Original Baked Feta Pasta Recipe (Viral Tiktok Pasta)

This Baked Feta Pasta recipe is one of the most viral tik tok recipes on the planet. I first shared the original recipe in 2019 after hearing about Finnish Blogger, Liemessa's, viral recipe. I had a Finnish friend translate it and then I shared it on social media.This baked feta pasta recipe went viral on my instagram and tiktok and then became the most googled recipe of the year in 2021! To make it, simply fill a baking dish with a block of feta cheese, tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper and bake. Toss with fresh garlic, cooked pasta, and basil and you've got dinner handled!

Who Invented Feta Pasta?

If you're looking for the history of feta pasta, you have come to the right place!

As a food blogger who's always looking for new food trends on social media, I knew I was onto something when I first heard about this recipe in 2019.

My friend Milla from Finland shared a translated version of this cheesy pasta recipe with me back then and I immediately shared it on my instagram. It immediately started taking off since every one loves cheesy easy pasta recipes. 

But then it went absolutely insane two years later on tiktok and instagram when everyone started sharing my version of this recipe on social media.

Before that, this viral recipe (known originally as #uunifetapasta) was made famous in Finland by a blogger @liemessa in 2019. You can find her original post for oven-baked feta pasta with the full instructions here -- just select the translate option in the corner!

BUT after getting a ton of messages from other Finnish people, I heard there was more to it. Turns out, another Finnish blogger named Tiiu Piret posted about it in the first place on her blog lainahoyhenissa back in February of 2018!  Here is Tiiu's insta if you'd like to give her a follow!

Since then, this recipe has taken on its own identity (and for good reason!) and I feel so luck that I was the one who brought this viral recipe to the states.

But with it, came SO much drama!!! I even made a little insta story highlight for those looking for all the details.

Regardless, this baked feta pasta recipe is probably the best thing that has ever happened to me and I'm so grateful!

What is the Viral Feta Pasta?

Feta pasta is quite simply one of the most viral recipes of all time. It's an easy pasta dish that's made with an entire block of feta cheese, 2 pints of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil and al dente pasta. 

In this dish, the a block of feta cheese is baked with tomatoes and a bunch of olive oil in a casserole dish. As it bakes on high heat, the bursting cherry tomatoes meld with the block of feta cheese. Once cooked, it's the perfect time to add in fresh garlic and any other seasonings that will cook with the residual heat. 

Then it's time for some al dente pasta and fresh herbs. I recommend basil but I've seen people do it with fresh thyme, fresh oregano and even parsley.

Once combined, the whole thing is stirred up to create an irresistible creamy sauce that is incredibly delicious. 

Best of all, this method is doable with other ingredients. For more inspiration, I have a whole collection that's available at the bottom of this post. 

Ingredients & Substitutions

(scroll to the bottom for exact measurements & printable recipe card!)

• Al Dente Pasta - Use whatever kind of pasta shape you'd like! I love bowtie pasta, pasta shells and orzo the best!
• Feta Cheese - Use a block of feta cheese for best results. There are quite a few different kinds of greek feta but I recommend using cow's milk feta over sheep's milk. Crumbled feta works too but doesn't melt as beautifully. You could also use cream cheese, boursin cheese or goat cheese. 
• Fresh Tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes work best but grape tomatoes also work! And if they're a little wilted and old, even better! They make the dish sweeter.
• Garlic Cloves- I highly recommend fresh garlic cloves... not the processed chopped kind that you can buy at the grocery.
• Basil - Fresh basil works best but you could also swap it for other fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or oregano if needed.
• Kosher Salt - Kosher salt works best for my recipe but you could also use pink himalayan or flaky salt. 
• Red Pepper Flakes - The original recipe uses chiles but i swapped it out for red pepper flakes because i always have it on hand. 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Any extra virgin olive oil will do! Just don't skimp, you want the tomatoes swimming in olive oil!
• Balsamic Glaze - This is optional but if your tomatoes are too tart, I like adding a drizzle to sweeten up the creamy sauce. 
• Optional Additions: The possibilities are endless when it comes to feta pasta! Try adding in rotisserie chicken, sliced chicken breasts, or any leftover chicken you have on hand for more protein. I've also seen tons of people add fresh spinach, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, lemon juice and balsamic glaze.

How to make Tiktok Pasta

The best thing about making the viral baked feta pasta dish is super easy. And to be honest, I think that's why the viral videos of this cheesy pasta recipe took off.

Preheat Oven: To begin, simply preheat your oven to 400F. 

Prepare Baking Dish: While it's preheating, toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt and fresh cracked black pepper in a baking dish or casserole dish. Place feta cheese in the middle of the baking dish. Then add another glug of extra virgin olive oil on top along with some red pepper flakes.

Bake it Round 1: Then it's time to bake the whole thing for 30 minutes.

Cook Pasta: At this point, you'll want to cook some al dente pasta in a large pot of salted water. Once it's done, drain pasta and reserve a cup pasta water.

Final Bake at Higher Heat:  At this point, you'll want hen turn it on 450 and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the feta is brown and the tomatoes have burst. 

Prep Garlic and Basil: While it's baking, roughly chop the garlic and get the basil ready. 

Add Garlic & Basil: Remove the baking dish from the oven and add chopped garlic and basil and stir. The residual heat will cook the garlic and pepper flakes perfectly! Then it's time to stir the ingredients together to create the creamy sauce. 

Add Pasta:  Then toss it with pasta and stir. Once it's perfectly creamy, then it's ready to serve! If it's a little dry, add ¼ cup of pasta water and stir it up -- this will help loosen the sauce and make it silky!

Serve or Save: If you taste it and the tomatoes are more tart than sweet, I recommend adding a drizzle of balsamic glaze to help balance the flavorful sauce. And although this feta pasta is best served right away, you can place the leftovers in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for 4 days.

Tips and Tricks

• SIZE MATTERS - Make sure you're using a small baking dish so the tomatoes are crowded together and swimming in olive oil. This will help the tomatoes confit and turn into their most delicious selves!
• TOO DRY? - If you find that your baked feta pasta is too dry -- I've got an easy fix and great way to make it creamier flavorful sauce. Simply add ½ cup or a half cup of starchy pasta water and stir it up. If it's still too dry, then add another scoop of pasta water and stir to create the perfect creamy sauce for the whole family. 
• FULL FAT FTW - Sure, reduced fat feta will work but the full fat variety will be best!
• WHAT IF YOU ONLY HAVE CRUMBLED FETA?  Don't worry, crumbled feta will still work! Just try your best to keep the feta crumbled piled up in the middle. 
• HOW TO MAKE IT VEGAN - Follow the recipe as is but do not add the vegan feta until the last 5-10 minutes because it will melt and splatter all over your oven. 
• LOW CARB VERSION - Try swapping out the noodles for zoodles or spaghetti squash.
• OTHER PASTA SHAPES - I personally love using orzo (or another other short pasta shape) but you could try rigatoni, macaroni, radiatori, or pretty much any cute pasta shape your heart desires!

More Baked Feta Pasta Inspired Recipes

All of these new recipes use the baked feta pasta method which is quick, easy, and delicious! I know you're going to love these the next time you want something easy and delicious. 

• Baked Feta Pasta with Butternut Squash, Hot Honey & Sage
• Spaghetti Squash Baked Feta Pasta
• Springtime Baked Goat Cheese Pasta with Asparagus, Peas & Herbs
• Baked Queso Mac and Cheese
• Baked Blue Cheese Pasta with Bacon, Spinach & Tomatoes
• Garlic Confit Baked Feta Pasta
• Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
• Hummus Baked Feta Pasta

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