It has been a while since the Baked Tomato and Feta Pasta swept the internet after making an appearance on TikTok. This recipe became popular around here after the pandemic started, and I still remember that there was a local Feta shortage as a result. This is one of those recipes I have had on my wishlist for a while, but just never got around to making it.

This recipe first became popular in 2018. You can check out the post HERE by blogger Liemessa, as well as her TikTok post:

@liemessa The day #uunifetapasta was born in my kitchen 🍝🔥 #bakedfetapasta #fetapasta #foodtiktok #viralfood ♬ Hot Stuff – Kygo & Donna Summer

I made my own version of the TikTok Baked Feta, and here is my recipe.

Ingredients

~ 2 pints grape tomatoes
~ 8 oz block Feta (I think mine was more like 10-12oz and that worked fine, after all it is cheese!)
~ 4 cloves garlic, minced or through a press
~ 10 oz pasta
~ olive oil
~ salt and pepper
~ optional: parmesan cheese, basil, capers, shallots, etc.

I am excited to remake this recipe in the summer, when we have an abundance of tomatoes in the garden!

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the tomatoes and garlic in a baking dish. I used a pan approx 9 x 11″ but I think 8 x 8″ would be fine as well.

Drizzle with olive oil and any seasonings (I used pepper and some red pepper flakes), and used a spatula to lightly mix the ingredients and coat the tomatoes.

Place the Feta block in the middle, drizzling with olive oil and sprinkling with pepper.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 35-45 minutes. Keep an eye on the pan as it was clearly done before the 45 minute mark. The Feta should be browning, and the tomatoes should burst and start to brown.

** Before the timer hit 45 minutes, the oven started to put off a strong smoky, greasy odor, so I pulled the dish out. The tomatoes could have definitely roasted some more, but it wasn’t worth filling up the house with a greasy burnt smell, so I called it. If you watch the TikTok video, it says the dish is done when the smoke alarm goes off!

While the tomato and feta pan is in the oven, cook the pasta according to the directions. I cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water in case you need it. * My tip: cook the whole box of pasta, usually about 12-16oz. This way you can choose how much you want to mix with the tomato and Feta mix.

Once the pasta is done, you can mix it with the with the pan of tomato and Feta. I started by chopping up the Feta a bit with the end of a spatula and mixing with the tomatoes. Then add in the pasta slowly, until it seems like the best ratio of pasta to tomatoes. I really think this could vary depending on the tomatoes you use, as mine were quite ripe.

You can see there was a lot of tomato juice in the pan, but depending on the tomatoes, it could vary. The grape tomatoes I used were quite ripe, but I have used ones that had more of a dry or woody texture.

I added the pasta right into my baking dish and tossed it in the pan. I also did not need to use the reserved pasta water, I think mostly due to the water content of the tomatoes.

You can garnish with basil (which I did not do for this round of this recipe). Another great reason to make this in the spring or summer when there is an abundance of fresh tomatoes and basil!

My thoughts and tips

  • I actually enjoyed this recipe more than I anticipated!
  • I thought the Feta had a great consistency and taste. I was worried it would have too much of a salty and funky taste, but it gained a nice chewy texture and had a more generic cheesy taste than I expected from Feta.
  • The tomatoes were a bit sweet, so I am glad that we went with grape tomatoes and not cherry tomatoes. While I am not normally a fan of sweet pasta sauce, the tomatoes were quite flavorful and had a great “tomato sauce” flavor. The “sauce” was sweet but not unlikeable, but it might have been a bit too sweet if I had used cherry tomatoes. Next time I make this, I might add in some capers or olives to cut the tomato taste a little bit.
  • The original TikTok recipe involves baking the pasta into the dish, but I wanted to toss it separately (precooked), and I was happy with my version.
  • I actually topped this pasta with Parmesan cheese. I thought it might be a strange combination with the Feta, but it made for a smoother flavor, perhaps making it a bit less tangy or acidic.
  • Tinker with the amount of pasta you use and reserved pasta water. Make the whole box of pasta, but start by adding only part of it to the tomato Feta mixture at a time. The leftovers will make for an easy leftover another time, but saves on cooking.

Marysa

About the Author: Marysa

Busy blogger and mom of two girls! We love traveling and the great outdoors, and are always looking for our next adventure. I have been a vegetarian since I was a kid, and enjoy finding fun new recipes for our family.