Effortlessly baked cream cheese cherry tomato pasta?

Cream cheese cherry tomato pasta, also known as TikTok pasta, is one of the most widely liked parts of Italian cuisine after it went viral. It is effortless to make and has a super delicious taste. It’s so versatile and easy to make little tweaks to make a slight change now and again.  So, most of the queries I receive are about the baked creamy cheese tomato pasta, and that’s what we are going to discuss today.

If you have been following me, you must know about my grandma’s tomato farms and how we use tomatoes to make tomato sauce. If you haven’t ever tried, try this.

Don't miss: How do you make powder pasta sauce with hydrated tomatoes?

If you have TONS of cherry tomatoes from your garden and don’t want to freeze or hydrate them, then this is a great reason to push growing cherry tomatoes for baked cream cheese cherry tomato pasta.

How to make baked cream cheese cherry tomato pasta?

I learned about this recipe from my friend, who made it based on a viral recipe called feta pasta, which became famous in Finland. It became so popular that the grocery markets ran out of feta cheese! This viral baked pasta is a simple recipe made by oven-roasting a block of cream cheese with cherry tomatoes to create a salty and cheesy sauce.

Ingredients in cream cheese cherry tomato pasta:

This delicious weeknight meal requires just a few simple ingredients, and you’ll be able to whip it up.

What? Are you hearing your grumbling stomach that can’t wait any longer for this flavor-bursting pasta?

So, let’s start without any further ado!

Ingredients

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Ingredients	Quantity
Pasta	200 g
Cherry tomatoes	300 g
Creamy cheese	150 g
Olive oil	6 tbsp
Garlic	1 (minced garlic)
Dried oregano	1 tsp
Basil leaves	1 handful (chopped)
Salt + Black pepper	according to taste

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Classic recipe to make baked cream cheese cherry tomato pasta:

• Preheat the oven to 400 F.

• Take an oven-safe baking dish, add cherry tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil, and mix to combine.
• Add a block of feta or cream cheese in the center of the baking dish, a touch of olive oil, and freshly cracked pepper over the cheese block.
• Bake it in the oven for about 40 minutes until the tomatoes burst with a heavenly smell and the cheese turns golden.
• Add minced garlic and fresh basil leaves when they come out of the oven and stir until the cheese is smooth. Mix instantly so the garlic softens from the heat in the dish.
• Add cooked al-dente pasta over stirred sauce with ¼ cup of reserved pasta water and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Ta DA DA! The infamous TIKTOK pasta is ready. Serve it hot and immediately.

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Suggested substitutions:

Cream cheese:

 Feta cheese is less processed and gives a melty consistency when baked. But adding cream cheese makes pasta rich and creamy, which gives the tomato sauce a luxurious texture.

Cherry tomatoes: 

I chose cherry tomatoes for this recipe, but you can also use other tomatoes, like grape tomatoes, because their small size means optimal flavor and they look stunning when they burst.

Dehydrated tomatoes (optional): 

These tomatoes can level up pasta flavors. Although dehydrated tomatoes are not necessary, they are highly recommended.

Seasoning & Herbs: 

Olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and basil are the essential ingredients for seasoning. I prefer to use freshly chopped basil leaves as a garnish because dried does not give the same pop. You can also switch the fresh garlic to roasted garlic.

Expert tips for making baked cream cheese cherry tomato pasta:

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Choose the freshest ingredients:

Selecting fresh ingredients makes all the difference here. I strongly recommend using fresh cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, and minced garlic.

Jam-packed baking dish with cherry tomatoes:

 If you want saucy cherry tomatoes, the rule of crowding baking dish with cherry tomatoes works perfectly here.

Reserve the pasta water:

Saving hot pasta water helps the sauce be smoother and creamier. In general, whenever I cook pasta, I always save ½ cups of pasta water to make pasta saucy or in case the pasta dish comes out dry. 

Frequently asked questions