This baked feta pasta takes the viral TikTok recipe and turns it into a more nutritious meal, with a tray of roasted vegetables and chickpeas stirred right through.
Baked Feta Pasta At A Glance
- ⏱ Ready In: 45 minutes
- 🍽 Serves: 4
- 🌱 Diet: Vegetarian, can be made gluten-free with GF pasta
- 💪 Nutrition Highlights: Good source of plant-based protein and fiber thanks to the chickpeas, feta and parmesan
- 🍅 Main Ingredients: Feta, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, capsicum, zucchini, chickpeas
- 👅 Flavor Profile: Salty, tangy and savory with sweet roasted veg and a bright lemon finish
- 🧊 Meal-Prep Friendly: Keeps in the fridge for a few days, just add a splash of water when reheating
- 🥗 Best Served With: A simple arugula salad tossed in balsamic vinegar
This is my upgraded, more filling version of the TikTok viral baked feta pasta. The original is delicious, but let’s be honest, it’s basically a bowl of pasta with some tomatoes and cheese, so I loaded mine up with a full tray of roasted vegetables and a can of chickpeas to make it a proper dinner (plus, more protein and fiber!)
The zucchini, peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, onion and garlic all roast alongside the feta so they pick up that same salty, caramelized flavor, and then a good hit of Parmesan and lemon zest at the end brings the whole thing together.
It’s the kind of pasta I make on the nights we want something vegetarian but still hearty enough that nobody complains about missing meat, and it comes together with barely any hands-on effort since the oven does most of the work.
👩🍳 You might also like these vegetarian pasta recipes:
→ Veggie Pasta Bake
→ Lemon Zucchini Pasta
→ Butternut Squash Pasta
→ Mediterranean Pasta Salad
→ Cold Spaghetti Pasta Salad
→ Vegetable Cottage Cheese Lasagna
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need for this baked feta pasta with roasted vegetables recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Feta – go for a block, not crumbled, so it holds together and goes melty and spreadable in the oven. A firmer Greek-style feta works best.
- Cherry tomatoes – they collapse down and release their juices, which forms the base of the sauce.
- Red onion – adds sweetness once roasted and a bit of color.
- Garlic cloves – roasted whole so they turn soft and mellow, no need to chop.
- Asparagus – adds a fresh, slightly grassy note and some bite. Swap for green beans if that’s what you have.
- Bell pepper (capsicum) – for sweetness and color, any color works here.
- Zucchini – soaks up the oil and flavor nicely. Broccoli or broccolini work well as a swap too.
- Olives – green or black, whichever you prefer, adds a nice briny hit against the sweet veg.
- Olive oil – helps everything roast and caramelize instead of steam.
- Dried Italian herbs, chili flakes, salt and pepper – simple seasoning that lets the roasted veg and feta do the talking.
- Lemon zest – added in two batches for a brighter, fresher finish.
- Short pasta – penne, fusilli or rigatoni all work well since they hold the sauce in their ridges.
- Chickpeas – this is where the extra fiber and protein comes from, and they add nice texture too.
- Parmesan – melts into the sauce and adds a salty, savory depth alongside the feta.
- Reserved pasta water – the starchy water is what turns everything glossy and saucy instead of dry.
How To Make Baked Feta Pasta with Roasted Vegetables
Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make baked feta pasta with roasted vegetables.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Arrange the onion, garlic, tomatoes, asparagus, capsicum, zucchini and olives around a block of feta in a large baking tray.
- Drizzle with olive oil and scatter over the herbs, salt, pepper, chili flakes and half the lemon zest.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and blistered and the feta is melty.
- While that’s roasting, cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
- Pull out the tray and set aside a few nice-looking veggie pieces for garnish.
- Mash the feta into the pan juices right there in the tray.
- Add the pasta, chickpeas, parmesan, remaining lemon zest and a splash of pasta water. Toss well, adding more water gradually until glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Top with the reserved veggies, extra parmesan and a good crack of black pepper before serving.
Watch The Video
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the pasta water. It’s what turns the mashed feta and roasted veg juices into an actual sauce instead of a dry, clumpy mess.
- Save some veggies for garnish. Pulling a few nice pieces aside before mashing everything together makes the final dish look a lot more appealing, especially if you’re taking photos.
- Swap the vegetables. Broccoli or broccolini work well in place of zucchini, and you can use whatever color capsicum you have on hand.
- Reheating: Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a few days. Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce back up, since pasta always tightens up in the fridge.
- Make it gluten-free by swapping in your favorite gluten-free short pasta.
- Prep ahead: You can roast the vegetables and feta a day in advance and keep them in the fridge, then just reheat, mash and toss through freshly cooked pasta when you’re ready to eat.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this with a simple arugula salad on the side, tossed in a bit of balsamic vinegar to cut through the richness of the feta and parmesan. It’s filling enough on its own for a weeknight dinner, but if you want to stretch it further, some crusty bread for mopping up the sauce never hurts either.
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Video
Ingredients
- 1 block feta cheese 8 oz / 225 grams
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes 300 grams
- 1 red onion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces 200 grams
- 1 capsicum bell pepper, sliced
- 1 zucchini sliced (or 2 cups / 200 grams broccoli florets or broccolini)
- ½ cup olives, green or black 75 grams
- 3 tablespoons olive oil 45 ml
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste (depending on feta)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes to taste
- Zest of 1 lemon divided
- 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli or rigatoni) 340 grams
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 15 oz / 425 grams
- ½ cup grated parmesan, plus more to serve 50 grams
- ½ cup reserved pasta water 120 ml
To serve (optional):
- 4 cups arugula 80 grams
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan).
- In a large baking tray, arrange the sliced onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, capsicum, zucchini (or broccoli) and olives around the block of feta.
- Drizzle with olive oil, then scatter over the Italian herbs, salt, pepper, chili flakes and half the lemon zest.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and blistered and the feta is melty.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ to 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Remove the tray from the oven. Pull aside a small handful of the nicest-looking veggie pieces and set aside for garnish.
- Mash the feta into the pan juices directly in the tray.
- Add the cooked pasta, chickpeas, parmesan, remaining lemon zest and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss well, adding more pasta water gradually until glossy and well combined. Taste for seasoning.
- Top with the reserved veggies for presentation.
- To serve, divide between plates or bowls. Top with extra parmesan and a crack of black pepper.
- Toss the arugula with balsamic vinegar and serve alongside.
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