That viral TikTok baked feta pasta recipe lives up to the hype: It’s simple, flavorful, and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. If you haven’t seen it in the wild, picture juicy cherry tomatoes roasted until they burst, nestled around a block of feta cheese that turns soft in the oven. As the cheese melts into the tomatoes’ juices, the two form a rich, creamy sauce, which you’ll toss with cooked pasta. The dish is sweet, savory, tangy, and salty—big wins all around.
One thing the original was missing? Heat. Calabrian chile paste brings a spicy kick to our version, cutting through the richness. It’s also endlessly customizable—add spinach or kale to the hot pan after roasting to wilt the greens into the sauce, or top with fresh basil or oregano. However it’s served, this easy pasta dish is a smart way to use up cherry tomatoes that are a bit past their prime, or off-season supermarket tomatoes that could use a boost.
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What you’ll need
13x9" Baking Dish
$20 At Amazon
Glass Measuring Cup
$26 At Amazon
Tongs
$21 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
1½
8
⅓
1
½
8
12
1
4
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°. Place 1½ lb. cherry or grape tomatoes and 8 garlic cloves, smashed, in a deep 13x9" baking dish. Pour ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil over and sprinkle with 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Place 8 oz. feta in the middle of the baking dish, nestling into tomatoes. Bake until tomatoes have burst and feta is softened, 35–40 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, cook 12 oz. medium pasta (such as campanelle, rigatoni, penne, rotini, farfalle, or cavatappi) in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.
Step 3
Remove baking dish from oven; add leaves from 1 bunch basil, reserving some for garnish, and 4 tsp. Calabrian chile paste or 2 drained Calabrian chiles, finely chopped, and stir to combine. Transfer pasta and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to baking dish and toss, adding more pasta water if needed, until pasta is well coated. Divide pasta among shallow bowls and serve, topped with more fresh basil leaves.
Editor’s note: This baked feta pasta recipe was first printed online in August 2022 as “Spicy Tomato Feta Pasta.” Head this way for more of our favorite feta cheese recipes →