Last weekend I got an email from Robyn with a link to this really cool recipe over at Apron Strings. I love cooking pasta and rice in liquids other than water, so this idea for a one pot pasta dish (which is originally from Martha Stewart Living Magazine) was right up my alley!
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This dish is incredibly easy and super flavorful. The pasta cooks in a mixture of broth, herbs, and aromatics, like onion and garlic, which really ramp up the flavor. The starch that dissolves off of the pasta as it cooks helps create a thick sauce right in the pot. It’s magic! So fast, so easy, and SO flavorful. I do want to mention, though, that if you’re the type of person that can’t handle pasta any other way than al dente, you may not like this one. The pasta can get a little soft, if you let it cook even just a little too long.
I made a few changes to the original recipe, as usual, to fit my needs. First, instead of using fresh basil, which can cost an arm and a leg, I used frozen spinach for a pop of green and increased the dried basil to make up for the flavor. Second, I wanted more “stuff” in my pasta, so I used a larger can of diced tomatoes and reduced the amount of vegetable broth to compensate. Lastly, I added a light sprinkle of shaved Parmesan over top. Other great ideas for add-ins: mushrooms, parmesan, artichoke hearts, or olives.
I think next time I’ll save adding the frozen spinach until the end so that it will defrost and heat quickly from the pasta’s residual heat. That way the spinach will stay bright green and pretty, and it will not darken the pasta as it cooks. But hey, either way it tasted fantastic!
Tomato Spinach One Pot Pasta
Servings 6Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable broth ($0.52)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.22)
- 12 oz. fettuccine ($0.75)
- 8 oz. frozen chopped spinach ($0.72)
- 1 28oz. can diced tomatoes ($1.68)
- 1 yellow onion, sliced ($0.42)
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced ($0.32)
- 1/2 Tbsp dried basil ($0.15)
- 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano ($0.15)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper ($0.03)
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste ($0.05)
- 2 oz. shaved Parmesan ($1.25)
Instructions
- Add four cups of vegetable broth to a large pot. Break the fettuccine in half and add it to the pot along with the canned tomatoes (with juices), olive oil, frozen spinach, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper, and some freshly cracked black pepper.
- Make sure the ingredients are submerged under the liquid, place a lid on top of the pot, and then turn the heat on to high. Allow the pot to come up to a full boil over high heat, then remove the lid and turn the heat down to medium.
- Allow the pot to continue to boil over medium heat, without a lid, for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir the pot every few minutes as it cooks to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom, but avoid over stirring which can cause the pasta to become sticky.
- Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan just before serving.
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Nutrition
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How to Make One Pot Pasta – Step by Step Photos
Start with four cups of vegetable broth. The flavor intensity and salt content of your broth will make a big difference in the end flavor of the pasta. If you use a low sodium broth, the pasta will taste bland. I use Better Than Bouillon soup base for all of my broths because it is really flavorful, much less expensive than boxed or canned broths, and I can mix up any amount needed. These little jars last forever in the refrigerator, too, so it’s there whenever you need it. And no, I am not being paid to endorse it. :)
Add the four cups of broth to a large pot along with 12 oz. fettuccine, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 8oz. frozen spinach, a 28oz. can diced tomatoes (with the juices), 1 sliced onion, 4 cloves garlic (minced or sliced), 1/2 Tbsp dried basil, 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and some freshly cracked pepper. Although I show the fettuccine whole here, it’s best to break the pasta in half to help it fit in the pot and make it easier to stir later.
Briefly stir the pot and make sure all the pasta is submerged. Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil over high heat. Once it reaches a full boil, remove the lid, turn the heat down to medium, and give it a stir. Make sure it’s still bubbling away when you turn the heat down. It needs to continue boiling for this to work.
Let it boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed or evaporated. Only stir once every few minutes to keep the pasta from sticking. Over stirring it can make the pasta overly mushy and sticky.
