This baked feta pasta with shrimp is my spin on the viral TikTok baked feta pasta. It combines your favorite pasta with creamy feta cheese, roasted cherry tomatoes, and shrimp. But don’t be fooled by the simple ingredients, this pasta dish is incredibly flavorful and delicious!
TikTok’s baked feta pasta has quickly become one of my favorite weeknight dinners! The original recipe was created by Liemessa, a food blogger from Finland. It was then adopted by US blogger Grilled Cheese Social who started the TikTok baked feta pasta trend. And trust me, this is one of the food trends you don’t want to miss!
And since I simply love the combination of pasta and shrimp (definitely check out my cashew Cajun shrimp Alfredo recipe!), I decided to create this baked feta pasta with shrimp recipe. I made some tweaks to the original recipe by adjusting some of the ingredient quantities, adding baby spinach for some extra veg, and baking delicious shrimp with the feta and tomatoes. The final result is a super creamy feta sauce with your favorite pasta and vegetables.
Ingredients
To make baked feta pasta with shrimp, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Pasta: I used rotini pasta to make this dish, but you can use any type of pasta. And if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Feta cheese: You’ll need a block of regular feta cheese to make this dish. You could also use low-fat cheese, but the baked feta pasta tastes a lot better with the regular fat version!
- Cherry tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are another key ingredient. An alternative that works great is grape tomatoes.
- Olive oil: This recipe uses lots of olive oil as it adds to the taste of this dish and makes the sauce extra creamy. So definitely don’t skimp on it and stick to the recipe!
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is absolutely necessary to make the best baked feta pasta! You can definitely use more or less than I did, depending on your preferences.
- Fresh basil: There is no way of making this baked feta shrimp pasta without fresh basil! Trust me, it makes everything extra special and delish!
- Baby spinach: I added baby spinach as it’s super healthy and goes so well with pasta dishes. But feel free to use any other vegetable you might love!
- Shrimp: I used regular jumbo-sized shrimp as they stay juicy when they are cooked.
- Spices: I used chili powder, paprika powder, and olive oil to marinate the shrimp as I like a bit of spice in my recipes. But this step is optional and if you don’t have any spices on hand simply season the shrimp with salt and pepper. And if you want to use other spices, feel free to substitute the ones I used!
How to make baked feta pasta with shrimp
I love that this recipe is super easy to make! It is a very hands-off recipe as the oven does most of the work for you. Just follow these steps to make baked feta pasta with shrimp:
- Bake the cherry tomatoes and feta: Place the cherry tomatoes in a baking dish. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss until everything is combined. Place the feta block in the middle, drizzle some extra olive oil over the feta and bake at 400 °F for 25 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and bake: Remove the baking dish from the oven, add the shrimp and bake for 8-10 more minutes until the shrimp are cooked through.
- Stir in the garlic, basil, and baby spinach: After the shrimp are cooked through, remove the baking dish from the oven. Stir in the garlic, basil, and baby spinach.
- Transfer the cooked pasta and add some pasta water: Transfer the cooked pasta to the baking dish and toss until everything is combined. Add pasta water as needed.
Cooking tips
This recipe is super simple, but there are a few things to keep in mind when cooking baked feta pasta.
- Cook pasta al dente: As the pasta continues to cook after the pasta water is drained, I recommend cooking the pasta until al dente. It will be perfect once it is combined with the feta cheese and tomatoes!
- Save pasta water: Whenever you cook pasta, make sure you save some of the starchy pasta water! It makes the sauce cling to the pasta and adds some flavor to the dish. Plus, it is perfect in this recipe to make the feta cheese sauce creamier if needed.
- Serve immediately: This one is really important. If the pasta sits for too long, the sauce becomes solid and less creamy. This dish tastes best fresh out of the oven while it’s still warm, so serve it immediately after cooking.
Baked feta pasta variations
There are a few ways to change the flavor of this dish. Here are some of my favorites.
- Add red pepper flakes: I simply love red pepper flakes! They make every dish taste much better, so try using them in this recipe.
- Lemon juice and lemon zest: For some added tanginess, use some lemon juice and lemon zest. It makes this dish taste incredibly delicious!
- Marinate shrimp with dried herbs: If you want to take the flavor of this dish into another direction, try using dried herbs instead of paprika powder and chili powder. You could use dried thyme, dried rosemary, or dried oregano. This version of the dish would actually go super well with the lemon juice and lemon zest. So feel free to experiment and use the seasonings you love most!
Can I make this with other cheese types?
Yes, you can actually make this baked feta pasta recipe with other cheese types! While feta cheese is my favorite, I can recommend using burrata, goat cheese, or ricotta cheese. If you try another type of cheese, let me know in the comments which one you like most!
What type of pasta should I use?
You can use any type of paste you love! There is absolutely no type of pasta that cannot be used with this dish. I personally love rotini, spaghetti, bow-ties, and elbows as I feel like the sauce clings better to these pasta types. And if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
How to store and reheat baked feta pasta with shrimp
The baked feta pasta can be stored in your refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When you are ready to serve the pasta, simply add some water and reheat it in the microwave. The additional water makes the sauce creamy so you can enjoy delicious baked feta pasta with shrimp!
More easy and delicious dinner recipes
I love to create simple recipes that are healthy and taste delicious. These are some of my favorite recipes. They all taste great and are super easy to make.
- Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
- Rigatoni Bolognese
- Honey Sriracha Salmon
- Healthy Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
- Cashew Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
Baked Feta Pasta with Shrimp
Ingredients
Baked Feta Pasta
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 8-ounce feta cheese block
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- 1 handful baby spinach
- 10 ounces pasta of choice can be gluten-free
- pasta water to thin the sauce if needed
Shrimp Marinade
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
- Place the cherry tomatoes in a baking dish. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss until everything is well combined.
- Place the feta block in the middle of the baking dish. Drizzle some extra olive oil on the feta block. Season with salt and pepper. Then place the baking dish in the oven for around 25 minutes.
- While the tomatoes and feta are in the oven, marinate the shrimp and chop the basil and garlic.
- After 25 minutes, place the shrimp in the baking dish and bake for 8-10 minutes with the tomatoes and the feta cheese.
- While the shrimp are in the oven, cook the pasta until al dente. When you drain the pasta water, reserve some of it.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Add the garlic, basil leaves, and baby spinach to the baking dish. Stir until the spinach wilts and everything is combined.
- Stir in the pasta and add some pasta water. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Shrimp Marinade: You don't necessarily have to marinate the shrimp. I like to add a bit of spice. But if you don't have any seasonings on hand, simply use some olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Leave a Reply