Baked Feta Pasta turns a single feta brick and grape tomatoes into a creamy sauce for bow-tie pasta. Five tablespoons of olive oil are deliberately divided around the dish, and fresh basil is stirred in only after baking. This verified Mediterranean recipe serves four in 15 minutes preparation, 35 minutes cooking, and 50 minutes total at 350°F.
Baked Feta Pasta Ingredients
For Baking: 2 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, washed and dried; 8 oz brick of feta cheese; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided.
For Finishing: 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped; 12 oz bow tie pasta (farfalle).
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage.
How to Make Baked Feta Pasta
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare the baking dish: Add the grape tomatoes to a medium-sized baking dish, spreading them out evenly.
- Add the feta cheese: Place the brick of feta cheese in the center of the baking dish, surrounded by the tomatoes.
- Add first layer of oil: Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the tomatoes and cheese, making sure the tomatoes are well coated.
- Season the dish: Sprinkle the Italian seasoning and salt evenly over the cheese and tomatoes.
- Add remaining oil: Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil directly over the feta cheese.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until the tomatoes burst and the cheese becomes soft and slightly golden.
- Cook the pasta: While the feta and tomatoes are baking, cook the bow tie pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and keep warm.
- Combine all ingredients: Remove the baking dish from the oven. Immediately stir the softened cheese and burst tomatoes until well combined and creamy. Add the chopped fresh basil and stir again.
- Mix with pasta: Add the warm, cooked pasta to the baking dish and mix thoroughly until the pasta is well coated with the creamy feta-tomato sauce.
- Serve: Serve hot, optionally with extra basil on top and freshly ground black pepper if desired.
For storage details after serving, the USDA leftovers and food safety guidance.
Why the Order Matters
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread exactly 2 1/2 cups washed and dried grape tomatoes evenly in a medium baking dish, then place one intact 8-ounce feta brick in the center. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the total olive oil over both tomatoes and cheese, coating the tomatoes well. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon salt evenly across them, then drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil directly over the feta. Bake 30–35 minutes, until tomatoes burst and feta becomes soft and slightly golden. Meanwhile, cook 12 ounces bow-tie pasta by its package directions until al dente, drain, and keep warm. Immediately stir baked feta and tomatoes into a creamy mixture, add 1/4 cup chopped basil, then thoroughly coat the warm pasta and serve hot.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Spaghetti Garlic Bread Bowls.
Critical Visual and Timing Cues
Dry the washed tomatoes so the measured oil coats them instead of sliding into added water. Keep the feta as one centered brick during baking; crumbled feta behaves differently and is not the recorded form. The first three tablespoons oil cover the whole dish, while the final two go directly onto the cheese. At 30 minutes, check for visibly burst tomatoes and a feta block that yields easily and shows light golden color, continuing only toward 35 minutes if needed. Cook the farfalle concurrently but do not let it become soft: al dente pasta withstands the final mixing. Stir the hot baked contents immediately so tomato juices and softened feta emulsify, then add basil before folding in drained pasta.
Serving and Storage
Serve the four portions hot as soon as every bow tie is coated. Extra basil and freshly ground black pepper are optional serving suggestions, not required core ingredients. Recorded nutrition is 475 calories, 52 grams carbohydrate, 23 grams fat, and 15 grams protein per serving. Feta makes the recipe non-vegan and not dairy-free; conventional pasta supplies gluten, so it is not gluten-free, and it is not low-carb. The recipe is vegetarian. Cherry tomatoes may substitute for grape tomatoes, but preserve the 2 1/2-cup quantity. Use high-quality Greek or Danish block feta rather than pre-crumbled cheese for the intended melt and sauce texture. No verified storage instruction is provided, so avoid inventing one.
Practical Kitchen Notes
Use one medium dish, approximately 9 by 13 inches, one large pasta pot, a colander, and a wooden spoon or spatula. Keep all quantities unchanged: 2 1/2 cups tomatoes, one 8-ounce feta brick, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 5 tablespoons oil divided three-plus-two, 1/4 cup basil, and 12 ounces farfalle. The ingredient list does not contain garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, parmesan, or cream. Black pepper is only an optional serving note. Do not add pasta water unless a source explicitly directs it; this verified method forms its sauce from baked tomato juices, softened feta, and the measured olive oil alone.
Details Worth Preserving
Plan the pasta so it finishes near the end of the 30–35-minute bake. If it is ready early, drain and keep it warm as directed rather than rinsing it cold. Spread tomatoes around the feta instead of beneath it, giving them direct contact with the hot dish. Season evenly so no cluster receives all the Italian herbs or salt. When the dish emerges, stir carefully but decisively while everything is hot. Break down the cheese and press some burst tomatoes into their juices until creamy, then fold in basil. Add pasta last and turn it repeatedly until sauce reaches the folds of every bow tie. Serve without another bake, which would exceed the recorded method.
Recorded Recipe Tips
- This viral TikTok recipe creates a surprisingly creamy sauce from just baked feta cheese and tomatoes.
- For best results, use a block of high-quality Greek or Danish feta cheese, not pre-crumbled feta.
- Cherry tomatoes can be substituted for grape tomatoes if preferred.
Conclusion
Baked Feta Pasta makes 4 servings in 50 recorded minutes. Preserve every listed quantity, temperature, timing cue, and ordered instruction for the intended result.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How many servings does Baked Feta Pasta make?
It makes 4 servings and serves 4.
- → How long does Baked Feta Pasta take?
The recipe records 15 minutes of preparation, 35 minutes of cooking, and 50 minutes total.
- → Why should I use a block of feta instead of crumbled feta?
The verified method centers one 8-ounce feta brick, which softens into a cohesive creamy sauce as the surrounding tomatoes burst.
- → When are the feta and tomatoes ready to mix?
After 30–35 minutes, the tomatoes should be burst and the feta soft and slightly golden; stir them together immediately while hot.