Baked Feta Pasta has become a major viral trend across the globe and is being called the “TikTok pasta.” Watch the video tutorial and you’ll be amazed how the feta cheese turns into a creamy pasta sauce.

Feta and tomatoes in casserole dish for baked feta pasta

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

We love easy pasta casseroles from Baked Ziti to Chicken Tetrazzini and of course Classic Lasagna. If you are a fan of pasta recipes, this Baked Feta Pasta is a must-try!

Baked Feta Pasta Video Tutorial:

If you enjoyed this video for Baked Feta Pasta, please  (P.S. Click the BELL icon so you can be the first to know when we post a new video). Thank you for subscribing!

What is Feta Pasta?

Baked Feta pasta is a brilliant way to create pasta sauce. You bake a block of feta in a casserole dish together with tomatoes, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and a little salt and pepper. Once the tomatoes burst and cheese starts melting, you pull it out of the oven and mash the cheese into a creamy pasta sauce that melds with olive oil and juicy tomatoes.

This is our spin on this Baked Creamy Feta pasta with tomatoes and asparagus because my daughter loves the asparagus and my son swoons over those roasted tomatoes.

Feta Pasta Casserole

Origin of Feta Pasta

The Baked Feta pasta craze was started in 2019 by Tiiu Piret and Liemessa, two bloggers from Finland. Liemessa’s recipe was then adapted in the US by Grilled Cheese Social which went viral on TikTok and became a major trend. 

Ingredients for Baked Feta Pasta

  • Tomatoes – cherry or grape tomatoes work great.
  • Asparagus – we added it for more veggies but you can omit if desired.
  • Olive oil – an extra virgin olive oil has the best flavor.
  • Salt and pepper – a little goes a long way since the cheese is naturally salty.
  • Feta cheese – block-style feta is best and will give you the creamiest consistency. Greek or French Feta cheese is slightly creamier but USA Feta made from cow’s milk also works great.
  • Pasta – short pasta is easier to mix in (see our favorite varieties below).
  • Parsley – use a generous 1/4 cup or substitute with fresh chopped basil.
  • Garlic – Add half while baking and the rest as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Ingredients for baked pasta with feta and tomatoes

The Best Pasta to Use

We use short pasta for feta pasta because it is much easier to stir and combine with the cheesy sauce. Use only 8 to 10 oz or it will overwhelm the sauce. These are some of our favorite options:

  • Row 1: Penne, Rigatoni, Fusilli
  • Row 2: Gemelli, Trottole, Cavatapi
6 varieties of pasta in cups

Pasta Cooking Tip: The key to a great pasta casserole is to cook the pasta until it is al dente in salted water according to package instructions. Use at least a Tablespoon of salt in your boiling water.

How to Make Baked Feta Pasta

This recipe couldn’t get any easier. Your veggies and sauce bake together in the oven while your pasta boils on the stove, then you marry them together and you have an incredible baked Feta Pasta.

  1. Prepare veggies – in a 9×13 casserole dish, combine tomatoes, asparagus, 1/3 cup olive oil, half of your minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine and create a space in the center.
  2. Add Feta cheese – place an 8 oz block of feta cheese in the center and drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil and some black pepper. Bake at 400˚F for 30 minutes, until tomatoes start to burst.
  3. Cook pasta – about halfway through the baking time, start cooking your pasta in a pot of salted water until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup hot pasta water.
  4. Add garlic and herbs – remove the finished casserole from the oven, add finely chopped parsley and remaining minced garlic and use the back of a spoon to mash the cheese into the oil and juices released from tomatoes.
  5. Add pasta – drain the pasta and add it to the hot cheesy sauce and toss to combine.
Baked feta and tomatoes in casserole dish

Pro Tip: To make the pasta creamier or saucier, add hot pasta water to reach desired consistency. If the water cools down, warm it up in the microwave until steaming hot.

Common Questions:

Can I add protein to feta pasta?

You can replace asparagus with chicken tenders. My sister made this with a pound of chicken tenders, roasting them in the same pan with the cheese and tomatoes.

Can I substitute the tomatoes?

I don’t recommend substituting tomatoes since their juice helps for the sauce. We haven’t found anything that works as well as tomatoes.

Can I use less oil?

The oil is important to forming the right saucy consistency. I would not recommend reducing the amount of olive oil.

Does feta pasta reheat well?

Yes! One of the things I love about feta pasta is that it reheats well. Unlike a heavy cream-based sauce which can separate, this one reheats creamy. Add a splash of pasta cooking water or filtered water to keep it moist when reheating in the microwave.

