Keto Baked Feta Pasta
Published February 10, 2021 • Updated March 1, 2026
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I've been making this keto baked feta pasta since it first went viral, and my low carb version with hearts of palm noodles is the one that stuck. The oven turns the feta into a creamy sauce that coats everything.
I first made this baked feta pasta the week it went viral on TikTok and immediately started working on a keto version. The original recipe is barely a recipe (block of feta, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, oven), and that simplicity is exactly what makes it work. My version swaps regular pasta for hearts of palm noodles and keeps everything else the same.
Here’s what I figured out after making this probably a dozen times: the oven does something to feta that you can’t replicate on the stovetop. At 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes, the feta goes from crumbly to this silky, almost ricotta-like texture that melts right into the burst tomatoes. You stir it all together and it becomes a sauce without ever making a sauce. That’s the whole trick.
Hearts of palm noodles are the move here. I tested them side by side against zucchini noodles, and the difference was obvious. Zoodles release water as they sit, which thins out the feta-tomato sauce you just spent 45 minutes building. Hearts of palm stay firm, hold their shape, and don’t dump extra moisture into the dish. If you like noodle-based keto dinners, my Low Carb Tuscan Chicken Pasta and Baked Keto Spaghetti use similar swaps.
The tomato-to-feta ratio matters more than you’d think. I use 2 cups of grape tomatoes for one 8 oz block of feta, and that gives me a thick, coating sauce. But if you prefer it saucier (a lot of readers do), bump up to about 28 oz of tomatoes and add 3-4 garlic cloves with a pinch of oregano to keep the flavor concentrated. Without the extra seasoning, more tomatoes just dilute everything.
I always add shredded chicken to turn this into a full dinner. It brings the protein up and makes it work as a weeknight meal, not just a side dish. You could also toss in Keto Skillet Meatballs broken up into the pasta, or keep it vegetarian with just the feta and tomatoes.
What keeps me coming back to this recipe is how little effort it takes. Throw everything in a casserole dish, bake, stir in the noodles. I make this on nights when I have zero energy for anything complicated, and it still delivers. If you’re into easy baked dinners, my Keto Chicken Casserole has the same dump-and-bake approach.
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Ingredients
2 cups grape tomatoes -
2 cloves garlic, minced
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½ cup olive oil
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8 oz solid block feta cheese
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3 basil leaves
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½ cup Kalamata olives
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1 cup shredded chicken
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1 teaspoon salt
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9 oz hearts of palm noodles or zucchini noodles
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Add a block of feta cheese
Place a block of feta cheese in the center of the casserole dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes or until feta is creamy.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use more tomatoes to make it saucier?
I've made it both ways. My standard ratio is 2 cups of grape tomatoes to one 8 oz block of feta, which gives a thick coating sauce. When I want it saucier, I bump up to about 28 oz of tomatoes. The trick is adding 3-4 cloves of garlic and a pinch of oregano when you go heavier on the tomatoes, otherwise the extra liquid dilutes the feta flavor and the whole thing tastes flat.
Are the net carbs with or without the noodles?
With the noodles. I calculate nutrition using hearts of palm noodles, which add very little to the carb count. If you swap in zucchini noodles, the net carbs stay about the same. Shirataki noodles would bring it even lower.
How do I make this in an air fryer?
I've done it in my air fryer at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes and it works. Use a smaller oven-safe dish that fits your basket, and check the feta at the 15-minute mark. It won't get quite as caramelized on the tomatoes as the oven version, but it's great when I don't want to heat up the whole kitchen.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
I've frozen leftovers and they reheat fine, but the texture changes a bit. The noodles soften more than I'd like, and the sauce thins out. If I'm planning to freeze a batch, I leave the hearts of palm noodles out and add them fresh when I reheat. The feta-tomato sauce base freezes well on its own for about 2 weeks.
What's the best way to reheat leftovers?
Stovetop over medium-low heat is my go-to. I add a splash of olive oil to the pan and stir gently until everything's warmed through. Microwaving works in a pinch, but the feta can get rubbery if you overheat it. I usually microwave at 50% power in 30-second bursts.
Can I use a different cheese instead of feta?
I've tested goat cheese and it works, though the flavor is tangier and the sauce comes out thinner. Cream cheese makes it richer and heavier, which some people prefer. My favorite swap is a mix of half feta, half goat cheese. That said, feta is what makes this dish what it is, so I'd try the original first.
Will zucchini noodles work instead of hearts of palm?
They work, but they're not my first choice. I've made this with both, and the issue with zucchini noodles is moisture. They release water as they sit, which dilutes that thick feta sauce you spent 45 minutes building. If you go with zoodles, spiralize fresh, saute them separately first, and eat the dish right away. Don't let it sit.
