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    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

    Mar 14, 2022 · Modified: Mar 28, 2022 by Becca Heyes · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

    Baked Feta Mac and Cheese

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    Total time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    5 from 5 votes
    Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe

    A super simple baked feta mac and cheese recipe, made by baking a block of feta in one dish with uncooked pasta - so easy and hassle-free!

    Cheesy baked mac and cheese in a baking dish with spinach and tomatoes.

    I don't spend much time on TikTok (I think I'm a good decade older than most people who use that app), but there are some TikTok trends that you just can't escape from - and baked feta pasta is one of them!

    This baked feta mac and cheese is a fun twist on the recipe, and since the pasta and sauce are all cooked together in the oven, it truly couldn't be easier to make.

    A baking dish full of cheesy pasta with spinach and tomatoes.

    What is TikTok baked feta pasta?

    The original baked feta pasta recipe involves baking a whole block of feta with tomatoes and garlic in the oven, then mixing it through cooked pasta.

    My baked feta mac and cheese is actually even easier, as the pasta is cooked right in the oven, along with the feta. So this truly is a one pot recipe - you don't need to cook anything separately at all.

    Just pop it in the oven, and go and relax while your dinner cooks itself.

    A portion of mac and cheese in a bowl with fresh watercress.

    How to make baked feta mac and cheese

    Step 1: Add the pasta and feta to a baking dish

    Mix some milk and pasta together in a baking dish, along with some grated cheddar cheese. I also added some garlic and plenty of black pepper.

    Then pop a block of feta on top (this recipe is not for the faint-hearted, nor the lactose intolerant...).

    Sprinkle it with some more black pepper and some dried herbs, and it's ready to go in the oven. It literally takes about 5 minutes to prepare!

    A baking dish with uncooked pasta in milk and a block of feta cheese.

    Step 2: Bake until the pasta is soft

    After about half an hour in the oven, the pasta will be fairly soft, and the cheese will all be crisped up nicely.

    These golden bits will add so much flavour to your mac and cheese once it's all stirred together - is there anything better than the flavour of crispy cheese?!

    Mac and cheese in a baking dish with a block of crispy baked feta in the middle.

    Step 3: Mix well

    Now it's time to break up the feta and mix it through the cooked pasta.

    Feta cheese doesn't melt in the oven - that's why it's so great for baking. But, it does still go beautifully gooey in the middle, and gets lovely crispy bits around the edges.

    Just keep mixing until everything's nice and smooth.

    A collage showing a block of gooey baked feta being stirred into pasta.

    Step 4: Add some veg (if you want to)

    You could eat your baked feta mac and cheese right away, if you want to keep it plain. It will already be creamy and salty and cheesy and utterly delicious.

    But I like to try to get some veg into my meals wherever I can, and sometimes it's nice have something to break through the creaminess a bit. So I added some halved cherry tomatoes and some fresh spinach, and returned the pan to the oven for another ten minutes or so.

    Collage showing fresh spinach and tomatoes being stirred into macaroni cheese.

    The end result is just incredible. It's insanely creamy, and since it's made with feta, it has that wonderful salty, cheesy flavour. The slight tang makes it feel a little less heavy than some other macaroni cheeses.

    A baking dish full of creamy feta mac and cheese with spinach and tomatoes.

    How to serve baked feta mac and cheese

    As with all cheesy pasta recipes, this baked feta macaroni cheese is pretty rich - so a small portion goes a long way!

    I served mine with a good handful of greenery - watercress is my favourite, as you can eat it raw or wilted, and it has a lovely peppery flavour that holds up really well against the tangy feta.

    Baked feta mac and cheese in a baking dish.

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    Baked Feta Mac and Cheese

    A super simple baked feta mac and cheese recipe, made by baking a block of feta in one dish with uncooked pasta - so easy and hassle-free!

    If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!

    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Comment
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 640kcal
    Author: Becca Heyes
    (prevents your screen from going dark)

    Ingredients

    • 300 g (~ 2 cups) uncooked macaroni
    • 650 ml (~ 2 ½ cups) milk
    • 100 g grated cheddar cheese (~ 1 cup when grated)
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic or garlic puree
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 200 g (~ 7 oz) block of feta cheese
    • ½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs
    • 1 large handful fresh spinach, roughly chopped
    • ~ 8 good quality cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 75 ml (~ ¼ cup) water (if needed)

    Instructions

    • Add the uncooked macaroni, milk, grated cheddar cheese, minced garlic, and black pepper to a baking dish (mine measured approximately 8 x 8 inches), and mix thoroughly. Place the block of feta cheese in the middle of the dish, on top of the pasta, and sprinkle with some dried herbs and a little extra black pepper.
    • Bake, uncovered, at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for about 30 minutes. Break up the feta with a spoon or spatula, and stir thoroughly.
    • Add the chopped spinach and cherry tomatoes to the dish, and stir again. If the mixture seems too thick, or the pasta needs a bit more cooking, you can add an extra splash of water at this stage. Then return the dish to the oven for a further 10 minutes, until the spinach has wilted and the cherry tomatoes are hot.

    Notes

    If you swap the macaroni for a larger pasta shape, it may take longer to cook, and may require a little more liquid. Check towards the end of the cooking time to see if it needs longer in the oven / an extra splash of water.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 portion - Calories: 640 kcal - Carbohydrates: 75.8 g - Protein: 31 g - Fat: 23.6 g - Saturated Fat: 15 g - Cholesterol: 84 mg - Sodium: 823 mg - Potassium: 757 mg - Fiber: 4.8 g - Sugar: 15.8 g - Calcium: 656 mg - Iron: 4 mg

    Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @EasyCheesyVeg or tag #EasyCheesyVegetarian!

    Love a one pot meal? There's plenty more inspiration here:

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      Vegetarian Chilli Mac (One Pot!)
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    • Mafalde pasta with spinach and pine nuts.
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    Comments

    1. Michelle Rodriguez says

      January 15, 2023 at 2:56 am

      Wow! This was a major hit today with EVERYONE. I used penne just because it was on hand and substituted 1/2 cup of the liquid, for half and half instead of milk (to use up what was in the fridge.) I will definitely be making this again!! Thanks for a great recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca Heyes says

        January 16, 2023 at 9:01 am

        Thanks Michelle, that's so lovely to hear! :)

        Reply
    2. Mali Nikoline says

      October 20, 2022 at 8:32 pm

      I just made this in my cute little le creuset pan, its only 2,4 litres so it took about 50minutes and a bit of extra milk, but it was sooo good :)5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca Heyes says

        October 21, 2022 at 10:46 am

        Thanks Mali, glad you liked it! :)

        Reply
    3. Jody says

      July 30, 2022 at 6:01 pm

      If you love feta cheese you will love this recipe. Super easy to put together too!5 stars

      Reply
    4. Jenni says

      March 14, 2022 at 8:26 pm

      I make the basic version of this a lot, but this looks like an interesting variation, I'll have to give it a go!

      The original oven-baked feta pasta recipe came from a Finnish food blogger btw: https://liemessa.fi/2020/09/baked-feta-pasta-original-recipe/

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        March 28, 2022 at 12:13 pm

        Ahh thank you for the link! I'll update the post :)

        Reply
    5. Megan says

      March 14, 2022 at 5:19 pm

      Mac & Cheese is one of my all time favorites! I have a recipe that I am known for that uses the crockpot that I thought was really easy but this is even more simplistic and I can't wait to try it. I don't think I have ever had it made with Feta but I do love it. Thanks for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        March 28, 2022 at 12:13 pm

        Thanks Megan, glad you like the look of it! :)

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

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