Feta Pasta Casserole with juicy tomatoes

This is one of the easiest ways to prepare a rich-tasting pasta. If you try baked feta pasta with your own spin on it, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Serve With

We love to serve Baked Feta Pasta as a main course paired with lean proteins and these simple sides:

Creamy Baked Feta Pasta

4.98 from 234 votes
Baked feta and tomatoes pasta
Feta Pasta with tomatoes and asparagus is a creamy and easy pasta casserole. Cook the pasta while the cheese and tomatoes bake for a quick dinner.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 people
  • 4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 8 oz asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil , plus 1 Tbsp to drizzle over cheese
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 8 oz block Feta Cheese
  • 10 oz penne pasta
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely minced, divided
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, or basil, finely minced

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400˚F. Add tomatoes and asparagus to a 9×13 casserole. Add 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt. Toss to combine. Make a space in the center and place your 8 oz block of feta in the pan. Drizzle the top with 1 Tbsp olive oil and another sprinkle of black pepper. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes until tomatoes start to burst.
  • About halfway through your baking time, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook according to package instructions, stirring a few times to keep the pasta from sticking. Drain pasta (reserving some cooking water if you decide to add it later).
  • After 30 minutes, the tomatoes should burst and start to release their juice. Remove from the oven and immediately stir in remaining minced garlic and parsley and toss to combine. Use the back of a large spoon to press the cheese into the olive oil and stir until cheese is well dispersed in the dish.
  • Stir in drained cooked pasta. Add reserved pasta water if desired. Serve warm. Be mindful of those tomatoes (the juicy centers can be very hot if you eat them right away). Add reserved hot pasta water as desired for saucier pasta.

Nutrition Per Serving

411kcal Calories43g Carbs14g Protein21g Fat7g Saturated Fat34mg Cholesterol535mg Sodium446mg Potassium3g Fiber6g Sugar1143IU Vitamin A29mg Vitamin C224mg Calcium3mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Baked Feta Pasta
Amount per Serving
Calories
411
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
21
g
32
%
Saturated Fat
 
7
g
44
%
Cholesterol
 
34
mg
11
%
Sodium
 
535
mg
23
%
Potassium
 
446
mg
13
%
Carbohydrates
 
43
g
14
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
6
g
7
%
Protein
 
14
g
28
%
Vitamin A
 
1143
IU
23
%
Vitamin C
 
29
mg
35
%
Calcium
 
224
mg
22
%
Iron
 
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Finnish
Keyword: baked feta pasta, feta pasta, tiktok pasta
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 411
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
4.98 from 234 votes (105 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Lisa
    January 26, 2022

    Love these recipes!!!
    Very easy and simply delicious!
    Easy to have the kids help with the cooking 🤩

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 26, 2022

      ISn’t it the best when the kids help in the kitchen?! I’m so glad you loved it!

      Reply

  • Inna Gavrishchuk
    December 2, 2021

    Did not think it would taste as good as it did. Absolutely obsessed and I will definitely be making this at least once a month. I did make it with basil because I’m not a huge fan of parsley. Did not disappoint!!! Def a must try.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 3, 2021

      Thank you so much for your good comments and feedback, Inna. We appreciate your review!

      Reply

  • Claudia Torres
    November 26, 2021

    Natasha, You are my go to for anything I want to cook! Love your recipes and you! They are easy and no special ingredients; a BIG plus.
    This is my new favorite go to for pasta. I love all the flavors that the feta adds along with the tomatoes.
    I made this with shrimp recently adding the sautéed shrimp along with the pasta. Delicious!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 26, 2021

      Thank you for the lovely review, Claudia!

      Reply

  • Lorraine
    November 24, 2021

    I made this tonight for dinner was good but I found it to be a little to salty for my liking. I did don’t add any salt at all. Wonder if it can be made with a cheese that’s a little less salty.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      November 25, 2021

      Hi Lorraine, since there is no salt added, that would be the best way to adjust the salt is to look at the sodium content when buying the cheese.

      Reply

  • Shelley Ross
    November 11, 2021

    Can l use canned diced tomatoes for creamy baked feta
    Pasta.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 11, 2021

      Hi Shelley, I haven’t tried that so I can only guess. You might google to see if anyone else has tried that.

      Reply

  • Gail Francis
    November 8, 2021

    I use this recipe frequently and we just love it. Natasha. I follow you faithfully and love your recipes and your methods. I’m your biggest fan.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 9, 2021

      Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Gail! I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying my recipes!

      Reply

  • Judy
    October 31, 2021

    Want to try this!!! Sounds amazing! My question is this…. Why do you say “substitute the asparagus when you add chicken”. Couldn’t I use both?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 1, 2021

      Hi Judy! You absolutely can use both!

      Reply

  • Chanin Carr
    October 15, 2021

    I made this exactly as written last night using basil, and it turned out so delicious! My husband and I loved it. The tomatoes and asparagus cooked perfectly in the 30 minutes the recipe stated. We will definitely not only be sharing this recipe, but cooking it over and over again. Easy to make, but looks and tastes gourmet. Looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today!

