TikTok Pasta
Okay so by now, you have all heard of this viral pasta recipe from TikTok, and some of you have tried making it at home. And if you have no idea what I am talking about….um where have you been my friend?!
My initial sentiment toward viral food trends tend to fall between immense skepticism, like “the tortilla hack” and downright disdain like “nature’s cereal”, so unnecessary. This is the story about yet another viral TikTok trend that I kinda sorted wanted to hate...but didn't. It’s a low-effort baked pasta recipe with tomatoes, cheese and basil — what’s not to love? Well, the original recipe calls for a block of feta cheese, but like the Greeks I like feta in my salad. I did try it with feta the first time and white it was not bad, it did feel like it was lacking in flavor, just somewhat bland. Turns out I wasn’t the only one.
So I made it again but this time with my own spin adding spices, herbs and additional ingredients to my liking. Then, I swapped out the cheese to Boursin’s flavored Gournay Cheese and it was phenomenal! I also like to add some smoked sausages and chunky basil pesto, then turn it into a wholesome weeknight dinner, that is so full of flavor, and so comforting. It’s safe to say it has become a staple in our house. So two months after the “baked feta pasta” went viral, I am finally going to share my version of the recipe with you. Whatever, better late than never! You will thank me after you’ve tried it. 😊
Recipe | Serving Size: 4-5
Making (and Baking!) The Cheesy Pasta Sauce
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes - 1 cup
Smoked Chicken Sausages - 2, chopped
Garlic Cloves - 4
Olive Oil - 2-3 tbsp
Italian Seasoning - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Flakes
Salt
Pepper
In a square baking dish, combine everything above. To make life easy, I recommend chopping up the sausages to your liking. This way, as the sausage cooks it will also impart flavor/drippings onto the rest of the ingredients.
The Cheese!
Boursin Cheese - 1 block, I recommend either the “Garlic & Fine Herbs” or “Shallot & Chives”
Make a little bit of a hole in the middle and add the block of Boursin cheese. You may drizzle the top of the cheese with a bit of olive oil and more seasonings. Bake it in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 F. Once it’s done broil it on high for another 5 minutes.
Note: Although it’s known as Boursin cheese, Boursin is actually the brand name and the cheese is called Gournay. You can find this at the “artisan cheese & cured meat” area at your local grocery. I believe Costco also sells them in a pack of 3, this way you get to try a variety!
If you live in a part of the world where you can’t find Boursin aka Gournay Cheese, make it with Feta Cheese instead. But once it’s done baking and you are ready to mix everything, here’s a hack — add couple big dollops of Cream Cheese, even better if it’s flavored like “garlic and herbs”.
I tried this combination out of the blue, kinda out of necessity and the result is just as divine and actually even creamier! Arafat loved the version with Gournay cheese so much, he asked me to make it again. Well I ran out of Boursin, but I did have a little block of feta (about 4 oz) and a little bit (couple tablespoons) of cream cheese just chillin’ in the fridge, waiting to be used. So I did what a recipe developer would do and whipped it up together.
My picky eater husband of course noticed the difference. And according to him, the feta + cream cheese hack was just as good as the Boursin cheese version. Apparently it was cheesier and creamier, just the way he likes it. So there you have it! Happy husband, happy… nothing rhymes with husband. Oh well!
Cooking The Pasta
While the above ingredients are baking, we gotta cook the pasta.
Elbow Macaroni or Cavatappi - 1 cup, or any other pasta you like
Salt
Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Trust me, the pasta water is very important!
Bringing It Together
Pesto - 1-2 tbsp
Fresh Basil - chopped
Immediately add the pesto, chopped basil leaves to the cooked tomatoes, sausage and cheese. Using a spatula combine everything.
Cooked Pasta
Pasta Water - 1/2 cup
Transfer the cooked pasta and reserve pasta water to the baking dish and toss to combine. Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Note: If you are extra like me, you could put it back in the oven at 400 F for another 10 minutes after topping it off with the parmesan. It just results in pasta that’s extra cheesy with a crispy parmesan crust. Yum!
While the original “baked feta pasta” is not bad for a in a hurry weeknight meal, this version is definitely an upgrade and a wholesome meal! It’s even great when you have people over for dinner or even for a picnic or potluck meal. The addition of the Boursin cheese, smoked sausages, pesto and of course parmesan make it soooo much better!
If you do recreate our recipe, be sure to
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