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!
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. 👅
This was incredible. The only change I made was that I added a jar of drained artichoke hearts and omitted the cheese. Simple amazing!
I am a terrible cook – I follow recipes and they go horribly wrong. This worked out perfectly and was delicious. I can’t tell you how chuffed I am – I’ve got visitors tomorrow and guess what they are getting for tea. Thank you so much.
Hi. I was wondering if you knew approx how many calories were in a bowl of this wonder pot. Thanks
Love your recipe. Works out well.. I’m having problems with your web page..
Thanks for sharing this Beth, instructions were easy enough to follow. Just made for the first time and it tasted awesome! The only thing is I forgot to turn the heat down to middle after the pot started boiling so i ended up having burnt some of the spaghetti at the bottom of the pot.
And by the way, I added some canned mushrooms and it was totally awesome!
LOVED LOVED this recipe!! First of all, cheap! Second, one pot! I loved everything about this recipe and will certainly be making it again. It had such a fresh taste which I loved! Thanks for sharing!
I have used several of your recipes that show up when googling but am just now really exploring you blog and I find it so useful! I tried the easy sesame chicken last night and enjoyed it. I wanted to comment on your basil comment in this recipe and say that you can grow fresh basil in your window sill very easily. You can buy the “live” kind (that comes with roots and dirt) in the produce section and plant it, start it from seed or I have even put some fresh basil with stems in water to get roots started and then plant it. It is really easy to grow. Then you can have a little fresh basil for free whenever you need it.
Ha ha – I read the remark about basil being expensive and was going to say how easy it is to grow on your windowsill but Kristin got there first. I only discovered this trick earlier this year but it really works – I just cut off a few sprigs about a couple of inches long and poke them in some fresh moist compost and watch them grow. And repeat when necessary. Sometimes they get a bit manky and it’s time to actually buy a new pot (like when they are on offer for £1 this week). I only just discovered this site and I’ve put the book in my kindle basket there are so many marvellous-looking recipes I have to try! If you are in the UK and want the book just put the title in the AmazonUK search bar and it comes up.
I too buy the “living basil” at the grocery store. Usually $4-5 for what is basically a basil plant. I stick it in a planter, either on my deck or in a window, and you have fresh basil for months. Basil grows very easily. For the cost of a container of dried basil, you can have fresh basil on hand all the time.
Amazing! This is the eighth recipe I’ve made from your website and every single one has been a hit in our home. Can I just tell you, no one ever taught me how to cook, and most of my meals involved peanut butter or ramen. But a few months ago, when I moved in with my recently widowed grandfather who expects three solid meals a day, I found myself drowning in cookbooks. You have been such a life-saver. Your instructions and pictures make it so easy, and I don’t have to go shopping every single time I try a new recipe. Thank you so much!!!
I’ve made this 3 times and the water never boils off so it ends up more as a soup (but still delicious)! I’m going to cut back on the amount of water next time. Maybe I am measuring the pasta wrong?
This was awesome! Added some red sweet peppers to the mix and it all came together fabulously. My 6 year old helped and she was anxious to sample her dish. Let’s just say she’s added it to our lunch roster :).
I had a long, long day at the end of a long, long week and I’m very, very tired and I don’t feel well. I had JUST enough energy to drag myself downstairs and make this … and it’s giving me LIFE !!! It’s so delicious and warm and comforting …. even my 13yr old stopped and peeked in, remarking how good it looks. I didn’t have feta so I used my microplane and grated some pecorino Romano over the top of my bowl and stirred it in. My soul is singing your praises right now.
ok, I’m going to make this for the first time and I’m excited! Should I wait til the broth boils to throw in the pasta? I don’t want it to stick together …
You can, but I didn’t. I found that the occasional stirring kept it from sticking together, but other people seem to have had more of a problem with that.
Thanks, I just made this and it’s incredible. I browned the spices and garlic first by adding the olive oil and the spices, and heating until sizzling, and topped with pecorino romano. Definitely will make again.
This was great! Loved how everything cooked down and flavored the pasta. We added sauteed zucchini and carrots. Thanks!
I love this recipe! It was easy to make and it turned out very flavorful. I imagine this would be a nice meal to make when it’s cold outside since it warmed me up like a nice hearty stew would. I let it cook for about 15 minutes since I prefer a softer pasta noodle. I also used fresh spinach and put that in about 5 minutes after it started boiling (although had I known I would cook it for so long, I would have waited a few more minutes before adding the spinach.) I also topped it with some grated parmesan and it added a nice creaminess to the pasta. I wasn’t sure how it would taste, but as soon as it started cooking and smelled amazing, I knew I’d enjoy it.