Description
This One Pan Pasta Recipe offers a simple, quick, and flavorful Italian-inspired meal that combines pasta, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs cooked all together in a single skillet. Perfect for busy weeknights, it minimizes cleanup while delivering a hearty and satisfying dish, with optional variations to suit vegetarian and vegan diets.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth
- 2 cups fresh spinach or basil leaves
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Extra olive oil and lemon juice for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large, deep skillet or sauté pan, place the uncooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper together. Pour in the water or vegetable broth.
- Bring to Boil: Place the skillet over high heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Cook Pasta: Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently with tongs, for about 10 minutes. Continue until the pasta is al dente and the liquid has mostly evaporated into a silky sauce.
- Add Greens: During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add fresh spinach or basil leaves to the pan and toss until wilted.
- Finish with Cheese: Remove the pan from heat and stir in grated Parmesan cheese if desired for added creaminess and flavor.
- Serve: Optionally drizzle with extra olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving to brighten the dish. Serve hot immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- Customize with your favorite vegetables like mushrooms, olives, or cooked proteins such as grilled chicken or shrimp for added variety.
- For a creamier sauce, stir in a splash of cream or a spoonful of cream cheese at the end of cooking.
- Use vegetable broth instead of water to deepen the flavor while keeping it vegetarian.
- Omit Parmesan cheese to make this dish vegan-friendly.
- This recipe is perfect for quick weeknight dinners with minimal cleanup.
