If you spent any time online in the earlier months of 2021, you likely encountered one of the year's most viral dishes: baked feta pasta. While the simple, adaptable, and delicious dish is still wildly popular, it’s long due for an upgrade, and adding beans takes this recipe to the next level.

The original feta pasta recipe consists of a block of feta nestled in a bed of cherry tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil; are of these are baked and then mixed with pasta, creating a creamy, tangy tomato sauce. Adding beans, specifically white beans or chickpeas, to your baked feta pasta has two big benefits.

Beans drastically increase the protein content of the dish, making it more satisfying and filling, and they also provide a creamy texture and earthy taste that perfectly contrasts the tangy feta and sweet tomatoes. White beans and chickpeas are recommended for their neutral flavor and hearty texture.