This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
For a weekday dinner that’s ready in less than 20 minutes, there’s nothing like my one-pot pasta recipe. It’s quick, easy to make, and packed full of fresh veggies.
Getting your five-a-day can be affordable and delicious with my super quick pasta recipe, packed full of delicious veggies and a rich tomato sauce. It’s a great way to use up leftover produce or pull together an easy dinner when you haven’t got a lot of time to cook. This simple recipe is ready in 20 minutes and has just three steps: perfect for busy weeknights.
If you are looking for other convenient one-pot recipes, you might enjoy this one-pot pumpkin soup, this one-pan chicken and potatoes, or this one-pot chicken and rice.
Want to save this recipe?
Watch the one-pot pasta video
Ingredients
- Dried Pasta: The best pasta for a one pot pasta dish is shorter varieties—think penne, fusilli (like I’m using), or conchiglie. You can also use gluten-free pasta or wholegrain noodles for extra flavor.
- Tomato Sauce: I like to use homemade, but any store-bought variety that’s 100% tomatoes also works.
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Spinach
- Zucchini
- Red Pepper
- Mushrooms
- Water
- Onion
- Garlic
- Seasonings: dried oregano, salt, red chili pepper flakes.
How to make one-pot pasta
Combine Ingredients: To make a one pot pasta, first chop the mushrooms, pepper, tomatoes, and zucchini into large chunks. Dice the onion and garlic.
Then, add all the vegetables, onion and garlic, water, tomato sauce, and seasonings in a large saucepan. Add the dried, uncooked pasta and mix so the pasta is fully coated with the sauce.
Boil and Simmer: Turn the heat up to medium-high heat and cook the one-pot pasta for a few minutes until the liquid comes to a boil. The veggies will also release liquid into the sauce as they cook.
Once it’s reached the boil, lower the temperature to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes to completely cook the pasta to an al-dente texture. Stir every few minutes to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Add Spinach and Serve: Once the sauce has thickened and the pasta is cooked, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the spinach until it starts to wilt. Taste the sauce and add a little more salt if desired.
Portion this easy pasta recipe into bowls and serve with cracked pepper or a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. You can also serve it with chicken meatballs or Italian-style beef meatballs.
More quick pasta recipes
If you try this one-pot pasta recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations—tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Quick One Pot Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry pasta 3 cups
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes 2 cups
- 8 oz red pepper 1 small
- 5.6 oz zucchini 1 medium
- 4 oz mushrooms 1.5 cups
- 3 oz onion 1 small
- 2 oz spinach 2 cups
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Chop up the pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, and tomatoes, then dice the garlic and onion.
- Put all of the ingredients, including the water and tomato sauce, into a large pot. Add the dried pasta and mix to combine.
- Put the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring so the pasta doesn't stick.
- Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Cook until the pasta is al dente, and the vegetables are cooked.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the spinach until it starts to wilt. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I use Zenb (yellow pea) pasta?
Hi Suzn,
Yes you can definitely try it with your pasta of preference.
This is a great base recipe to use and possibly adapt as well. Once I understood the concept of using hot water to cook the pasta, the flavorings of the toppings can be adjusted. Delicious! Perfect easy no-fuss meal! Thank you!
Thank you for your comment, Kim. So glad you like it!
So good. I used vegan cheese. Yum
Thanks for the feedback, Cathy. Glad you like it!
I like this idea. Today I made a ratatouille soup that I will use as the topping here and just add cheese and pasta. Is it not necessary to cover it while it’s in the oven?
Hi Becky,
If you feel like it’s browning too fast on top, you can cover it after the initial 20-25 minutes.
What temp?
180C/ 350F. It’s written in the recipe but not in the main blog post – sorry for the confusion! 🙂