This is a vegan version of the TikTok pasta dish gone viral! It's a Vegan Baked Feta Pasta that creates a fresh and creamy tomato feta sauce tossed with gluten-free al dente pasta. After one bite it was declared a new family favorite and we'll be making it again and again!
GUYS! Whatever you had planned for dinner, I am here to tell you that things have just changed. I don't usually say this but you need to stop what you're doing and go make this immediately. Your life will be, in fact, forever changed. As a food blogger, I had to see what the Baked Feta Pasta Tik Tok viral obsession was all about. I'm a little late to the game here but I now understand the magic. It is real, people.
You may have seen videos of people making the now-famous dish. It's a block of feta cooked in a bed of cherry tomatoes with some olive oil and garlic. While that's in the oven, make a pot of pasta. When the cheese and tomatoes are done they melt into a fresh tomato sauce that gets tossed with al dente pasta. The sauce is creamy, tangy, salty, garlicky... all with such minimal effort too. I was initially skeptical if a vegan version would be good but I can honestly say that it is!
I think the best part of making this Baked Feta Pasta was my husband Bobby's reaction. He typically says everything I make is "Great!" He ate more than half of the recipe in one sitting, and after his first bite he said "I'm obsessed. What is in this!? This is restaurant quality!" Then, while I was in the other room taking pictures of it, he said "OMG, Elaine, this is really incredible. I need to get on Tik Tok" (coming from Bobby this is especially hilarious!). This level of enthusiasm about food is not typical for Bobby. There is a reason this went viral... it is legit.
My Favorite Gluten-Free Pasta
I always grab the Jovial brands gluten-free pasta. I find it has the best texture and such a clean ingredient list! It works perfectly for a gluten-free Baked Feta Pasta and tastes incredible.
Vegan Feta for Baked Pasta
I love VioLife brand vegan cheeses! They taste just like the real thing. Whether you have an allergy, you're fully vegan, or you just want to incorporate more plant-based foods into your life...this is an awesome option. The vegan feta basically melted into the oil, tomato juices and seasonings to create a light, creamy, and incredibly flavorful sauce. If you want more creaminess you can add my Easy Homemade Vegan Cashew Cream Sauce using soaked cashews (learn about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews in this post). But honestly...it really doesn't need it!
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Vegan No-Boil Pasta Bake
Chunky Tomato Basil Spaghetti
Spicy Red Lentil Veggie Pasta
Pasta Fresca
Vegan Chickpea Bolognese Pasta
One-Skillet Baked Butternut Squash Pasta with Sage
Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Garlic Pasta
Grilled Veggie Pesto Pasta
The BEST Vegan Mac & Cheese
Thanks to Finnish blogger Liemessä-ruokablogi for the original #uunifetapasta inspo! If you make this recipe I hope you'll tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your delicious creations!
Vegan Baked Feta Pasta
- Total Time: 35
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This is a vegan version of the TikTok pasta dish gone viral! It's a Vegan Baked Feta Pasta that creates a fresh and creamy tomato feta sauce tossed with gluten-free al dente pasta. After one bite it was declared a new family favorite and we'll be making it again and again!
See the notes for how to make the No-Boil Feta Pasta Bake (without having to boil the pasta separate from the dish - one less dish to clean and less hands on time!)
Ingredients
- ½ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 3 pints cherry tomatoes (can substitute grape tomatoes), leave whole
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1.5 teaspoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 8-ounce block vegan feta cheese (such as VioLife brand)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 12-ounces short cut pasta (any type - I like Jovial Foods brown rice fusilli pasta)
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves (or substitute basil)
- Optional: ¼ cup vegan cashew cream (Learn all about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews in this post)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, maple syrup and salt to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Toss well so the tomatoes and garlic are coated in the oil and salt.
- Bake for 20 minutes uncovered.
- While the tomatoes bake, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking liquid just before draining the pasta.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and add the whole feta cheese block to the center of the baking dish nestled between the tomatoes. Drizzle the top of the feta with a little olive oil. Season everything with pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Broil for five minutes to char everything slightly.
- Remove the baking dish from oven. Transfer the cooked and drained pasta directly into the baking dish. Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Add parsley (or basil).
- Stir well and break up the feta so it is distributed evenly throughout.
- Add vegan cashew cream if a creamier pasta is desired. Or, add an extra block of vegan feta cheese for more cheesy flavor!
- Serve straight out of the baking dish in bowls or plates.
- Store leftovers (once fully cooled to room temperature) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the oven with a little bit of water for best results (rather than microwave dry).
Equipment
13 x 9-inch rectangular baking dish
Buy Now →Notes
Substitute spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles in place of pasta if desired.
Stir in baby spinach while it is piping hot just before serving for more nutrients.
I have also seen recipes similar to this using butternut squash cubes in place of the tomatoes. You could try other types of soft cheeses and other herbs (such as sage) with butternut squash.
*Note: The maple syrup was not in the original Tik Tok famous recipe but I like to add it to bring out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes. It also balances out the red pepper flakes.
The original Tik Tok recipe uses whole garlic cloves but I like to mince them up so I don't have to mash them after it is cooked. Just my preference but either method totally works. The original recipe calls for three garlic cloves but I sometimes increase for four or five garlic cloves since I love garlic so much. Your call!
To make this a no-boil pasta dish simply add all the ingredients (except the reserved pasta water, feta and parsley) to the casserole dish. Add 2 cups of water and mix well. Cover very tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for one hour (or until pasta is al dente) mixing and recovering tightly halfway through. Uncover and add the feta in the center of the baking dish nestled between the pasta and tomatoes. Drizzle the feta with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Broil uncovered for five minutes until the top is lightly charred. Toss well, add parsley or basil and serve.
Vegan feta cheese tends to liquidfy more than dairy feta cheese. If you find the sauce has completely liquify add fresh vegan feta cheese crumbles overtop the dish just before serving and while the pasta is hot. The heat of the dish will allow the vegan feta crumbles to melt slightly into the sauce but not all the way.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Michelle says
This was awesome! Thanks so much!
Elaine Gordon says
Sure thing! So happy you enjoyed it, Michelle! 🙂
Stephanie says
Wow finally made this after all the hype! Will definitely be adding into my dinner rotation, especially for the nights I don’t have a lot of time and energy. This was so simple yet so delicious.
Thanks Elaine!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much! So happy you enjoyed! Yay!
Cynthia says
Made this dish tonight. This is a keeper. So much flavor for such an easy recipe. Thank you
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Cynthia! I'm so happy you enjoyed it and found it easy too :). Best combo lol! Thank you again! Best, Elaine
Milena says
Hi Helene, I would love to try this tonight. I was wondering if I can throw in some spinach and or zucchini? If so I want point in the recipe do you think that would make sense to do so?
Melina says
So sorry I was dictating this message, and instead of writing a Elaine it wrote Helene!!!
Elaine Gordon says
No worries! I hope you enjoyed it with the additional veggies!
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Milena: I know we recently connected in Instagram DM as well but just wanted to comment here so others can benefit from the response. Yes, you can add zucchini (it will release some extra water into the sauce so you might not need to add the reserved pasta water). And spinach stirred in at the end would be perfect. This recipe is pretty flexible overall. I hope that helps! Best, Elaine