Turn Your Baked Feta Pasta Into A Tasty Dip By Ditching A Key Ingredient

If you haven't already tasted — or, at the very least, heard of — the viral sensation that is baked feta pasta, where have you been? Established circa 2019 and catapulted into the world's kitchens during the lockdown era that followed, this delicious dish brings together an entire block of feta cheese with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, fresh or dried herbs, and, of course, pasta,  for a rich, creamy, and truly unique taste sensation.

Part of this meal's appeal is the fact that it's such a breeze to put together — the majority of the ingredients are simply thrown together in an ovenproof dish and baked at high heat for around half an hour before being mixed together with the pasta of your choosing – yet, you wouldn't know, given how spectacular it tastes. Want to know what else tastes spectacular? Dip — especially one made in the style of this wildly popular pasta.

In fact, you can employ pretty much the exact same recipe you use for baked feta pasta at home, without any extra ingredients or effort. If anything, the dip version is even easier to make than the original dish, because you'll actually be using one less item — and that's the pasta itself. Too easy.

If the words baked feta dip weren't enough to pique your interest, there are plenty of other reasons why this snack should be on your radar. If it wasn't already abundantly clear, the combination of baked feta and tomatoes works extremely well (it didn't go viral for nothing!). Cooking feta in the oven gives the naturally firm cheese a wonderfully soft and creamy quality, which provides a perfect foil for the tangy tomatoes and other savory ingredients in the dish. The resulting flavor and texture make it perfect for scooping onto fresh crusty bread, crackers, crostini, or even potato chips. Not only that, but it also goes a long way (one 8-ounce block of feta and a pint carton of tomatoes will yield a few cups).

You can also customize this dip to suit your taste. Nothing's stopping you from trying different types of feta — whether already flavored or marinated, or made from different kinds of milk, like goat or sheep — or tomatoes (cherry tomatoes are the go-to, but you could use any type really). You could also switch out the tomatoes for another vegetable — broccoli with a little lemon zest and juice, for example, or even artichokes, red onion, olives, cauliflower, or spinach for cob loaf (an Australian dip-filled bread bowl) vibes. Tinker with different herbs, or add some extra heat from chiles. As with the original viral pasta, when it comes to baked feta dip, improvisation can yield exciting results.