And then it’s done and it tastes amazing! Cool, huh? Sprinkle a little shaved Parmesan over top just before serving. This Tomato Spinach One Pot Pasta deserves a cape for being so amazing. That bowl was gone in 60 seconds. 👅
SOOO good, so easy, so cheap! My husband is the kind of guy that if it doesn’t have meat in it, he doesn’t eat in and he loved it! Mind you I did alter it a tiny bit… I used spaghetti noodles, I grated the onion so my kids wouldn’t complain, and I used 2 cups low sodium chicken broth and 2 cups of water because I didn’t have vegetable broth in the pantry. Thank you so much for this recipe.
I made this tonight, and it’s a keeper! My family and I enjoyed it, and I love that it was so easy. For our vegetarian, I made it per the recipe. For the other family members, I cut up cooked chicken breasts to add to it if they wished. I think shrimp would be a tasty addition, next time.
This is seriously delicious & I cooked it in a crock pot sucessfully. I changed it up by using a jar of salsa instead of canned tomatoes & 1 cup white wine & 1 cup water instead of the 4 cups broths listed. I cooked it on low for 7 hours and 5 minutes before serving I cranked the heat to high & tossed a few handfuls of fresh spinach on top. It was colorful and delicious.
Any tips for cooking this in a crock pot? I’m always leery of noodles in a slow cooker…
Yeah, I don’t think this one would be fit for a slow cooker for that reason.
I don’t even know what I was looking for when I stumbled upon this recipe yesterday. The recipe, pictures, and reviews convinced me to try it and here I am typing my own review as I eat my bowl of Italian Wonderpot. I followed the recipe and it came out wonderful! It is a little salty, but that is either because I used too much salt (I never measure salt) or because the broth base was saltier than what I have been used to (this was my first time using broth base, so I’ll be more careful next time). Overall a simple and delicious recipe that I can’t wait to share with my mom in Europe!
First off I just want to say I do not cook. I’m the person that would spend my last dollar or even borrow so I would not have to cook. One of my resolutions for the year is to cook at least twice a week. Anyway…I made this and I love it. Thank you.
We did not use the red pepper but we did add hot italian sausage. Perfecto!
hi, made this recipe last night, This is the best thing that I ever made. I had to change a bit, because down the south hemisphere (Brasil) is less expensive by fresh than frozen- spinach – or cans – for the tomatos, so I cooked the tomatos a little bit before everything else. But I love the recipe, and love you site.
Just wanted to let you know I love your site and have tried several recipes so far. I have 5 adults here and a 2 year old grandaughter who have completely enjoyed your fantastic meals~!
NSW , Australia
OMGeeeee!!! I made this recipe and I took for lunch just about all week!! I saved so much money and the flavor was sooo great!! I also made the mushroom quiche and the cranberry, apple oatmeal bake….They were ahhhmazing also!! Looking at the barbecue bean and coleslaw recipe for the week ahead….Thanks so much for recipes that are easy, delicious and affordable!!
I’m making this in the crockpot right now I’m hoping the noodles aren’t too mushy when it’s done
Beth, I love you site and your recipes. I cook for my family of 4 and my disabled in-laws, and work too. Can get a little stressful and/or boring in the kitchen. Love this Wonderpot recipe, I added Italian Sausage since my family thinks that it’s not real food unless there is meat in it. Also used Gluten Free Rice Fettucini as some of us are trying to be more health conscious. Thanks and keep ’em coming.
Made this tonight & it was absolutely amazing! Thank you for the great recipe. :)
Want to try this but am not into mushy pasta. What say you to cooking everything as the recipe says, but cooking pasta separately and working in some of the starchy pasty water with the separately cooked pasta towards the end of the broth?
Hmm, honestly I’m just not sure how that would work out without experimenting with it myself. You’ll definitely want to reduce the liquid as it won’t be absorbed into the pasta, though.
Made this last month to feed a bunch of my suitemates, and it was a huge success! Very little effort, GREAT result!
This was the greatest :D
We made it last night and it was delicous and very flavorful.
Keep up the great work with these great meals.
Truely thankful!