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
Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pour in tomatoes and garlic.
Add tomatoes to a large casserole dish. Sprinkle on garlic.
Add olive oil
Pour in olive oil to the tomatoes and garlic. Toss to evenly coat.
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.
Put in your add-ins and stir
Remove from the oven and stir in basil, olives, chicken, salt and noodles.
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.
I genuinely thought the hearts of palm would be mush by Thursday, but four containers in and they're still holding. Keeping the noodles separate until right before eating helps a lot. Spoon the sauce over, hit it with olive oil, reheat. The sauce gets thicker in the fridge, which makes it stick better once it warms up. The Kalamata olives are the sleeper hit, honestly. They mellow out overnight sitting in all that tomato and feta in a way I didn't see coming. Didn't expect this to turn into my go-to weekday lunch, Annie.
My husband has been asking me to try this one. I'm thinking Sunday.
He's going to ask it again. The feta sauce gets people every time, that moment when you mash it with the tomatoes and it all comes together. Hope Sunday's good to you, Kristen.
My store only had crumbled feta. Does it still melt into that creamy sauce or does block feta actually matter?
Block matters for this one. Crumbled has the moisture pressed out, so instead of melting into a creamy pool you get more of a grainy, scattered coating. I've grabbed crumbled in a pinch and it still tastes fine, just not that smooth sauce.
When the feta melted: oh, there it is.
That glossy moment is what sold me on the first batch. Before I even touched a fork to mash it, I could already see it was going to coat everything. The feta sort of collapses into itself, you stir, and it picks up all the tomato and oil into something thick. I've made this enough times that I know what I'm looking at before I even pull it from the oven. Still doesn't get less satisfying.
Put this together on a Wednesday night with no real expectations. The feta came out of the oven looking more like cream than cheese, and once I stirred in the tomatoes it basically sauced itself. The kalamata olives surprised me, they add something sharp that keeps it from being too rich. Does this reheat well the next day or is it better eaten fresh?
It reheats well, Sonia. Stovetop over medium-low with a splash of olive oil is what I do, stir gently until warmed through. Microwave works in a pinch but the feta goes rubbery if you push it too long.
Pulled the feta about five minutes early because the top was getting darker than I wanted, then mashed it with a fork before adding anything. Way smoother than when I stirred it in whole after the full time. Also started adding a splash of Kalamata brine right before serving (happened by accident the first time and I haven't stopped since) because it cuts through the richness and gives the whole thing this sharp, briny lift the plain olives don't quite manage. For the chicken: if it's freshly off a rotisserie and still warm and a little wet, pat it dry and let it sit a few minutes before it goes in or it'll thin the sauce. Four stars because the technique takes a couple runs to dial in, but once you have it, it's solid.
The brine trick is the one I'm stuck on. The olives give you a hint of that sharpness but the brine goes straight for it, and it makes sense the sauce needs that cut. Next batch.
First time making this and torn between hearts of palm vs zucchini noodles. Does stirring the zucchini in at the end actually prevent the water problem, or does hearts of palm just hold up better?
Stirring at the end slows it down but doesn't stop it. Zucchini releases moisture as it sits, especially once it cools, and that thins out the sauce. Hearts of palm just doesn't have that problem. First time making it, go hearts of palm.
Used zucchini noodles instead of hearts of palm because that's what I had, but I salted and pressed them for about 20 minutes first so they wouldn't water the sauce down. The feta came out genuinely creamy, not crumbly at all, which I wasn't expecting given how firm the block was going in. Threw in a pinch of red pepper flakes before it went in the oven and it gave the whole dish this subtle heat that cuts right through the olive oil. Going in the summer rotation.
Salting and pressing first is smart. Most people skip it and wonder why it's watery. Red pepper flakes are my summer add too.
Made this probably eight times with zucchini noodles because I always had them on hand, and they were fine, but I finally tracked down the hearts of palm and the difference is not subtle. The sauce (those tomatoes get so jammy once the feta melts in) actually clings to them instead of sliding off. I don't know why I waited so long. Making a double batch this week.
That cling is everything. Zucchini sweats right through it no matter what you do.
Came out really well for my first attempt. The feta melted into this creamy coating I genuinely wasn't expecting, it coats everything evenly once you stir it in. One thing I'd do differently: drain the hearts of palm noodles more. Way more. Mine got a little watery at the end, which dulled the sauce. Trying zucchini noodles next time to see if those hold up better.
Draining is huge, I press mine in a clean towel before stirring them in. Fair warning on the zucchini though, they release moisture as they sit and you'll hit the same problem.
I stirred in two big handfuls of fresh spinach right at the end and it wilted into the feta sauce so fast I almost panicked. Totally fine, it ended up coating every piece of noodle. I used zucchini noodles because I couldn't find hearts of palm at my grocery store, and they held up better than I expected given how much liquid the tomatoes released. The feta sauce is freaking incredible, I wasn't prepared for how much the tomatoes break down into it. The sauce ran a bit thin on me, so next time I'll let the tomatoes roast an extra five minutes before adding everything else. Four stars only because of that, not the flavor.
Stealing that spinach trick. Five more minutes on the tomatoes once they actually burst will tighten the sauce right up next time.
Pat the hearts of palm noodles completely dry before stirring them in or they water down all that creamy feta sauce.
The canned ones come out swimming in brine. I press mine between paper towels for a minute first. Sauce comes out so much thicker.
Pasta was the one thing I couldn't crack on keto. The hearts of palm with the baked feta cream actually does it. Almost two years without real pasta and this is the first one that doesn't feel like a compromise.
The feta cream is what makes it work. It coats the hearts of palm so thickly the noodle underneath stops mattering.
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.
Kerrygold is the right call on this one. The creaminess gets everyone the first time. Skip the olives entirely next batch if you want, it holds up fine without them.
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.