TikTok Pasta or Where Has This Dish Been All Our Lives?

You don’t have to be a teen who loves a good dance move to benefit from the content being shared on TikTok. In fact, there’s a whole world of videos on the wildly popular social platform made to enrich the lives of people of all ages and interests… including grown-ups who really love to eat pasta. 

That’s right—TikTok pasta has become a major thing. It’s delicious, it’s not too difficult to prepare, and if you haven’t tasted this TikTok trend yet, it’s about time you gave it a go. 

What Is TikTok Pasta?

First, a very brief history of TikTok pasta (which is also known as Baked Feta Pasta, if you want to get technical):

A Finnish food blogger named Jenni Hayrinen came up with the dish back in 2019. Once it was shared on social media, however, it didn’t take long for it to go viral. This should hardly come as a surprise, since it’s prepared using just a few pantry staples, tomatoes, pasta, and a full block of feta cheese. Yum. 

Food bloggers the Internet over agree that TikTok pasta is worth the hype. Let’s break that down.

Why Is TikTok Pasta So Popular?

The buzz around this baked pasta and feta cheese concoction can likely be attributed to the perfect ratio of great flavor and easy preparation. For a dish that feels decadent and indulgent, TikTok pasta sure doesn’t require a lot of kitchen time or technique. 

Plus, it makes for some great social media content. 

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How to Make TikTok Pasta 

Here’s what you’ll need to make TikTok pasta:

• 2 pints of cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 shallot, quartered
• 3 cloves of garlic, smashed (optional)
• ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil 
• Kosher salt 
• Crushed red pepper flakes 
• 1 8 oz. block of feta cheese
• 3 sprigs of thyme 
• 10 oz. of pasta 
• Zest of 1 lemon (optional) 

Step 1: Preheat the Oven to 400℉ 

You have some other steps to check off the list first, but this is a baked dish, so you’ll want to have your oven ready to go when the rest of your prep is completed. 

Step 2: Prepare the Tomatoes and Feta

Place the tomatoes, shallot, garlic, and most of the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or medium baking dish. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Then, place the block of feta in the center of the baking dish and drizzle the top with what’s left of the olive oil. Garnish the tomatoes with thyme. 

Step 3: Bake!

Place the baking dish or skillet in the oven and bake at 400℉ for 40 to 45 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the tomatoes are starting to burst and the top of the feta is golden brown.

Step 4: Make the Pasta 

Cook the pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before you drain the pasta.

Step 5: Put it All Together

Add the prepared pasta and reserved pasta water to the dish or skillet with tomatoes and feta. If you’re using lemon zest, this is the moment to toss it in. Mix it all together until everything is combined and add basil before serving.

Optional: Make it Your Own!

If you’d like to jazz up your TikTok pasta a little bit more, consider adding other vegetables in with the tomatoes in the second step of this recipe. Onions would make a great addition.

Bon Appetit! 

Now, it’s time to enjoy your TikTok pasta! How cool is it to be part of a global, viral culinary movement? 

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