We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (2024)

We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (1)

by

Kate Bennert

food trends

feta

pasta

creamy

dinner

easy

quick + easy

comfort food

cheese

5-ingredient

When we saw the creamy TikTok-famous Baked Feta Pasta recipe making its way around the internet, we had to try it ourselves — and we used the recipe that made it famous on TikTok in the first place, from Grilled Cheese Social. MacKenzie from Grilled Cheese Social first got the recipe idea from a Finnish food artist in 2019 and eventually decided she had to bring the trend to the States. (We're so glad she did!)

So what did our culinary team member Kate Bennert think? Is it really THAT good? YEP.

"My favorite part about this trendy recipe is that I didn’t have to do anything! I didn't have to chop anything; I didn't have to babysit anything on the stove, and I barely had to clean anything. (And let's be real, I just left the pan in the sink "to soak.") I didn't even have to get out a knife! Usually, I tend to avoid these things because — as a professional cook — I do believe good food does involve some work. But let me tell you, it sure is nice to have a day off from the work part and still be able to enjoy something homemade and delicious. This recipe does it for me." –Kate

Pro tip: Be sure to pay attention to what kind of feta you choose for this recipe. I used a feta packaged in brine (so that it didn't dry out too much in the oven) and I tasted it before I seasoned the rest of my ingredients so as not to end up with a way-too-salty dinner.

Can't get enough feta?Try Rach's Grilled Feta, Baked Feta with Hot Honey + Herbs orValerie Bertinelli's Spicy Feta Dip.

Without further ado, here's Grilled Cheese Social's Baked Feta Pasta recipe—republished with permission.

Here's everything you'll need:

We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (2)

Rachael Ray Show

More TikTok-famous recipes:

15-Hour Potato

We Tried the TikTok 2-Ingredient Ice Cream Bread

Crispy Parmesan Cubes

TikTok Pasta Chips

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bowtie pasta
  • ½ cup olive oil, plus more for finishing
  • 2 boxes cherry tomatoes (around 20-25 ounces)
  • One 8-ounce block feta
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • A few pinches red pepper flakes
  • 1 handful fresh basil leaves
  • Salt and pepper

Yield

Serves: 4

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Add olive oil to a baking dish and toss with whole cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper until everything is coated.

Add the feta in the middle and top with a splash more of olive oil plus a few cranks of fresh pepper. Bake for 30 minutes.

We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (3)

Rachael Ray Show

We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (4)

Rachael Ray Show

Meanwhile, prepare bowtie pasta according to directions then strain.

After the 30 minutes has passed, crank the heat up to 450 and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the feta and tomatoes have browned.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and add garlic and red pepper flakes and stir so the residual heat cooks the garlic and releases the flavors from the red pepper flakes.

We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (5)

Rachael Ray Show

We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (6)

Rachael Ray Show

We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (7)

Rachael Ray Show

Toss in the pasta and stir one more time. Finish with fresh basil, another splash of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (8)

Rachael Ray Show

We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (9)

Rachael Ray Show

We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (10)

Rachael Ray Show

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We Tried The TikTok Recipe For Baked Feta Pasta + We're SOLD (2024)

FAQs

How do you make feta pasta less salty? ›

Because you store the feta in a brine solution, it is easy to over salt it. If you find that it is too salty, you can simply put the feta in some milk. The milk will draw out the salt and make it more palatable.

How did baked feta pasta gain recognition? ›

Though Tiiu Piret posted a version of the dish on her blog in February 2018, fellow Finnish blogger Jenni Hayrinen is credited with making uunifetapasta (Finnish for “oven-baked feta pasta”) go viral in her country after posting her simplified version a year later.

How do you tone down feta cheese? ›

Rinsing cheese under water may sound counterintuitive, but it's a surefire way to control the flavor of your feta. According to Olive Tomato, feta, at its best, is salty, rich, and tangy. While the cheese's flavor is undoubtedly distinct and part of its charm, you can have too much of a good thing.

What can you add to pasta to make it less salty? ›

Add an Acidic Ingredient

It won't reduce the sodium level of your dish, but adding an acidic ingredient, such as lemon juice, vinegar, or even a tomato product, can neutralize the saltiness of a dish. Start with a dash or a squeeze, stir well to combine, and give it a taste before adding any more.

Does adding potato reduce salt? ›

According to Wolke, while the potato does absorb some of the liquid and therefore tastes salty itself as a result, it doesn't actually remove excess salt any more than dipping in a dry kitchen sponge would.

What makes a recipe go viral on TikTok? ›

Here are some steps you can take to make your food recipes go viral on TikTok.
  1. Don't Go Overboard. If you make shooting your video or recipe too complicated, people get confused and won't stick around to see what you're doing. ...
  2. Share Your Hacks. ...
  3. Come Up with a Twist. ...
  4. Make It Special. ...
  5. Incorporate Feedback.
Oct 5, 2022

What are 2 facts about feta cheese? ›

Feta cheese can be made from sheep's milk or a combination of sheep and goat milks. Most cheese lovers say the best comes from sheep's milk. But keep in mind, true Feta cheese will contain, at most, 30% goat's milk. Feta is one of the world's oldest cheeses.

What is feta pasta made of? ›

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.

Why is my feta pasta not creamy? ›

Does feta cheese melt when heated? Used in many delicious dishes, feta will melt and soften when heated. This means it can be used as part of a flavorful sauce, but it won't turn creamy like other types of cheese. However, it will also maintain a stronger flavor when melted than many other cheeses!

Why is my baked feta not melting? ›

Feta cheese has a high moisture content and also a high acid content. This makes it not good for melting or flowing. Melted Feta is very chewy and not gooey at all (Which is what we like in melted cheese).

Is it OK to melt feta cheese? ›

Cooking: Feta melts well, turning soft, not gooey, and maintains its flavor when heated. One way to serve Feta which will blow your mind is to mix it with fresh melon of any kind. It's a life-changer. Check out this recipe, where we pair Feta, melon, and grilled Grouper (yes – FISH!) with Feta.

How do you make cheesy pasta less salty? ›

Acid: Adding vinegar or lemon juice does a great job of balancing saltiness. Sweetness: You can also add a dash of honey or sugar. Opposites attract here and create balance. Fat: Another fix is adding some fat, a few pads or butter or a healthy glug of olive oil can absorb some of that saltiness.

How do you offset too much salt? ›

Drizzle in a mild vinegar like all-purpose vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar to help mask the salt with acidity by distracting the taste buds. Sprinkle some citric acid in your dish. Citric acid is a solid ingredient so you can more easily control the portion than working with acidic liquids.

Why does feta have so much salt? ›

Additionally, during storage, the cheese block needs to be submerged in a brine of up to 7% salt. The finished product is a cheese that's high in sodium. In fact, feta cheese contains 312 mg of sodium in a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving, which can account for up to 13% of your RDI (2).

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