Held off on this for months because hearts of palm noodles have let me down before. Made it last week with a block of Kerrygold feta anyway, mostly out of desperation. The way it breaks down into the olive oil and tomatoes is not what I expected (way creamier, almost no effort). Four stars because I'd pull back on the olives next time, personal thing, but the base of this is freaking good and I'm already planning another batch for Sunday.
I've tried three other keto baked feta pasta recipes with the same problem: zucchini noodles release so much water the sauce basically disappears. Hearts of palm don't do that. They hold their shape and pull the sauce in. Wasn't sure what to expect going in, but the feta comes out almost spreadable and coats everything. The olives and chicken make it a real meal. Making this again.
Three batches. The sauce was basically soup by the end. Hearts of palm were the only way this worked.
My mom used to make the regular version of this when it went viral and I stopped eating it when I went keto. Made yours with the hearts of palm noodles last week and the feta melts into this creamy sauce that tastes exactly how I remembered. I didn't expect that.
That sauce is why hearts of palm work here. They don't release water, so nothing dilutes it. Your mom had good taste.
I put off making this for months because hearts of palm noodles seemed like the kind of keto swap that was going to let me down. Made it last weekend on a whim, and when the feta came out of the oven and I started stirring, it went into this silky, almost cream-sauce consistency that I was not expecting. The caramelized tomatoes gave it this depth that kept me going back in. Genuinely annoyed at myself for waiting so long.
Ha, genuinely annoyed at yourself is the most common reaction I get on this one. That feta sauce moment got me too when I was first testing it, and I already knew what was supposed to happen.
Made this Sunday and my daughter spent the whole bake time hovering by the oven because of how good the tomatoes and feta smelled. She ate around the hearts of palm noodles at first, then just gave up and ate those too, and when I told her afterward they weren't real pasta the look on her face was pure betrayal followed by 'don't tell me things like that.' The feta gets genuinely creamy when it bakes down into the tomatoes, way more so than I was expecting from a solid block of cheese. Already thinking about doing it again with shrimp.
Ha, 'don't tell me things like that' is genuinely the best response. Shrimp works so well here, just add them the last 10 minutes or they get rubbery in the oven.
Noted on the 10 minutes, I would have just thrown them in from the start and wondered why they turned out rubbery.
Made this for the fourth time and finally thought to add the Kalamata olives at the start so they could roast with the tomatoes. The brine soaks in while everything caramelizes and the whole thing has a depth it didn't have before. That small change is what pushed this into the permanent rotation.
Hadn't thought to start the olives with the tomatoes but that makes total sense. The brine cooking down into the sauce as everything caramelizes would deepen the whole thing. Trying this next time.
Made the original viral version at least four times, but hearts of palm noodles made this the one I keep coming back to. The feta baked right in with the tomatoes and olive oil makes a sauce way richer than any stovetop version I've tried. Best iteration of this recipe for me.
That baked sauce is the whole thing. Stovetop feta never gets that creamy without the oven time. Hearts of palm hold up so much better than zucchini noodles here too.
This was great, and so easy to put together! I had read all the reviews before making this, and, as suggested by someone else, I used a more tomatoes (almost 28 oz!) and this made plenty of "sauce", which is how we prefer it. Because of this, next time I might add some more garlic and also season with Italian herbs/oregano, and maybe some more basil. I also thought this needed a little more chicken, but that's what's so fabulous about this recipe - it's very customizable. Thank you for sharing!
More tomatoes makes sense if you like it saucier. I'd bump the garlic to 3 or 4 cloves and add a pinch of oregano with that much liquid. Keeps the flavor strong.
hi is the net carbs with the noodle or without?
Thanks
with the noodles
This was excellent but I think for an entire block of feta you need more than 2 cups of tomatoes. I used 2boxes/pints (?) of tomatoes to a block of feta and the ratio was off. It got too dry. I didn't add chicken but it was even too dry for the NuPasta I tried for the first time.
I'll use more tomatoes next time, but this recipe is a keeper.
Skipping the chicken pulls out more liquid than people expect. Plus NuPasta absorbs a lot more than hearts of palm. Both reasons to go heavier on tomatoes. I'd try 28 oz next time.
Yum scrum delicious!!! I was looking for something simple and keto friendly to make while my family had the big grander dinner. This dish was a big hit! Even the kids wanted seconds and thirds! Definitely a big win in our household and will go on repeat :)
I love it!
Right? Those grape tomatoes after 45 minutes in the oven get so jammy. The sauce basically makes itself.
Another masterpiece. Thank you, from Denver, CO.
Denver! The hearts of palm make this one feel like actual pasta. Glad you found it.
This was so easy and so good! My husband asked why we weren't eating keto!!! He was surprised that it was! Thank you.
Ha, that's the best response. The feta sauce gets so creamy in the oven it doesn't feel like anything's missing.