If there’s one recipe I’ve been making on repeat this summer, it’s this tofu-based vegan baked tomato feta pasta. This vegan baked feta pasta is bursting with seasonal flavors like ripe cherry tomatoes and basil. It’s made with a dairy-free tofu feta that when mixed with the roasted tomatoes creates an incredibly creamy pasta sauce!
Why you’ll love this vegan baked tomato feta pasta
This pasta uses tons of fresh, ripe cherry tomatoes (like my Vegan Pearl Couscous Salad, Pesto Rice and my Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant!). It’s the perfect recipe for spring or summer. Here are a few more reasons you’ll love it!
- Packed with flavor: this pasta has quickly become a fan favorite in my household because it’s packed with so many herbs and has a delicious balance of savory, sweet, tangy and spicy
- Super easy: ready in under an hour, this pasta is essentially a ‘dump and bake’ dish, where all the ingredients can be cooked in one pan
- Homemade vegan feta: this recipe is made with a quick and easy homemade tofu feta, that doesn’t require any prep work beforehand!
What is baked feta pasta?
Baked feta pasta is a recipe that went viral on TikTok last year. So I’m a little late jumping on this trend, but better late than never…right? Regardless, of whether this recipe is trendy or not, it’s absolutely delicious. Annnd, a great way to use up ripe cherry tomatoes from the garden.
The original concept may have been created by blogger Tiiu Piret, however, the virality of the recipe was created by Jenni Häyrinen (@liemessa).
The original baked feta pasta isn’t vegan, so this recipe takes inspiration from the original to create an easy, flavor packed vegan version using in-season cherry tomatoes.
Ingredients
Because this recipe is made with a homemade tofu feta, a bulk of the ingredients in this dish are seasonings to replicate the tangy, salty taste of feta. Below are a few of the main ingredients you’ll need to make this baked pasta!
- Ripe Cherry Tomatoes
- Soft or Silken Tofu
- Rigatoni
- Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for fat and flavor
- White Vinegar, for acidity
- Agave Nectar, for sweetness
- Red Onion
- Garlic
- And Lots of Dried Herbs!
easy homemade vegan feta
This recipe is affordable and accessible since it uses silken or soft tofu as the base of the homemade vegan feta.
I recommend using silken-firm tofu or soft tofu for the best texture!
The goal is that the tofu breaks apart into a creamy sauce. If you use firm or extra firm tofu, it won’t integrate into the sauce as well.
Where to Find Silken-Firm Tofu
Silken extra-firm tofu is different from normal extra firm tofu.
I can usually find silken-firm tofu in the international aisle at my local grocery store. It comes in a shelf-stable package. I use one by the brand Mori-Nu which comes in a small orange box.
You can also find silken-firm tofu at your local Asian Market or order it online.
Substitutions
- Vegan Feta: if you’d rather use store bought vegan feta, you can sub in Violife’s Feta. Violife makes super convincing vegan cheese, so it would be delicious in this dish!
- Pasta: I used rigatoni in this dish, but you could sub in another short pasta like rotini, fusilli, penne or gemelli.
- Vinegar: I used white wine vinegar in this dish, but you could substitute apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar instead.
- Agave: feel free to use maple syrup or another liquid sweetener of choice.
Helpful Equipment
- Baking Pan
- Pasta Colander
Step-by-step instructions
STEP 1: Place the tomatoes, garlic, onion and the drained block of tofu into a 9×13” baking pan, with the tofu in the center.
STEP 2: Drizzle the olive oil over all the tomatoes and the block of tofu. Pour the vinegar and agave nectar on the block of tofu.
STEP 3: Then, sprinkle all of the herbs and vegan parmesan over the tofu and tomatoes. To make the vegan feta cheese, rub the seasonings, oil, vinegar, and agave into the tofu with your fingers, so it’s well coated.
STEP 4: Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tomatoes have burst and are bubbling.
STEP 5: Make the pasta according to the package instructions. Set aside when done.
STEP 6: Once tomatoes are baked, mix the tofu and tomatoes together, breaking up the tofu into tiny pieces. Crush the roasted garlic with the back of a spoon and mix into the sauce.
STEP 7: Mix in the cooked pasta until it’s well coated in the sauce.
storage
Dare I say, this dish gets even better the next day?! Similar to pasta salad, this vegan baked feta pasta tastes even better the longer the pasta has to soak up the sauce.
