Keto baked feta pasta where the oven melts the feta into a rich, creamy sauce that coats every hearts of palm noodle, at 6.4g net carbs and 14.2g protein. I've made this since it first went viral, and my low carb version is the one that stuck.
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 what make this work. 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 30 to 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.
The Viral TikTok Feta Bake (Made Low Carb)
This is the easiest keto dinner I make. Throw a block of feta cheese into a baking dish, pile grape tomatoes around it, scatter some minced garlic over everything, and drizzle the whole thing with olive oil. That’s it. Thirty to 45 minutes in a 400-degree oven and the feta collapses into this rich, creamy sauce while the tomatoes blister and burst around it. Toss in hearts of palm noodles, shredded chicken, some fresh basil, a handful of Kalamata olives, and you have dinner. The first bite is the one that sells people on making this again.
Where This Recipe Came From
I remember when this first blew up on TikTok. Everyone was posting their version, and Finland literally ran out of feta cheese because the whole country was making it at once. When I went to my grocery store to grab a block, most of the solid feta was gone. I had to check three stores before I found the right kind (you want the block, not the crumbled stuff in a tub). Crumbled feta has the moisture pressed out, so it turns grainy and scattered instead of melting into a creamy pool.
The beauty of this dish is that there’s almost nothing to it. A block of feta surrounded by roasted grape tomatoes with a few seasonings. It scratches the same Italian comfort food itch as my Keto Skillet Lasagna, but with way less effort. I’ve played around with variations over the years, and the base recipe holds up no matter what you add.
Are Tomatoes Keto-Friendly?
This is a question I get asked a lot, and the answer is yes. Cherry tomatoes have about 2 grams of net carbs per half cup, which fits comfortably into a keto day. I use grape tomatoes specifically because they roast better than larger varieties. They caramelize on the outside, burst open, and create that saucy base that mixes into the feta. Roma or beefsteak tomatoes release too much water and don’t get that same concentrated sweetness.
Is Feta Cheese Low Carb?
Feta is one of my go-to cheeses for keto cooking, and yes, it’s low in carbs. About 2g of carbs per ounce, plus a good amount of protein that keeps me full well past lunch. I’ve noticed feta-heavy meals carry me through the afternoon without that 2 PM snack hunt. The salt content is a bonus if you’re like me and tend to run low on electrolytes.
Which Noodles Work Best?
The noodle question is the big one. I use Natural Heaven hearts of palm noodles (code KETOFOCUS saves 10% off your order). They’re made from hearts of palm, so they’re gluten-free, hold up in hot sauces without going mushy, and absorb flavor better than any noodle swap I’ve tried. I’ve used their spaghetti and linguine shapes in this dish, and the spaghetti soaks up a bit more sauce, which I prefer.
If hearts of palm aren’t available near you, zucchini noodles are the next best option. I’d spiralize them fresh and give them a quick saute before stirring into the roasted feta and tomatoes. Just know that zoodles release moisture as they sit, so eat this right away if you go that route. My Beef Tips and Noodles is another recipe where the noodle choice matters.
Shirataki noodles are another option, though they have a different texture that not everyone loves. I’d rinse them well and dry-fry them in a hot pan before adding to cut down on the rubbery feel. If you want to skip noodles entirely, Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash takes a completely different route.
Ways to Customize This Dish
This is where you get to play around. I’ve tested a bunch of variations and these are the ones that actually work.
Protein: Grilled or shredded rotisserie chicken stirred in at the end is my default. I also like breaking up meatballs into chunks. For something more Italian-inspired, try pairing with my Creamy Keto Tuscan Chicken.
Herbs: Fresh basil is already in the recipe, but I’ve added thyme, rosemary, and Italian seasoning at different times. A pinch of red pepper flakes gives it some heat without changing the overall flavor.
Vegetables: Roasted bell peppers are my favorite add-in. Spinach wilts right into the sauce. I’ve even tossed in leftover roasted broccoli and it worked surprisingly well.
The base recipe is forgiving enough that most add-ins work. Make a batch, eat half for dinner, and you’ve got lunch sorted for the next day.
Add tomatoes to a large casserole dish. Sprinkle on garlic.
3
Add olive oil
Pour in olive oil to the tomatoes and garlic. Toss to evenly coat.
4
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.
5
Put in your add-ins and stir
Remove from the oven and stir in basil, olives, chicken, salt and noodles.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/6 of recipe
Calories
343
Fat
26.2g
Protein
14.2g
Total carbs
7.9g
Net carbs
6.4g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 or reheat the leftovers?
Both work. To reheat, I use the stovetop over medium-low heat, 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 gets rubbery if you overheat it, so I use 50% power in 30-second bursts. Frozen leftovers 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 🙂
