Baked Feta and Tomato Pasta

Name: Baked Feta and Tomato Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 8 oz block feta cheese; 1 pint cherry tomatoes; 1/4 cup olive oil; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 lb casarecce pasta, cooked; 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Baked Feta and Tomato Pasta is a Mediterranean-inspired dish where a block of feta cheese is roasted with cherry tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil until creamy, then tossed with cooked pasta for a simple, naturally creamy sauce that requires no heavy cream.

🌍Mediterranean 🏷️Baked feta pasta 🏷️Pasta 🏷️Feta cheese 🏷️Cherry tomatoes One-pan meal

🏷️

🏷️Viral recipe

-0:00

TikTok

Total

35 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$17–$28

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

-0:00

TikTok

Ingredients

8 oz block feta cheese
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb casarecce pasta, cooked
1 tsp Italian seasoningoptional

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Instructions

1
Place the block of feta cheese in the center of a baking dish.
2
Surround the feta with cherry tomatoes and drizzle generously with olive oil.
3
Season with salt and black pepper.
4
Bake until the tomatoes have burst and the feta is soft and golden brown. (Note: Video does not specify temperature or time, but 400°F for 25-30 minutes is standard).
5
Add minced garlic to the hot dish.
6
Using a spatula, mash the baked feta and burst tomatoes together to form a creamy sauce.
7
Add cooked pasta to the baking dish.
8
Stir everything together until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce.
9
Garnish with Italian seasoning and more black pepper before serving.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Use a block of full-fat feta in brine, not crumbled feta—it will collapse into a creamy sauce rather than break apart.
Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining; add it gradually to the baked feta mixture to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta evenly.
Bake the feta and tomatoes at 400°F for 25–30 minutes until the feta is soft and collapsing and the tomato skins blister.
Toss the hot pasta directly into the baking dish to warm the pasta and help the creamy feta fully emulsify as a sauce.

Substitutions

Casarecce → penne, rigatoni, or farfalle (short pasta holds sauce better than long pasta)
Cherry tomatoes → grape tomatoes (1:1 ratio; drain excess liquid if using regular tomatoes)
Italian seasoning → 1 tsp dried oregano + ½ tsp dried basil + pinch of red pepper flakes

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or pasta water to loosen.

Common Questions

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare the baked feta and tomato mixture up to 2 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of pasta water before tossing with freshly cooked pasta.

What type of feta cheese works best?

Blocks of full-fat, brined feta cheese yield the creamiest results. Crumbled feta will break apart during baking and won't create the same sauce consistency.

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Yes. Any short or medium pasta shape works—penne, rigatoni, or farfalle are good alternatives to casarecce. Avoid thin, long pasta like spaghetti, which won't hold the creamy sauce as well.

How do I know when the feta is done baking?

The feta should soften and begin to collapse slightly, and the tomatoes should start to blister and release their juices, typically 25–30 minutes at 400°F.