The Viral Feta Pasta That Broke the Internet – and Is Still One of the Most Searched Recipes Going

Every so often, a recipe comes along that seems to take over the entire internet overnight, and baked feta pasta is one of the great success stories of the last few years. First popularised by a Finnish food blogger under the name “uunifetapasta,” the dish exploded across TikTok and Instagram, sending supermarkets into feta shortages and turning a humble block of cheese into a genuine cultural phenomenon.

Years on from its original viral moment, baked feta pasta remains one of the most searched recipes in the world – and it’s easy to see why. The concept couldn’t be simpler: a block of feta and a punnet of cherry tomatoes are baked together in a generous glug of olive oil until the tomatoes burst and the feta turns soft, creamy and golden. Mash it all together with garlic, herbs and a squeeze of lemon, toss through cooked pasta, and you’ve got a rich, tangy sauce that tastes far more impressive than the five ingredients and ten minutes of hands-on effort would suggest.

It’s the kind of recipe that proves the best food doesn’t need to be complicated – just a handful of good ingredients, a hot oven, and a little bit of patience while the magic happens.

Viral Baked Feta Pasta

Serves 4 | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients

400g cherry tomatoes
200g block of feta cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (or left whole for a milder flavour)
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
400g short pasta (penne, fusilli or rigatoni work well)
A handful fresh basil leaves, torn
Extra olive oil and grated parmesan, to serve (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
Place the cherry tomatoes into a medium-sized baking dish and scatter the garlic cloves among them.
Nestle the block of feta into the centre of the dish, surrounded by the tomatoes.
Drizzle the olive oil generously over everything, then season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes if using.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the tomatoes have burst and are bubbling, and the feta is soft and lightly golden on top.
While the feta and tomatoes are baking, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to packet instructions until al dente. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
Once out of the oven, use a fork to mash the feta and tomatoes together directly in the baking dish, stirring until you have a rough, creamy sauce. If it feels too thick, loosen it with a splash of the reserved pasta water.
Add the drained pasta directly to the baking dish and toss well to coat every piece in the sauce, adding a little more pasta water if needed to loosen it further.
Scatter over the fresh basil and finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately.

Tips

For extra flavour, roast a handful of pitted olives alongside the tomatoes, or stir through a spoonful of pesto at the end.

Adding protein is easy — stir through some cooked, shredded chicken, or crumble in some crispy bacon just before serving.

This dish is very forgiving on ingredient swaps: baby tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or even a tin of cherry tomatoes will all work if that’s what you have on hand.