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. 👅
I added a tsp of the spices by accident and also added 4 sausages that I browned and added once everything started heating up! I also added a package of spinach instead of the frozen….My fiancé says it’s one of my top 3 dishes I have made!! It’s amazing!!! Can’t wait to make this again and again and again!! (side note…please don’t post about that you want to try this recipe! Just give it a like .. it’s very annoying reading comments like this .. I want to read comments about people who have actually tried the recipe!! thanks )
We had this last night, and everyone liked it. I will definitely make it again. I was afraid the noodles would get too mushy, so I added them when the mixture started to boil. They turned out great, and we loved the flavor. I can’t wait to try the spinach artichoke version.
Tried this tonight for my family. They gave it two thumbs up!
Loved it. So cheap, filling, easy and healthy!
Finally got around to making this one this week – SO good and my kid loved it! I still think your Dragon Noodles are the best, but this one packs in more veggies & is so good (and easy since it can be done w/ all shelf-stable or freezer ingredients)!
Wow – I made this tonight with linguine and fresh spinach that needed to be used, and it was AMAZING. My son can be a picky eater but he loved it as well – he even helped me make it.
I can’t wait to try your spinach and artichoke wonderpot!
Hi! Loved this recipe but was wondering what brand of fettuccine comes in 12 oz? Here (in Florida) it is 16 everywhere I have checked so far. Would love to be able to just take it all out of the box…
Otherwise, WONDERFUL!!
It didn’t come in 12 oz, I just used 3/4 of the package because I wanted approximately 6 servings (2 oz. each). You can use a full pound, but then you’ll need to adjust the liquid content. :)
Thank you so much! I figured as much but just wanted to be sure! :)
I love this recipe so much. It should have been included in the book.
I am making it tonight.
Oh my gosh! So, I saw this recipe& I just had to try it! It turned out AMAZINGLY. Of course, I had to put my own little spin on it. I used kale instead of spinach, added roasted red peppers, kalmata olives, and mushrooms. I also sauteed some smoked sausage in the pan first.Then Idoubled the whole thing, in a big pot. Because we’re Italian and pasta never lasts that long in our house. Since I really dont like soft pasta, I brought the veggies and broth to a boil first & then added the pasta. It turned out PERFECTLY. Topped it off with some parmesn. Oh my, it will not be the last time I make this one!!
I made this tonight with Trader Joe’s GF corn spaghetti, no feta, and no spinach. It turned out perfect! I was afraid that the GF pasta might affect the thickening of the sauce, but it didn’t! Will definitely be making this again :)
Came across this recipe today and made it for dinner. It was absolutely delicious! My family loved it, even my non spinach eater. I used chicken broth and sprinkled it with grated cheese. Beans would probably go well with this….next time.
I sautéed my onions and garlic slightly caramelizing them before adding them. I also used some Chardonnay along with the broth. Made a bug difference in terms do flavor.
I just saw this recipe and cant wait to make it and see what it tastes like. One thing though I do not have vegetable or chicken stock/broth at home and it isnt really easy to get here in Nigeria. Will it still taste good without them?
The broth really gives the dish a lot of flavor. It will definitely need salt if you use water instead, and the overall flavor will not be as deep.
This is boiling on the pot right now. Smells and tastes so delicious. So easy too! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe
I made this and loved it. I have made a few recipes from your website (oven fajitas and red beans and rice) and have loved them all. I am planning on making a few more soon. In fact, I made my meal plan based on your site. Thank you!