Description

Baked Feta Pasta, also known as TikTok Pasta, is a deliciously creamy and tangy dish featuring roasted grape tomatoes and a block of feta cheese baked to perfection. Combined with al dente pasta, fresh spinach, and aromatic herbs, this hearty recipe offers a balance of rich flavors and vibrant textures, all created with simple ingredients and easy steps. This popular dish is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a comforting meal any day of the week.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

2 pints (20 oz) grape tomatoes
5 medium garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
7 – 8 oz block feta cheese (sheep’s milk variety, drained)
10 oz dry pasta (campanelle, rigatoni, rotini, penne, bow tie, or cavatappi)
8 oz spinach, roughly chopped (about 8 packed cups)
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) to prepare for roasting the tomatoes and feta.
Prepare tomatoes and garlic: In a 3-quart baking dish, add the grape tomatoes and halved garlic cloves. Toss them with the olive oil and season with a few pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the block of feta cheese in the center of the tomato mixture and turn it gently to coat with the oil.
Bake at 400°F: Place the baking dish in the center of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. The tomatoes will soften and release their juices, and the feta will begin to soften.
Increase oven temperature and continue baking: Remove the baking dish from the oven. Move the oven rack to the upper third of the oven and increase the temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius). Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 10 more minutes, or until the tomatoes and cheese are slightly browned and caramelized on top.
Cook pasta: While the baking is finishing, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (use about 1 tablespoon salt per 3-4 quarts of water). Cook the dry pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.
Add spinach to pasta water: Right before draining, add the chopped spinach to the boiling pasta water. The spinach should wilt almost instantly. Drain the pasta and spinach together, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Combine baked mixture: Using the back of a wooden spoon, smash the roasted tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and softened feta cheese together in the baking dish. This creates a creamy sauce.
Toss pasta and sauce: Add the drained pasta and spinach to the baking dish with the sauce. Toss everything together to coat evenly.
Add herbs and seasoning: Stir in the fresh basil, minced parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes. Thin the sauce to your desired consistency by adding a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water at a time. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm: Serve the baked feta pasta warm, garnished with extra herbs or red pepper flakes if desired.

Notes

This dish is known as TikTok Pasta due to its viral popularity on social media.
The key to flavor is roasting the grape tomatoes and feta together until caramelized and soft.
Using sheep’s milk feta gives the sauce a tangy and creamy richness, but any quality feta will work.
Adding the spinach to the pasta water at the end ensures it wilts perfectly without becoming soggy.
Reserve pasta water is essential for thinning the sauce and helping it cling to the pasta.
This recipe is adaptable to various pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, or bow tie pasta.
For extra heat, increase the crushed red pepper flakes to your preference.
Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 554 kcal
Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 495 mg
Fat: 31 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 52 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 16 g
Cholesterol: 35 mg