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No Boil Vegan Baked Feta Pasta

Vegan Baked Feta Pasta

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5 from 3 reviews

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

Units Scale
  • 1/2 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
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 8-ounce block vegan feta cheese (such as VioLife brand)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 12-ounces short cut pasta (any type - I like Jovial Foods brown rice fusilli pasta)
  • 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves (or substitute basil)
  • Optional: 1/4 cup vegan cashew cream (Learn all about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews in this post)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. 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.  
  3. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered.
  4. While the tomatoes bake, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.  Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid just before draining the pasta.
  5. 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.  
  6. Broil for five minutes to char everything slightly.
  7. Remove the baking dish from oven.  Transfer the cooked and drained pasta directly into the baking dish.  Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Add parsley (or basil). 
  8. Stir well and break up the feta so it is distributed evenly throughout.
  9. Add vegan cashew cream if a creamier pasta is desired. Or, add an extra block of vegan feta cheese for more cheesy flavor!
  10. Serve straight out of the baking dish in bowls or plates.
  11. 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

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

Find it online: https://www.eatingbyelaine.com/vegan-baked-feta-pasta/