Don’t’ get me wrong, it’s still super tasty straight out of the oven, but the leftovers are always amazing.
- To store the pasta, you can cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- You can also transfer the pasta to an airtight container.
To Make Ahead
- To make this pasta ahead of time, I recommend baking the sauce and storing it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it.
- Then, make the pasta and mix it in with the pre-made cherry tomato sauce.
Pro Tips
- use soft or silken-extra firm tofu: for the best texture use a softer tofu so it breaks apart into the sauce
- good quality extra virgin olive oil: a bulk of the flavor comes from the olive oil, so make sure you use one that is high quality!
- crush the roasted garlic after baking: be sure to crush the garlic with a spoon after the sauce has baked. This ensures that all that flavor gets incorporated into the sauce!
Baked Feta Pasta FAQ
This vegan tofu feta doesn’t melt, but it does break up nicely into the sauce creating a creamy texture.
To make this vegan feta pasta, you’ll roast or bake the cherry tomatoes and tofu in lots of olive oil and seasonings until the tomatoes are bursting. Then, you’ll mix in the cooked pasta for a flavor packed, summer pasta dish!
Yes! This recipe is completely vegan, thanks to the homemade tofu feta it uses
I don’t recommend omitting any of the seasonings in this dish. It may seem like a lot of ingredients, but because we’re using tofu (which has very little flavor on its own), the sauce needs all of the herbs for the best flavor!
More Vegan Pasta recipes:
- The Best Vegan Chicken Parm
- Vegan Chicken Parm Stuffed Shells
- Creamy Vegan Baked Mac & Cheese
- Creamy Garlic Tahini Pasta
- Vegan Tomato Pasta Bake (No Boil)
- Meatless Baked Ziti
Did you make this vegan baked feta pasta recipe?
I’d love to know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and comment below!
Vegan Baked Tomato Feta Pasta (TikTok)
If there's one recipe I’ve been making on repeat this summer, it’s this tofu-based vegan baked tomato feta pasta. This vegan baked feta pasta is bursting with seasonal flavors like ripe cherry tomatoes and basil.
It’s made with a dairy-free tofu feta that when mixed with the roasted tomatoes creates an incredibly creamy pasta sauce!
Ingredients
Cherry Tomatoes & Vegan Tofu Feta
- 20-30 oz ripe cherry tomatoes
- 1 block soft or silken-firm tofu, drained and pressed lightly to remove moisture
- ¼ -⅓ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 6-7 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- ¼ medium red onion, chopped
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp agave nectar
Seasonings
- 1 ¾ - 2 tsp sea salt, to taste (add more after mixing with pasta if needed)
- 1-2 tsp black pepper (same note as salt above)
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp dried onion flakes, or sub an additional 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- Dash of red chili flakes, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan or mozzarella shreds, plus more for topping (I used Violife Parmesan)
Pasta
- 1 lb. rigatoni or another short pasta
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Place the tomatoes, garlic, onion and the drained block of tofu into a 9x13” baking pan, with the tofu in the center.
- Drizzle the olive oil over all the tomatoes and the block of tofu. Pour the vinegar and agave nectar on the block of tofu.
- Then, sprinkle all of the seasonings, herbs, and vegan parmesan over the tofu and tomatoes. Rub the seasonings, oil, vinegar, and agave into the tofu with your fingers, so it’s well coated.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft, bursting, and bubbling.
- While the tomatoes bake, make the pasta according to the package instructions. Set aside when done.
- Once tomatoes are baked, remove from the oven and mix the tofu and tomatoes together, breaking up the tofu into tiny pieces. Crush the roasted garlic with the back of a spoon and mix into the sauce. The sauce should take on a creamy appearance with small bits of vegan tofu feta scattered throughout.
- Mix in the cooked pasta until it’s well coated in the sauce. Season to taste with salt, pepper and more Italian seasoning.
- Serve with fresh basil and crusty garlic bread.
Notes
- use soft or silken-extra firm tofu: for the best texture use a softer tofu so it breaks apart into the sauce
- good quality extra virgin olive oil: a bulk of the flavor comes from the olive oil, so make sure you use one that is high quality!
- crush the roasted garlic after baking: be sure to crush the garlic with a spoon after the sauce has baked. This ensures that all that flavor gets incorporated into the sauce!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 308Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 386mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 16g
Nutritional info is an estimate.
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