Feta Pasta Bake with Sausage + Video

Baked Feta Pasta recipe has turned into one of the most viral TikTok recipes yet! If you are looking for a Feta Pasta recipe, you need to try this one!

During the week, I love making easy pasta recipes that are packed with flavor but require very little work. It’s even better if they are made with simple ingredients that I can find easily at the store.

This recipe is based on a viral recipe called #uunifetapasta that originated in Finland. It was a huge hit and I just had to see for myself why it was so good. We also have a Tomato Feta Pasta Salad that is amazing!

Feta Pasta

Feta is one of my favorite cheeses because it pairs so well with so many different flavors. But, one of the best combinations is feta and tomato. You’ll see what I mean when you make this recipe.

Baked feta pasta substitutions

• This recipe is really best with cherry tomatoes. But, if you don’t have cherry tomatoes, you can easily use grape tomatoes instead. The smaller tomatoes are packed with more flavor.
• I have started with a block of feta cheese. But, if you want to save a few minutes or you cannot find blocks of feta, you can easily use pre-crumbled feta instead.
• My feta pasta recipe has penne pasta. However, you could recreate the same dish with any type of small pasta. Orecchiette, farfalle, fusilli, and cavatappi would all be really great choices.
• To keep this low carb and gluten-free, you can try this recipe over rice, quinoa, or even riced cauliflower. 

Tips for making this pasta dish

• Look for the freshest tomatoes possible. They really are the star of the dish so you want them to be at the peak of freshness. 
• Use extra virgin olive oil for the best taste. The flavor of the sauce is really accented by the olive oil. And, extra virgin will ensure you have the most flavor.
• Skip the baking if you are short on time. You can easily make this entirely on the stovetop and not bake it. But, I love the way it tastes baked in the oven. 

What can I use instead of feta cheese?

I know that not everyone likes the taste of feta cheese. So, if you’d rather try something different in this recipe, you can use Boursin garlic and herb cheese instead.

It’s a soft creamy cheese full of flavor that would go very well with tomatoes also. Try it for a substitution in this feta pasta recipe.

What other vegetables could I add?

The tomatoes really make this recipe what it is. But, you can also try making it with asparagus, broccoli, red bell peppers, or red chili peppers.

Asparagus and tomatoes go so well together that the taste combination would really make this a hit.

What other meat can I use in feta pasta?

I’ve used sausage in my recipe. But, you can also try chicken or shrimp. Or, if you want to make this recipe vegetarian, leave out the meat entirely and just add more vegetables.

Or, if you leave the meat out of the recipe when you make it, this would make a delicious side dish with another protein source. You can never have too much pasta.

More easy pasta recipes

If you loved this baked feta pasta, you may want to try one of these recipes next.

Cheesy Chicken and Pesto Pasta is the perfect comfort food. It’s creamy, cheesy and so flavorful. Topped with red sauce and more cheesy goodness it’s enough to put me over the top.

A delicious 30-minute Italian meal that only takes 15 minutes to prep is entirely within reach with this Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake. Try this delicious twist on baked ziti today.

Italian Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Bake is loaded with ooey gooey cheese, sun-dried and fresh grape tomatoes. Ready in just 30 minutes!

Meat Lover’s Pizza Pasta Bake is exactly what I like to make when pizza comes up on a busy weeknight. It’s loaded with ooey gooey cheese, fun twisty pasta, seasoned beef, pepperoni, sausage and bacon… Need I say more?

Enjoy!

With love from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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Feta Pasta Bake with Sausage + Video

Donna Elick

Looking for a Feta Pasta recipe? Check out this baked feta pasta recipe that has turned into one of the most viral TikTok recipes yet!

5 stars from 1 review

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Method Oven

Servings 6

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 24 ounces cherry tomatoes, 2 12-ounce packages
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 1/2 cup olive oil, extra virgin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 8 ounce Greek feta block
• ▢ 1 yellow onion, halved then sliced
• ▢ 14 ounce package smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2” slices
• ▢ 1 handful spinach, about one loose cup
• ▢ 1 pound package penne pasta
• ▢ 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• ▢ 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a 9×13 inch baking dish, place tomatoes and garlic. Top with olive oil and dry spices. Stir to coat. Spread the tomatoes out and place the block of feta cheese in the center of the baking dish. Place in the oven to cook for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
• Meanwhile, boil water with salt and cook penne according to the directions on the package. When finished cooking, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain and set pasta aside.
• In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, begin to cook the sliced onions. After a few minutes, add the sliced sausage. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to flip the sliced sausage pieces. Remove from heat, drain grease, and set aside.
• Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven. Break up the feta cheese and crush the tomatoes, then stir to combine. Add a handful of fresh spinach and stir until wilted. Add in pasta, sausage, and onion mixture. Stir to combine well. Add in reserved pasta water to thin sauce if needed.
• Top with freshly grated parmesan and freshly chopped basil. Serve while hot and enjoy!

Video

Donna’s Notes

Use caution after you take the baking dish out of the oven and are crushing the tomatoes. They are extremely hot and the juices can splash out of the pan.

If you love garlic, you could slice the tops of a head of garlic and place in your pan with the tomatoes. Drizzle it with olive oil and season. When finished cooking, carefully squeeze the soft garlic cloves until they come out. Then smash and stir in with the tomatoes and feta.

Don’t like feta? Try boursin garlic and herb cheese. It’s a soft creamy cheese full of flavor that would go really well with tomatoes also.

What other vegetables could I add? Asparagus, broccoli, red bell peppers, or red chili peppers would all be great in this dish. If you’re a vegetarian, you could eliminate the sausage and substitute with some of these vegetables.

What other pasta noodles could I use in this recipe? Penne was used in this recipe and it works great, but you could really use any pasta. Orrechiette, farfalle, fusilli, and cavatappi would all be really great choices.

If you don’t want to use pasta, you could also serve this over rice, quinoa, or riced cauliflower.

If you want to try a different protein, shrimp or chicken would also be great in this dish.

Where did the tiktok trend start? The trend started with blogger and recipe developer Jenni Häyrinen. She created the recipe 2 years ago, and it basically went viral overnight. The original recipe had hot chili peppers and served with wheat pasta noodles. You can find more about the original blogger here.

Other ingredients to add: white wine, or red pepper flakes if you like a little spice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 789cal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 1175mg | Sugar: 6g | Fiber: 4g | Calcium: 287mg | Iron: 3mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published March 2021

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