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Delicious chunky tomatoes, fresh spinach, basil, and salty Parmesan cheese come together to make this simple vegetarian One Pot Tomato Basil Pasta! Layered in yummy classic Italian flavors with lots of garlic this dish is so good and sure to become your new favorite 30-minute meal!
One Pot Tomato Basil Pasta Recipe
Lately, I’ve been really into one pot pasta dinners like my One Pot Spaghetti and One Pot Creamy Parmesan Pasta! And, aside from the fact that they are downright delicious, what I love about them is how the pasta is cooked together with the sauce. It adds so much layered flavor to plain pasta noodles and makes cleanup super easy!
So recently when I wanted to make a quick dinner but didn’t have much on hand, I figured why not do a simple classic like a one pot tomato basil pasta! I looked in my pantry and combined what I had along with some fresh spinach and cheese, cooked it all together, and then topped it with some more Parmesan to serve. It came out perfect and my family loved it!
Not to mention, this healthy pasta recipe is incredibly easy and takes just 20-minutes to cook! It can be eaten as is as a complete meal or served with some yummy Garlic Bread and a fresh salad like my Kale Salad.
Why We Love One Pot Tomato Basil Pasta
- Super Easy! Everything cooks together in just one pot to make this easy healthy pasta! So there is basically little cleanup making this recipe a great weeknight dinner.
- Delicious Vegetarian Dish! With lots of garlic, chunks of tomato, fresh spinach, and plenty of cheese this pasta is a delicious vegetarian dish. And to make it vegan just leave out the cheese!
- Family Favorite! Simple Italian classics always please the whole family! And this one pot tomato basil pasta recipe is a great way to feed the kids something simple and still get some veggies in with the added fresh spinach.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Olive Oil – I like to use extra virgin olive oil in all my pasta dishes.
- Onion – Use brown onion for the most flavor, but any type of onion you have on hand is fine.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic is the ideal choice. Jarred garlic will work, yet it can start to have a bitter taste if it has been in your fridge for a long time.
- Vegetable Broth – I use a low sodium variety to control the level of salt. Using a few cups vegetable broth to cook the pasta with the sauce helps to season the noodles as they cook.
- Diced Tomatoes – Adds a little chunky texture to the dish along with some fresh tomato taste.
- Italian Seasonings – This mix of herbs is typically a blend of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. But if you don’t have any on hand, you can just use a combination of whatever is in your pantry.
- Red Pepper Flakes – Adds a nice touch of spice to the dish that contrasts well with the tomatoes. But the crushed red pepper can be omitted if you prefer.
- Salt – No pasta dish would be complete without a touch of salt to bring out the flavors.
- Black Pepper – You can use regular or freshly ground black pepper to your taste.
- Pasta – I used penne pasta, but you can use any bite-size shape of pasta you like such as rigatoni, farfalle, and ziti.
- Spinach – Fresh spinach adds another yummy layer of flavor to this veggie pasta.
- Fresh Basil – Blends perfectly with simple tomato sauce and pasta with its fresh sweet and savory flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese – Used in the pasta and to garnish, it adds a lovely salty Italian cheese flavor to the dish.
- Saute the onion and garlic: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Then add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until it’s soft and translucent in color. Now, add the garlic to the pot and cook for another 30 seconds until it’s aromatic.
- Start the sauce: Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the pot. Then stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the pasta: Stir in the pasta and then simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to cook the pasta just until it is al dente.
- Add the spinach, basil, and Parmesan: Stir in the spinach, fresh chopped basil, and half of the Parmesan cheese. Then cook for about one minute or until the spinach wilts.
- Garnish and serve: Top the finished one pot tomato basil pasta with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to serve.
What Types Of Pasta Can I Use?
I used penne pasta and love how the chunks of tomato and basil go with the tubular shape. But you can use any bite-sized shape of pasta you like.
Can I Make This Pasta Gluten-Free?
Yes! Just use your favorite gluten-free pasta to make the recipe gluten-free.
Can I Make This Pasta Vegan?
Yes! Just leave out the cheese or substitute a vegan Parmesan and you’ve got yourself a vegan dinner.
Expert Tips
- Use quality ingredients. Use a good brand of diced tomatoes, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Italian cooking is all about very simple, but high-quality ingredients.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Set a timer when cooking pasta to make sure you don’t forget and overcook it. Ideally, you should check the noodles about 1 minute before you think they will be done. Keep in mind that pasta continues to cook for a few minutes even after being removed from heat.
- Add meat. This vegetarian one pot tomato basil pasta can be topped with meat if you prefer. Grilled chicken or shrimp would be amazing with this dish. You can also brown some ground meat before sautéing the onion and add it right into the recipe.
Leftovers
One pot tomato basil pasta will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. To reheat, simply mix it with a few tablespoons of water, then cover, and put it in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power. Or, you can add a little water and reheat it in a pan over medium heat.
Other Delicious Pasta Recipes
- Baked Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Lasagna
- Pasta Alla Norma
- Greek Chicken Pasta
- Pasta Alla Gricia
- Creamy Red Pepper Sausage Pasta
- Pasta Fagioli
- Cheesy Tomato Basil Orzo
- Cheesy Tomato Beef Pasta Bake
- Summer Pasta Primavera
One Pot Tomato Basil Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 12 ounces pasta such as penne or rigatoni
- 2 ounces fresh spinach roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Saute the onion and garlic: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Then add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until it’s soft and translucent in color. Now, add the garlic to the pot and cook for another 30 seconds until it’s aromatic.
- Start the sauce: Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the pot. Then stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the pasta: Stir in the pasta and then simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to cook the pasta just until it is al dente.
- Add the spinach, basil, and Parmesan: Stir in the spinach, fresh chopped basil, and half of the Parmesan cheese. Then cook for about one minute or until the spinach wilts.
- Garnish and serve: Top the finished one pot tomato basil pasta with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Use quality ingredients. Use a good brand of diced tomatoes, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Italian cooking is all about very simple, but high-quality ingredients.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Set a timer when cooking pasta to make sure you don’t forget and overcook it. Ideally, you should check the noodles about 1 minute before you think they will be done. Keep in mind that pasta continues to cook for a few minutes even after being removed from heat.
- Add meat. This vegetarian one pot tomato basil pasta can be topped with meat if you prefer. Grilled chicken or shrimp would be amazing with this dish. You can also brown some ground meat before sautéing the onion and add it right into the recipe.
- One pot tomato basil pasta will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. To reheat, simply mix it with a few tablespoons of water, then cover, and put it in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power. Or, you can add a little water and reheat it in a pan over medium heat.