    Reply

    • October 15, 2021

      Haha that’s great, keeping that secret all to yourselves. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.😊.

      Reply

  • bonnie
    October 9, 2021

    hi, this is my second time making this recipe.. the market had white asparagus ad yellow grape tomato.. i love the white asparagus, i find it even more tender..

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 10, 2021

      Great! Thanks for sharing that with us, Bonnie.

      Reply

  • Thea
    September 25, 2021

    Just love you and your recipes. I love if you do some gluten free ones.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 25, 2021

      Aww! Thank you for sharing that with me, Thea! I’m so happy you love my recipes!

      Reply

    • Stacy
      October 18, 2021

      What could you use in place of the tomatoes, not a fan and if you added diced chicken, do you cook it first or let it cook with the veggies?

      Reply

  • Marisa
    September 22, 2021

    Would the chicken tenders be breaded?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 22, 2021

      Hi Marisa, no we used raw chicken tenders strips to add chicken. I hope that helps.

      Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 22, 2021

      Hi Marisa, no we used raw chicken tenders strips to add chicken. I hope that helps.

      Reply

    • Lori
      October 19, 2021

      I’ve made this several times, always delicious! Last night, I did not have asparagus so I substituted broccoli, red & yellow peppers and artichoke hearts, it was devine! Restaurant quality!
      Thanks Natasha!

      Reply

      • Natasha's Kitchen
        October 19, 2021

        Thanks for your great feedback, Lori!

        Reply

  • Janet M.
    September 21, 2021

    My 11-year-old son is so very picky. He LOVED this! Thank you! The chicken came apart beautifully, I suggest cooking the tenders whole as instructed with substituting for the asparagus, and just use the spoon you smash the cheese with at the end to break-apart the tenders into smaller peices, then stir them in to coat with the cheese. SO GOOD!!! Thanks again!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 21, 2021

      Hi Janet, thanks for your great feedback. I’m glad your son enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your wonderful feedback.

      Reply

  • Marisa
    September 19, 2021

    Hi Natasha,
    Can’t wait to try this. What would the measurement be if I wanted to use dried parsley and not fresh?
    Marisa

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 19, 2021

      Hi Marisa, a good rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon dried herb

      Reply

  • Jillian
    September 16, 2021

    Hi. Can this be cooked in a Microwave Oven?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 16, 2021

      Hi Jillian, it reheats well in the microwave, but it needs that oven to bake properly. I haven’t tried it in just the microwave to advise. If you happen to experiment, I’d love to know how you like that!

      Reply

  • Rita
    September 13, 2021

    Just made this for dinner. So easy and quick. I added bite size pieces of chicken to it.
    Was very delicious. I will definitely make again. Thank you

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 13, 2021

      Yay! I’m so happy to hear you’re going to make this again! It sounds like this may become a new family favorite!

      Reply

  • Lisa
    September 2, 2021

    Can I use whole or Roma tomato cut up instead of cherry?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 2, 2021

      Hi Lisa, that will work too

      Reply

  • Amy Wonder
    August 27, 2021

    Should the chicken tenders be cooked?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 28, 2021

      Hi Amy, please see the “Can I add protein to feta pasta?” section. We answer that there. I hope that helps!

      Reply

    • Janet M.
      September 21, 2021

      No they cook in the first step with the cherry tomatoes, in place of the asparagus. After they cook, they actually fall apart into bite-size strips or pieces, which was just right! Yum!

      Reply

  • ChristineT
    August 25, 2021

    Hi Natasha,
    I love this easy pasta recipe of yours. May I know can I replace the feta cheese with mozzarella cheese or any other type of cheese you would suggest? As I am not a fan of goat or strong gamy cheese.

    Thanks, Christine

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 26, 2021

      Hi Christine, I haven’t tried that yet but I have seen others use goat cheese as well.

      Reply

    • Janet M.
      September 21, 2021

      Hi Christine, I can imagine using a firmer ricotta and adding so extra-fine parmesan and/or parmesan-asiago blend mixed in to achieve a stronger flavor (maybe add some garlic powder to the ricotta mixture for extra strong taste as well).

      Reply

      • Janet
        September 21, 2021

        It is also milder, more tart, different-tasting baked, you might like Feta when it is baked.

        Reply

  • Lana
    August 23, 2021

    Soooo good and so easy!! I love great weeknight recipes like this. We like to bake some chicken as well to add some extra protein! I also swapped asparagus for zucchini and it is delicious! Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 23, 2021

      You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Lana!

      Reply

  • Emily
    August 20, 2021

    looks really good.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 21, 2021

      I hope you try and love it!

      Reply

As Featured On

Never Go "Hangry" Again!

Get weekly updates on new recipes, exclusive giveaways plus behind the scenes photos.