TikTok – one of the newest and most used social media platforms globally. With over 800 million users worldwide, the app has gained massive popularity among people of all ages allowing users to amplify their creativity, reach, and create a platform for themselves. One thing we love about TikTok is it seems as though there is a new challenge or trend on a daily basis from comedy, to beauty, fashion, and, of course, food. If you are an avid TikTok user and a foodie and you haven’t heard of the Feta TikTok Pasta, you must be living under a rock. Don’t worry, though! We, at The Modern East, are here to tell you all about it today. From the hype, to the recipe – keep reading!

How the Hype Started

The baked feta pasta phenomenon started once MacKenzie Smith, the blogger behind Grilled Cheese Social, posted a video making the dish to her TikTok – though she posted it to her blog in June 2019. Her single video has gained nearly 3 million views, with the #bakedfetapasta hashtag collectively amassing 52 million views and counting on TikTok!

With the video going viral and millions of TikTok users creating their own rendition of the dish, it isn’t a TikTok video if there isn’t some sort of controversy around it! Some users created videos saying that the Feta and Tomato pasta dish had been a Greek and Mediterranean tradition for years and claiming it as theirs. That didn’t stop FoodTok from continuing to try the easy-to-make dish and posting their results.

The Recipe

From MacKenzie Smith’s food blog, Grilled Cheese Social, itself – here is the full recipe for the viral pasta. Try it for yourself:

Ingredients:

• Pasta – any shape you’d like!
• Feta – use a block of feta for best results.
• Cherry Tomatoes – these work best. And if they’re a little wilted and old, even better! They make the dish sweeter.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is recommended.
• Basil – fresh basil works best but you could also swap it for rosemary or thyme if needed.
• Salt – you could also use pink Himalayan.
• Red Pepper Flakes – the original recipe uses chiles but MacKenzie swapped it out for red pepper flakes,
• Olive Oil – Any olive oil will do – Just don’t skimp, you want the tomatoes swimming in olive oil!

How It’s Made:

• To begin, simply preheat your oven to 400F. Then toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper in a baking dish.
• Stick a block of feta in the middle and add another glug of olive oil along with a few more cranks of fresh pepper.
• You’ll then bake the whole thing for 30 minutes then turn it on 450 and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the feta is brown and the tomatoes have burst. While it’s baking, roughly chop the garlic and get the basil ready.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven and add chopped garlic and red pepper flakes and stir. The residual heat will cook the garlic and pepper flakes perfectly!
• After that, you’ll want to break up the feta and the tomatoes and stir. Then, simply toss it with pasta.
• To finish the dish, just add another glug of olive oil, some fresh basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Should You Try It?

Absolutely! Not only is the hype completely valid, but this dish can be made for one, for a family or friends gathering, or if you’re inviting a special someone over for a date!

It’s a low-effort recipe for pasta with tomatoes and cheese — what’s not to love?