Grape tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and black olives are baked in olive oil with a whole block of creamy feta cheese in this Mediterranean Baked Feta Pasta recipe. Inspired by the viral TikTok sensation, this easy pasta dinner is some serious deliciousness!
Easy TikTok Inspired Baked Feta Pasta
Have you seen all the TikTok feta pasta dishes? They are everywhere! A simple block of feta cheese is surrounded by tomatoes, baked, and stirred together with olive oil and seasonings to make an easy oven-baked pasta sauce. The results look absolutely mouthwatering, and I’m here to tell you, it’s the real deal! I grew up on this stuff and have loved it my entire life.
It doesn’t take much to make feta delicious. I mean, it’s basically delicious as-is! But, baked with tomatoes until the tomatoes softly burst, now THAT is good eatin’. I decided to take this nifty recipe and play up the Mediterranean vibe by adding some of my favorite ingredients. It’s very similar to my Baked Feta Appetizer, but it’s a lovely entree with elbow pasta mixed in!
All you have to do to serve this up is cook your favorite pasta and mix it into your feta sauce, which makes it a wonderful, easy recipe to serve anytime! And, it’s extra perfect to serve with a tall glass of wine. 🍷 Cheers! Na Zdravje! (To Health!)
What You’ll Need
For my version of this baked feta pasta dish, I’m using classic Mediterranean flavors and ingredients. Feta is a common cheese throughout the Mediterranean and the Balkans, and it goes perfectly with olives, peppers, and herbs. It’s creamy, flavorFUL, and an easy to make meal that takes about 30 minutes!
- Pasta: You’ll need 8 ounces of pasta. I almost always use low-carb pasta, but you can use whatever you like!
- Feta Cheese: One 8-ounce block of feta is the star of this show!
- Grape Tomatoes: I use grape tomatoes for my pasta. Four cups is the amount you’ll need.
- Garlic: Mince three cloves of fresh garlic, or put it through a garlic press.
- Roasted Red Pepper: Usually sold in jars or cans near the pickles and olives, ½ cup of roasted red pepper strips add a delicious flavor to this pasta dish.
- Olives: You’ll need ½ cup of sliced black olives.
- Oregano and Thyme: These two dried herbs add a special Mediterranean flair to the sauce.
- Salt and Pepper
- Olive Oil: For drizzling, about two tablespoons. I recommend extra virgin olive oil.
- Basil: thinly slice (chiffonade) 6 fresh basil leaves, plus a few more for garnish.
- Parsley: You’ll need 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish.
How to Make Mediterranean Baked Feta Pasta
One reason recipes like this go viral is definitely the easiness factor! We all want to feel like we can actually accomplish the dish, right? And this one actually is as easy as it looks! Just cook the pasta and bake the other ingredients.
- Prep the Oven and Macaroni. Preheat the oven to 425˚F, and also boil the macaroni in a large pot according to the package directions.
- Bake the Feta. While the macaroni cooks, place the block of feta in the center of a large baking dish. Arrange the grape tomatoes, red pepper strips, and olives around the feta. Season with oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper; drizzle with oil. Gently mix to coat and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Mix the “Sauce.” Remove the dish from the oven; the tomatoes should be soft. Using the back of a spoon, press the feta until creamy, and gently stir everything together until combined. Stir in the basil and parsley.
- Add the Pasta to the Sauce. Drain the macaroni well, and then add to the feta-sauce. Stir gently to combine. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Garnish with basil and parsley. Serve.
Tips for Success
- Use the Right Feta: While I think this dish would be delicious no matter what feta cheese you use, you’ll probably have the best results using brined feta. It tends to be creamier, tastier, and will make a richer sauce.
- Use the Right Tomatoes: This is a perfect recipe for cherry or grape tomatoes. While it would still be delicious with chopped Roma or beefsteak tomatoes, the texture and sweetness of smaller, more vibrant tomatoes are perfect once they’re baked and crushed together with the other ingredients.
- Use a Small to Medium Pasta: Some of the videos I’ve seen of this dish use large pasta shapes, but I think elbows, farfalle, and other smaller pasta shapes are a great choice. They blend together with the cheese and tomatoes more easily and create a more pleasing bite!
What Goes with Baked Feta Pasta?
What goes well with this vibrant pasta dish? I like to serve pasta with something simple, like salad and breadsticks, but you can also try some of these tasty dishes!
- Broccolini: This healthy side dish of Easy Garlic Broccolini is full of flavor and helps to round out the meal with its tender texture and fresh green color.
- Sweet Potato Wedges: Confession—I could eat these delicious Crispy Sweet Potato Wedges with just about anything! But, I think the sweetness of the potatoes and their crispy texture really shine next to the ripe tomatoes and creamy, tangy feta in this dish.
- Homemade Bread: My No-Rise Slow Cooker Basil Pesto Bread goes perfectly with the Mediterranean flavors of the pasta, and it’s so easy to make! Your whole house will smell heavenly when you bake this simple loaf.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- To store this yummy pasta, just place any leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for one to two days.
- To reheat, place leftovers in a covered skillet on low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. If the pasta seems a little dry, you can add a splash of water or a bit of olive oil, or both.
ENJOY!
Mediterranean Baked Feta Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni, (I use these low carb macaroni)
- 1 8-ounces block feta cheese, (you can also use fat free feta cheese)
- 4 cups grape tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup roasted red pepper strips, usually sold in jars or cans
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade), plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Cook macaroni according to the package directions.
- In the meantime, place block of feta in the center of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Add tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and olives around the feta; season everything with oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir in the garlic.
- Drizzle tomatoes and top of feta with olive oil; gently stir around the tomatoes to coat with the oil.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until feta is soft and tomatoes are bursting.
- Remove from oven.
- With the back of a spoon, press down on the block of feta cheese to make it creamy; then gently stir everything together until completely combined.
- Stir in sliced basil and parsley.
- Drain pasta.
- Add pasta to the feta sauce; stir to combine.
- Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Some feta is saltier, especially the ones sold in brine, so you may or may not need to add more salt.
- Garnish pasta with more basil and parsley.
- Serve.
Notes
- WW POINTS: If you use low carb pasta and fat free feta cheese, points are reduced down to just 3 per serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Can I make this ahead for a pot luck. If so info please
Wouldn’t recommend with pasta at all. Would’ve been perfect if left alone for dipping as an appetizer like Tik Tok initially recommended (and author mentioned a similar app recipe).
Also noticed the recipe instructions don’t mention what to do with the garlic it recommends using.
This looks so good! I cannot wait to make it!
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Very nice esp if you’re a fan of cherry/grape tomatoes, I guess. 🙂
Yummy! My boyfriend and I loved this recipe! I will definitely be making this again soon! So excited!
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I should try this pasta. It’s always a hit in my family!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This Mediterranean Baked Feta Pasta looks incredibly delicious!
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
We absolutely loved every single bite of this dish! It was so easy to make and so flavorful!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This pasta is so delicious! Very easy too
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This looks so amazing and so tasty! My family is going to love this recipe! So excited to give this a try!
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
This baked feta pasta is truly worth all the rave! So easy to make and such a hearty and delicious dinner recipe. The entire family ENJOYED it!
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This is seriously so incredibly good! I love the way the feta mixes with the olive oil and tomatoes to make a delicious sauce! Perfect for scooping up with some toasted Italian Bread!
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