One-Pot Budget-Friendly Pasta (Printable version)

Simple, affordable one-pot pasta with fresh veggies and Parmesan cheese, perfect for quick meals.

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried penne or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes with juices
07 - 3.5 oz baby spinach

→ Liquids

08 - 3 cups vegetable broth

→ Dairy and Seasonings

09 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
12 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes, optional
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Steps to follow:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
02 - Stir in the zucchini and bell pepper, cooking for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add the uncooked pasta, canned tomatoes with their juice, and vegetable broth to the pot. Sprinkle in the dried Italian herbs, chili flakes if using, salt, and pepper.
04 - Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta reaches al dente texture and most of the liquid is absorbed.
05 - Uncover the pot, stir in the baby spinach and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts completely.
06 - Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve hot, topped with extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • One pot means one pot to wash, which might sound trivial until you're standing at the sink at 9 PM on a weeknight.
  • It stretches your grocery budget further than you'd think possible while tasting like someone spent hours on it.
  • The vegetables soften into the pasta itself, so there's no sad raw bits or overcomplicated plating required.
02 -
  • Don't use boiling broth or you'll cook the onion and garlic too quickly before they soften properly—medium heat and patience matter here.
  • Stir the pasta occasionally as it cooks so it doesn't clump together or stick to the bottom of the pot, which completely changes the texture.
  • The spinach will look like far too much before it hits the hot pasta, but it wilts down dramatically once it makes contact with the heat.
03 -
  • Use a pot that's wider rather than deeper—it helps the pasta cook more evenly and gives you better control over the final texture.
  • If your broth is particularly salty, reduce it slightly by using a little less than 700 ml, since both the Parmesan and canned tomatoes add saltiness to the dish.
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