Mediterranean One Pot Pasta (Printable View)
Vibrant pasta with Mediterranean vegetables, olives, and herbs cooked together in one pot for a quick healthy meal.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta & Liquids
01 - 12 oz dried penne or fusilli pasta
02 - 3 cups vegetable broth
03 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
05 - 1 zucchini, sliced
06 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 3 oz baby spinach
→ Flavorings
09 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 3 oz pitted Kalamata olives, halved
11 - 2 tbsp capers, drained
12 - 1½ tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ To Serve
16 - 2 oz crumbled feta cheese (omit or substitute vegan feta for dairy-free)
17 - Fresh basil leaves
# How To Make It:
01 - Warm olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
02 - Add garlic and onion, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
03 - Toss in bell pepper, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Stir in pasta, oregano, thyme, and chili flakes. Pour in the vegetable broth and stir to combine.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
06 - Fold in baby spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.
07 - Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls while hot. Garnish with crumbled feta and torn fresh basil leaves.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks in a single pot, which means almost no dishes to wash afterward.
- The pasta absorbs the vegetable broth as it simmers, creating its own sauce without any extra work.
- It tastes like something you would order at a seaside restaurant but costs next to nothing to make.
02 -
- Undercooked pasta in a one pot dish will never catch up later, so test it carefully before you take it off the heat.
- Stirring too aggressively breaks the pasta into stubby pieces, so use a gentle folding motion instead.
03 -
- Use a pot that is wider than it is tall so the pasta cooks evenly instead of stacking on top of itself.
- Resist the urge to stir constantly and instead stir only every few minutes so a slight fond develops on the vegetables.