This creamy, cheesy dish is incredibly easy to make, requiring one-pot and ready in 30 minutes or less! It's also vegan, healthy and oil-free (but you wouldn't know it), and perfect for meal prep! And did I mention it doesn't actually have to be baked?
Have you seen the viral Baked Feta Pasta recipes circulating on Tiktok or Instagram? The craze for this amazing dish started in Finland back in 2019 by food blogger Jenni Häyrinen. It actually caused stores to be sold out of feta!
Luckily, this cheesy, salty goodness isn't just for everyone else! Vegans are jumping on this bandwagon too. There are store-bought vegan feta options, but you know me, I like to make recipes everyone can make with simple, easy-to-find ingredients.
Related Reading: Is pasta vegan? Here's what you need to know.
I feel like everyone is making a version of this baked feta dish these days so I really wanted to try it out, but turning on my oven right now, in 90+ degree weather, was not appealing. I also didn't want to dirty another pan since the regular recipe requires boiling the pasta on the stove and baking the cheese and tomatoes separate.
I decided to rework the original to not only be vegan, but one-pot as well! No need to bake it. Especially since the stove can melt cheese faster than an oven. The regular baking time was over 30 minutes just for the cheese! What if I told you, you can make this entire recipe in 30 minutes?!
Prepare to never bake feta, or vegan feta, again! You can have oven baked feta without the oven and I'm about to show you how!
Jump to:
Why this recipe works:
-It's the same great taste in less time!
-Less clean up required
-Creamy deliciousness without needing an oven
-Easy recipe the whole family will love
-Perfect for meal prep or weeknight's when you're short on time
-It's nut-free (or soy-free if you prefer)!
-Vegan, dairy-free, and easily made gluten-free if you want!
Ingredients needed
I adapted the vegan feta cheese from the tofu ricotta in my Easy Vegan Lasagna recipe. It's so creamy and delicious, and with a few tweaks, transforms into feta!
Vegan feta cheese:
- silken tofu—firm tofu works too but silken is best for texture
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast—gives it a little cheesy flavor
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice—lime works too
- 2 tsps mince garlic—or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
Pasta:
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 8 oz whole wheat pasta—or gluten-free pasta of choice
- 2 cups spinach, or fresh package of basil
- crushed red pepper flakes, optional topping
How to make
Start by cooking that pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. Save the pot for later.
Meanwhile, make the feta by combining all ingredients in a blender and blending until smooth. Set aside.
No baking dish needed—we're going to use the same pan we cooked the pasta in for everything else. Return the pan to the stove and add the tomatoes. Turn heat to medium. You can add olive oil at this time, which provides more creaminess to the dish, or keep it oil-free.
Stir frequently to prevent the tomatoes from burning. After about 5 minutes the tomatoes will start to shrivel and pop. Gently press down on them with the back of a large spoon to squeeze the juices out. You can even use the spoon to chop them in half if you want smaller tomatoes pieces. Add a little water to deglaze the pan and prevent the tomatoes from burning.
Add in the feta sauce and stir to heat through for a few minutes, reducing heat to a low simmer.
Stir in fresh spinach or basil and allow to cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the cooked pasta to the pot and stir to evenly distribute and cover with sauce. Enjoy!
Make-ahead feta pasta
You can prep this dish in advance by cooking the pasta ahead of time and blending the sauce. Then cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
How to store
This dish keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week but I doubt it'll last that long—we devoured it within a couple days! You can also freeze it for longer storage. Reheat in a microwave or on the stove.
More easy vegan pasta and one pot dishes
Vegan Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta
Tomato & Tofu Pasta Casserole
One Pot Coconut Lentil Curry
Spanish Vegan Paella
If you enjoyed this recipe please leave a comment below and give it 5 stars! Or on Pinterest (don’t forget to follow me!) you can now add pictures into reviews, too, and be sure to help me share on facebook!
📖 Recipe
One-Pot "Baked" Feta Pasta
Ingredients
Vegan feta:
- 16 oz silken tofu, *
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, or lime juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
Pasta:
- 8 oz whole wheat pasta, **
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach, or fresh package of basil (.5 oz)
- red pepper flakes, optional topping
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. Save the pot for later.
- Meanwhile, make the feta by combining all ingredients in a blender and blending until smooth. Set aside.
- Using the same pot that the pasta cooked in, cook the tomatoes over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently so that tomatoes don't burn. The tomatoes will start to shrivel and pop. Gently press down on them with the back of a large spoon to squeeze the juices out. You can even use the spoon to chop them in half if you want smaller tomatoes pieces. Add a little water to deglaze the pan and prevent the tomatoes from burning.
- Add in the feta sauce and stir to heat through for a few minutes, reducing heat to a low simmer.
- Stir in fresh spinach or basil and allow to cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pot and stir to evenly distribute and cover with sauce. Enjoy!
Video
@healthmylifestyle One Pot Vegan "Baked" Feta Pasta #fetapasta #fetapastarecipe #onepotmeals #veganfetapasta #quickrecipes #bakedfetapasta #healthyfood #nobake
♬ Home Cooking - Cafe Music BGM channel
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Pin this for later:
Leave a Reply