Feta Pasta

It's easy and cheesy!

By Leah PerezPublished: May 23, 2023

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Caitlin Bensel

Meet one of Tik Tok’s most popular dishes of all time: cheesy baked feta pasta. This viral pasta bake took the internet by storm with millions of people whipping up their own versions and posting them to the world wide web for all to see. But just what made people fall in love with the dish? Well, it's simple, it's delicious, it only requires a few dishes, and it's ready in under an hour. That's certainly enough to win us over! With bursts of fresh tomatoes, salty feta, and refreshing basil, this incredibly easy spin on mac and cheese is built for dinnertime!

What is feta pasta made of?

It starts out by seasoning cherry tomatoes and red onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a baking dish. An entire block of feta is nestled in and topped with oil and spicy red pepper flakes. If you can’t find feta in a block, crumbled feta will work; it just might not be as creamy. This recipe also uses some cream cheese to accommodate the extra pasta and make the sauce even more decadent. While this bakes, boil some water for the pasta and chop up the remaining ingredients. When everything is cooked, mash the tomatoes with the cheeses and fold in chopped roasted red pepper, garlic, basil, and the cooked pasta shells. A few more drizzles of pasta water and this dish is all done!

What kind of pasta goes into feta pasta?

Any pasta shape would be fabulous in this versatile sauce. Lots of people opt for smaller pasta shapes with lots of rough ridges to capture all the delicious sauce. From shells to cavatappi to fusilli to penne, there is no going wrong!

What pairs well with feta pasta?

Crusty baguette, fluffy ciabatta, or airy focaccia would be great to sop up any extra sauce and a simple green salad or sautéed asparagus would pair nicely with the rich pasta sauce. You could even round out the meal with some protein like shrimp!

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Yields:: 6 - 8 serving(s)
Prep Time:: 10 mins
Total Time:: 45 mins

Ingredients

2 pt.
cherry tomatoes
1/4
red onion, sliced
1/4 c.
olive oil
1 tsp.
kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
1/2 tsp.
ground black pepper, plus more to serve
1
8-ounce block feta cheese
1
8-ounce block cream cheese
Pinch red pepper flakes, plus more to serve
1 lb.
medium shell pasta
2
cloves garlic, finely chopped
1
12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 c.
loosely packed basil leaves, chopped and divided

Nutrition Information

Per Serving (Serves 8)

Calories475 Fat24 gSaturated fat11 gTrans fat0 gCholesterol54 mgSodium596 mgCarbohydrates48 gFiber4 gSugar7 gProtein14 gVitamin D0 mcgCalcium197 mgIron2 mgPotassium475 mg

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Directions

1. Step 1Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Step 2In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the tomatoes, red onion, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Place the block of feta in the middle of the tomatoes and turn over once so the top is coated with olive oil. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and scatter over the tomatoes. Sprinkle red pepper flakes over the feta. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to burst.
3. Step 3Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
4. Step 4Remove the feta mixture from the oven and stir in the chopped garlic, roasted red peppers, and ½ of the basil leaves, breaking up the cheese and tomatoes to make a creamy sauce. Add the cooked pasta and stir well to combine. Add the pasta water to thin the sauce, as needed.
5. Step 5Top the pasta with the remaining basil and an extra sprinkle black pepper and red pepper flakes.