A few years ago, when everyone was posting that famous feta pasta on TikTok, I’ll admit—I was skeptical. I mean, how good could a block of cheese baked with cherry tomatoes really be?
Well, fast forward to today… and I’m still making it.
Baked Feta Pasta Recipe
Course: pastaCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Medium4
servings5
minutes35
minutes400
kcalIngredients
1 block (about 8 oz) of feta cheese
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
3–4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, peeled (you can leave them whole)
Salt & pepper, to taste
8 oz pasta (I usually use rotini, penne, or fusilli)
Optional: fresh basil, red pepper flakes, spinach, olives, lemon zest
3 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
8 oz pasta
Optional: basil, red pepper flakes, spinach, lemon zest
Directions
- Preheat & Prep
- Set your oven to 400°F. While it heats, grab a baking dish and toss in the tomatoes, whole garlic cloves, a generous drizzle of olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Give it a little shake.
- Nestle the block of feta right in the middle.
- Bake
- Pop it into the oven for 30–35 minutes, or until the tomatoes burst and the feta starts to brown just a bit on the edges.
- Meanwhile, boil your pasta according to package directions. Don’t forget to save about ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Step 3: Mix It All Together
- Once the baking dish is out of the oven, use a fork or spoon to mash the feta and tomatoes together. It’ll turn into this creamy, slightly tangy sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta and a splash of that reserved pasta water. Mix it up until everything is coated.
- Sprinkle in chopped basil or red pepper flakes if you’ve got them. I like to tear up a handful of spinach and throw it in while the pasta’s still hot so it wilts right in.
Notes
- If you can’t find a block of feta, crumble a firm variety tightly together in the dish—it works.
- I’ve tried it with goat cheese and ricotta… it’s okay, but feta holds up better and has more flavor.
- Don’t skip the pasta water—it makes the sauce silkier.
- You can add extras like sautéed mushrooms, olives, or even chopped sundried tomatoes if you’re feeling creative.
🍝 Quick Recipe Recap
Serves: 3–4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Calories: Around 400 per serving (depends on pasta and oil)
Ingredients:
- 8 oz block of feta cheese
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3–4 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper
- 8 oz pasta
- Optional: basil, red pepper flakes, spinach, lemon zest
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place tomatoes, garlic, and feta in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until tomatoes burst and feta browns.
- While it bakes, cook pasta. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- Mash the feta and tomatoes, stir in cooked pasta and pasta water. Add extras if desired.
- Serve warm.
🙋♀️ Questions I’ve Gotten
Can I make this with gluten-free pasta?
Yep. I’ve used brown rice pasta and chickpea pasta—it turns out just fine.
Can I use crumbled feta?
You can, but it doesn’t melt quite the same. If it’s all you have, press it tightly together in the center of the dish.
What’s the best pasta shape for this?
Something with ridges like rotini or fusilli works best. It grabs onto the sauce better.
Does this work without garlic?
Sure. I love garlic, but you can skip it or just use one clove if you’re sensitive.
💬 Final Thoughts
I’ve made this dish more times than I can count, and somehow I’m still not tired of it. There’s just something about how the feta melts and the tomatoes caramelize that makes it taste like more effort than it is.
Whether you’re feeding yourself, your family, or a last-minute dinner guest, this pasta delivers without stress. And if you’re new to cooking? You can’t mess it up.
If you end up making it, let me know how it went—or what you added to make it your own. I always love hearing how other people tweak their recipes.
🍳 Want More Simple breakfast?
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