Baked feta pasta is almost too good to be true. The completely foolproof recipe tastes like something that took hours to put together, not minutes.

While Finnish food blogger Jenni Häyrinen came up with the idea for baked feta pasta back in 2019 (causing a country-wide feta cheese shortage in Finland), it has since been made in ovens around the world. Videos of people trying the dish—and putting their own spins on it!—have racked up millions of views on TikTok, including one from Feel Good Foodie founder Yumna Jawad.

“There’s something so sensational about this recipe because of its approachable ingredients where the output is greater than the sum of its parts,” she says. “You start simply with feta, tomatoes, and herbs and end up with something restaurant-quality made in the comfort of your home. My particular version of baked feta pasta is full of flavor from the fresh basil and creamy full-fat feta cheese.”

First, add your tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper to a baking dish. Then, place your block of feta cheese right in the middle and bake it in the oven. “When it comes out, add fresh garlic, fresh basil, and give it all a good mix,” she says.  Finish by adding your cooked pasta—she prefers cavatappi pasta ($10)—on top, and toss everything together. What you’ll wind up with is a super-creamy and delicious dish that will leave you scraping your plate for every last bite.

Baked feta pasta

Ingredients8 ounces dried cavatappi pasta (or your pasta of choice)2 pints cherry tomatoes8-ounce block feta cheese1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil1/4 teaspoon sea salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper2 garlic cloves, minced1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the cherry tomatoes in an oven-safe baking dish. Pour the olive oil on top, and season with salt and pepper. Toss until well combined.2. Place the feta block in the middle of the baking dish surrounded by the cherry tomatoes, and flip a couple times to coat it with the olive oil and seasoning.3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes burst and the feta cheese melts.4. Immediately add the garlic and basil leaves to the cooked tomatoes and feta and toss everything to combine.5. Transfer the cooked pasta to the baking dish and toss to combine. Garnish with more fresh basil and serve warm.

Next up, you’ll love this one-pan roasted vegetables recipe:

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