One-Pot Budget-Friendly Pasta (Printable)

A flavorful one-pot pasta combining veggies, herbs, and cheese for simple, satisfying 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 juice
07 - 3.5 oz baby spinach

→ Liquids

08 - 3 cups vegetable broth

→ Dairy & 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 red chili flakes, optional
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
02 - Stir in diced zucchini and bell pepper; cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add uncooked pasta, canned tomatoes with their juice, and vegetable broth to the pot. Sprinkle in dried Italian herbs, red chili flakes if using, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
04 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta reaches al dente texture and most liquid is absorbed.
05 - Uncover pot, stir in baby spinach and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until spinach wilts and cheese melts completely.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • One pot means one pot to wash, and honestly that alone has saved my sanity on exhausting weeknights.
  • The pasta soaks up all the tomato and vegetable flavor as it cooks, tasting nothing like boxed pasta and everything like something you simmered for hours.
  • At under five dollars to feed four people, it's the kind of recipe that proves delicious doesn't have to come with a price tag.
02 -
  • The pasta must go in uncooked—I learned this the hard way by pre-cooking it once and ending up with a starchy, gluey mess that no amount of extra broth could save.
  • Stir occasionally as it cooks so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom and burn; you want tender pasta swimming in sauce, not pasta welded to the pot.
  • If your liquid is disappearing faster than the pasta is cooking, add more broth in small splashes rather than letting it dry out completely.
03 -
  • Don't drain your canned tomatoes—that juice is liquid gold and half the reason this tastes like you actually know what you're doing.
  • If you're cooking for someone who can't have dairy, use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan and they'll never know the difference.
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