Have you heard of the TikTok trend that is so popular that supermarkets in Finland, where the video originated, reportedly ran out of feta cheese?
The simplicity of the baked feta pasta dish has users scrambling to try the recipe themselves. The viral TikTok combines 1 pint of cherry tomatoes with a block of feta cheese and olive oil in a casserole dish. While that bakes, users cook their choice of pasta. Once the cheese has melted and the tomatoes are roasted, everything is blended with your choice of spices and voila! You have a quick and tasty meal as simple to prepare as this Easy Italian Vegetable Pasta Bake.
Of course, with such a simple base, there’s plenty of ways to modify the baked feta pasta recipe for your own tastes.
And users are quick to share their versions. While the Finnish food blogger Jenni Häyrinen who created the #uunifetapasta trend, which means oven-baked feta pasta in Finnish, uses red chilis and fresh basil leaves, popular spice options include the always needed salt and pepper as well as basil, garlic, and oregano, with parsley appearing as the popular garnish. Some are making the quick addition of veggies like diced peppers or spinach, topping with grilled chicken, or adding even more cheese with parmesan, while others are modifying the sauce.
The sauce is essentially the melted block of feta, giving cheese lovers a chance to experiment with easy substitutions. Different ways to modify the recipe while keeping much of the simplicity is either completely swapping out the feta or pairing with cream cheese for a creamier sauce, though adding heavy whipping cream when the pasta is mixed in is another option. With a shortage of feta appearing in some countries following the trend (or simply because you have strong opinions on cheese), you can always swap out your cheesy sauce base of feta for a block of your favorite cheddar or another cheesy combination.
How will you join in on the baked pasta craze? Browse The Dairy Alliance recipes or use these feta dishes for inspiration.