Description
This One Pot Vegetable Pasta is a quick, hearty, and flavorful meal combining tender pasta with fresh vegetables and a rich tomato sauce. Cooked entirely in one pot, it’s perfect for a nutritious weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise and sliced about 0.8cm / 1/3″ thick
- 1 red capsicum/bell pepper, halved and sliced
- 1 cup corn (frozen or canned)
- 1 broccoli head, broken into bite size florets
Pantry & Dairy
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 250g (0.5lb) ziti or penne pasta
- 800g (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1.5 cups (375 ml) vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Italian herb mix (or other dried herbs)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust spiciness to taste)
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 cups shredded cheese of choice (Cheddar, tasty, Monterey Jack, etc.)
- Finely chopped parsley (optional)
- Parmesan cheese (optional, if not using shredded cheese)
Instructions
- Heat oil and cook aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and finely chopped onion, cooking slowly for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion turns translucent and sweet.
- Sauté zucchini and capsicum: Increase heat to medium-high and add the sliced zucchini and red capsicum. Cook for 1 and a half minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften slightly while retaining some crunch.
- Add remaining liquid and seasonings: Add crushed tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, Italian herb mix, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly until the tomato paste dissolves evenly into the sauce.
- Combine pasta and broccoli: When the mixture starts bubbling, reduce heat to medium. Add the pasta and stir well. Place the broccoli florets on top, pushing them gently into the sauce without stirring them in.
- Simmer with lid on: Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. This allows the pasta to absorb the liquid and the broccoli to steam.
- Finish cooking pasta: Remove the lid and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pasta is nearly tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Incorporate cheese and adjust seasoning: Stir through half of the shredded cheese. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Melt remaining cheese: Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly on top. Cover the pot again and let it sit for 1 minute until the cheese melts and the pasta is perfectly cooked.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with finely chopped parsley if using, and serve immediately. Transfer to a serving dish to prevent overcooking from residual heat in the pot.
Notes
- Use any short pasta such as ziti, penne, or rigatoni for best results.
- You can substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth to keep it vegetarian.
- Adjust red pepper flakes based on your preferred spice level.
- If you prefer a cheesier dish, add more shredded cheese or sprinkle Parmesan at the end.
- Do not leave the pasta to sit in the pot after cooking to avoid over-softening.
