipe. Make your own original recipe that becomes a TikTok pasta trend!

Frequently Asked Questions

Will feta cheese melt in the oven?

Because it has a high level of acidity and moisture, feta doesn’t actually melt into a gooey puddle of cheese. It will soften, and it can brown and burn, but it won’t melt no matter how long you leave it in the oven.

Can you use canned tomatoes?

Yes! If you don’t have fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, you can use canned tomatoes. Just make sure to drain the liquid off first. Because feta has a salty taste to it, try to get no salt added canned tomatoes.

Can you make this without tomatoes?

Absolutely! You’ll want to use vegetables with high water content so they don’t burn while cooking. For instance, try mushrooms, zucchini, or a blend of similar vegetables.

Baked feta pasta in white dish on brown napkin.

Top Tips

Save some of the starchy pasta water when you are cooking the pasta. Mix in some of the reserved pasta water with the finished feta and tomato mixture to help breathe more of a creamy feta cheese sauce.

This is a good habit to have whenever making pasta. If your sauce is a little too thick, you can thin it with the reserved water without losing the rich flavor.

If you don’t have a block of feta cheese around, you can use feta crumbles. Even better, look at the different varieties of crumbled feta flavors out there.

Athenos makes varieties like Garlic and Herb, Tomato and Basil, and Mediterranean Herb that would all bring extra flavor to the dish.

If you’re lucky enough to have leftover baked feta pasta that you want to reheat, add a bit of milk or cream into it before microwaving to help the dish from drying out.

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