Easy Vegetarian Baked Feta Pasta Dish

`Easy Vegetarian Baked Feta Pasta Dish

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic there have been many viral trends – from banana bread, to whipped coffee, to easy wrap hacks – many of us have turned to food to keep ourselves occupied and well-fed! 

Image courtesy of The Washington Post

This easy baked feta pasta recipe has recently gone viral on social media app TikTok – and it’s easy to see why. This quick and simple recipe requires minimal ingredients and time but still delivers a delicious meal with plenty of leftovers for lunch or dinner throughout the week. It’s also a great, easy vegetarian meal option for any students looking to decrease meat consumption throughout the week.

The recipe originally appeared on Finnish food blogger Jenni Hayrinens Instagram  in 2019 – it soon went viral in Finland with news outlets reporting that feta cheese was selling out in stores across the country.The original quick and easy baked feta pasta dish from Jenni Hayrinens that sparked the viral craze.

Almost 2 years after its original wave of popularity, TikTok user @feelgoodfoodie shared the recipe on the TikTok app and garnered even more attention with this easy vegetarian meal– her video has gotten over 9.7 million likes while the #bakedfetapasta hashtag has over 65.3 million views and counting. 

This is such a quick and simple recipe - and only requires 7 ingredients - most of which you probably already have in your press at home! It involves baking the feta alongside cherry tomatoes, and once completed combining these ingredients with your cooked pasta to create a quick and cheap vegetarian meal.

If you have seen the video and wondered how you can recreate it at home, you can follow this simple recipe to see what all the fuss is about.

Quick and Easy Baked Feta Pasta Recipe 

Image from Mackenzie Smith's blog another blogger who made a viral post on this easy baked feta pasta in 2019

Time: 35 minutes (10 minutes of prep and 25 minutes for cooking.)

Cost: Approx €4.00

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

•     500g Cherry Tomatoes
•     1 block/200g Feta Cheese
•     3 tbsp Olive Oil
•     Salt 
•     Pepper
•     Handful of Basil
•     450g Pasta of any kind ( I found spaghetti or fusilli work best!)

•     3 cloves of Garlic
•     Spinach
•     Peppers 
•      Or any other vegetables or spices you think might work well - this dish is so easy to customise to your own preferences!

Method:

•     Preheat your oven to 200 C
•     Place the cherry tomatoes in the bottom of the baking tin – make sure they are close together and “crowding” the tray. Then coat the tomatoes in olive oil and add some salt and pepper.
•     Place the block of feta cheese on top of the layer of tomatoes and pour more olive oil on top. Give the tray a shake to ensure the feta and tomatoes are all evenly coated in oil.
•     Season with salt and pepper and place in your pre-heated oven for between 20 and 25 minutes or until the feta is slightly browned and melted
•     While this is baking, cook your pasta of choice following the instructions on the packet.
•     You can also prepare your garlic and any other vegetables you want to add in once the feta is ready – the residual heat from the dish will cook the vegetables perfectly!
•     Once the feta is finished cooking, combine with your vegetables and add the quick and easy sauce to the pasta
•     Then you can garnish with basil and enjoy 

Tips

•     Save a little of the water you cook your pasta in, in case you want to thin out the sauce – using the starchy water from the pasta will create a smoother texture then normal water.
•     You could also add other vegetables if you wanted to make the dish a little healthier – I added spinach and red pepper – this also added another layer of colour and texture to the dish.
•     Adding some honey to the feta before baking is a great way to enrich the sweetness of the tomatoes and elevate the dish.
•     Or if you want more spice you could add some chili flakes to the feta as it bakes – the options are endless.

And if you’re looking for more delicious, cheap and simple meals after trying this quick and easy recipe these blog posts might help. 

• Like this tasty and fast lentil dahl
• Or why not try a delicious taste of Korean culture with this quick and delicious Korean Bibimbap
• Finally if you want to try even more simple but impressive Italian recipes, take a look at this easy and low-cost lasagne recipe!
•  If you want to try another easy viral pasta dish what about Gigi Hadid's Pasta Alla Vodka

What do you think about this new food trend?

If you try out the recipe or if you have any suggestions for other additions to this quick and easy TikTok recipe let me know in the comments section below!

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