How to Make the Perfect Baked Feta Pasta
Mediterranean · Easy · 40 min · 4 servings
This Finnish-origin recipe exploded on TikTok causing worldwide feta shortages with its impossibly simple technique of roasting a feta block with tomatoes until everything collapses into a creamy pasta sauce. It is the recipe that proved the internet could genuinely make something go globally viral overnight.
Why this recipe works
This Baked Feta Pasta recipe has been crafted to deliver restaurant-quality results in your home kitchen. At just 40 minutes from start to finish, it fits perfectly into a busy schedule without sacrificing flavor. Each serving comes in at 580 calories with 20g of protein, making it a balanced choice for any meal.
What you will need
This recipe uses 6 simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store:
- 400 g block feta cheese
- 500 g cherry tomatoes
- 400 g rigatoni or penne pasta
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic roughly crushed
- 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Set Up the Bake
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Pour the cherry tomatoes into a large baking dish and scatter the crushed garlic cloves among them. Place the entire feta block in the very center of the tomatoes. Drizzle all of the olive oil over the feta and tomatoes then season with black pepper.
Step 2: Roast Until Collapsed
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the tomatoes have burst and are jammy and the feta has softened and turned golden on top. The tomatoes should be releasing their juices into the oil creating a rich pool around the cheese.
Step 3: Cook the Pasta
While the feta bakes bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve at least one full cup of starchy pasta water before draining then drain the pasta.
Step 4: Combine and Toss
Remove the baking dish from the oven and use a fork to smash and stir the feta into the burst tomatoes until a creamy sauce forms. Add the drained pasta directly to the baking dish and toss vigorously to coat every piece. Splash in pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Top with torn basil and serve.
Easy substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Here are some swaps that work perfectly:
- cherry tomatoes → sun-dried tomatoes in oil for a more intense concentrated sweet-acidic flavor
- rigatoni pasta → gnocchi for a pillowy texture that absorbs the creamy sauce beautifully
Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these pitfalls that can affect your results:
- Using low quality or pre-crumbled feta which will not soften and melt into a creamy sauce the way a proper brine-packed block does
- Not reserving pasta water before draining which means you cannot adjust the sauce consistency and it ends up too thick and clumpy
Nutrition facts
Per serving: 580 calories, 20g protein, 68g carbs, 24g fat, 4g fiber.
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