“It is never too late to take an inventory of your life
and change the things that no longer serve you”
Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist
Thich Nhat Hanh recommends:
“Sit down and take an inventory of your life. If there are things you have been hanging on to that are not useful and deprive you of your freedom, find the courage to let them go. An overloaded boat is easily capsized by wind and waves. Lighten your load and your boat will travel more quickly and safely. Then you can offer the precious gift of freedom and space to yourself and loved ones, but only if it is truly there in your own heart.”
On to food.
I ran across this recipe from a friend of mine. I was very skeptical. One-pot vegan tomato basil spinach pasta? Impossible. I thought something won't taste right.
To my surprise, I was 100% wrong.
This one pot pasta was delicious and so easy to make. The starch from the pasta made a wonderful sauce and the veggies were cooked just right. The biggest surprise – the pasta was al dente. Here is a link to the blog who created it. I changed it up a bit and added sun dried tomatoes and spinach. Thanks Apron Strings! If you haven't already, sign up for all my free vegan recipes here.
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One-Pot Tomato Basil Spinach Pasta
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1½ cups diced tomatoes with liquid (of 1 15 ounce can)
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly slices
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
- handful of basil, chopped
- handful of spinach (optional) *
- 4½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)
- Place pasta, tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, onion, garlic, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth.
- Sprinkle the pepper flakes and oregano on top.
- Drizzle with olive oil if using
- Add ½ tsp salt and some ground black pepper
- Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated until there is about one inch of liquid left in the bottom of the pot. Add the fresh basil and serve.
- *Add the spinach 7 to 8 minutes into cooking.
So happy you liked this – it is my new favorite way of cooking pasta, even if you wind up adding another sauce at the end of cooking – this is still a great way to start!
Fresh indredients makes it very good. My husband told me to make it again.
I used chicken broth & chicken breast with it on the side.
FFS It was a VEGAN recipe!!!!
So, if I found a nice recipe with meat in it, I should be chastised for making it without meat? Try to be a little less dogmatic. Everyones path to a healthy, whole food, plant based diet is different.
I agree Michael – Everyone should do it at their own pace and everyone’s journey is different. We don’t judge here – we just want you to live a long healthy life! Thanks for stopping by.
Thank you Michael and Nancy! Even non-vegans, like myself check out sites like this to try to find healthy, no-meat meals. It’s actually very frustrating to see comments like above from CYD. It basically states that if you are not a full fledged vegan, you have no business being on this site. I will never be a full fledged vegan since I will still use yeast for making home made bread and will still occasionally use an egg or 2, and honey on rare occasions, but actual meat is 98% out of my diet now (I still give in to seafood every now and then).
Honestly though, I think that this recipe sounds amazing! Leaving out the sun dried tomatoes that I hate and maybe adding a little extra broth so the noodles are not too al dente (or maybe substituting them with a rice noodle?).
Anyway, thank you for the recipe!!
It’s not being dogmatic. Brenda could have a little respect for that fact that this is a vegan site. Instead she displays her cluelessness with, “I made it. Stuck animal parts in there,” on a vegan site. It’s nothing like someone omitting meat from a recipe. Nothing.
I have to admit, I think chicken recipes on a vegan site are somewhat strange and I don’t think I’m dogmatic, just vegan (veganism isn’t a diet)
you said exactly what I thought. It’s vegan!!!!!
Um, you guys know linguine had eggs in it right?…
Also says right there in the blog that this recipe is pulled from a non-vegan website.
LOL “knowshowpastaismade” should learn how pasta is made. There’s no egg in dried linguine.
Gross! This is a vegan website and I don’t want to hear how you add dead cbickens to the recipe.
Ummmm – there are plenty of cooking sites with meat ingredients. I think it’s insensitive at best – and completely disrespectful at worst – to comment about how you used dead chickens to enhance a vegan dish.
Just my two cents worth.
I agree with the vegan recipe comments. Like it’s up to you if want to add extra things and do it your own way, and the fact you have excluded meat mostly is great. However the extra ingredient comment was unnecessary. What was it meant to add to a vegan recipe website stating you added meat? Think before you post is all I think people ask of you.
No, no, no! Fresh basil (or any fresh soft herb) goes in at the end, not the beginning. It would be ruined. Otherwise, it’s a good recipe.
Agreed
I used chickpea pasta that gave it a creamy flavor/texture (my daughter disliked it but I loved it) . I use kale because I needed to use it up. I usually add my fresh herbs at the end and I followed the recipe (add your basil at the end for sure) and I used fresh oregano and don’t think I used enough. Overall this is a great recipe! If you think 4 cloves of garlic is too much (like I did)… I was wrong because I did 3 and it wasn’t enough.
Hi Lynette – thank you so much for sharing! I have never used chickpea pasta but I love that idea and will try it next time! Hope you have a peaceful and compassionate day! Nancy
We liked this a lot! Want to try it as an easy camping meal – could use canned spinach and dried herbs…
Great idea Leah!
Would the cooking time or method be any different if I used soba or wholewheat pasta?
Hi Denise – the cooking time should be the same with whole wheat pasta – I don’t think soba noodles would work. They would probably cook faster than the veggies. Hope you enjoy it!
This recipe is fantastic! I made the mistake of adding a can of tomatoes with green chiles, so left out the red pepper flakes. I couldn’t find sun dried tomatoes at my local market. Next time. I am an omnivore, but plan to try more dishes from this site to lessen my love affair with meat.
Thank you!
I’m making it now but wasn’t sure if I was to take the cover off after started to boil and began simmering. I guess I’ll find out. Figured that the liquid can’t really evaporate if covered so I’m simmering with no top.
Hi Brandi – no cover necessary- hope it was delicious!
I love this recipe. Easy and fast to make. I did a few minor modifications. A wee bit more tomatoes and I cut up the dried tomatoes to bite sizes. And, I added the basil after removing from the stove. I also added kale instead of spinach because I have a huge bunch of kale that needs eating. Thank you ever so much for this recipe, what a grand idea. If you have other ideas (I have absolutely no imagination for cooking and need recipes) for the sauce, my ears are always open!
BTW, I couldn’t feed six either, we love to eat way too much for that:-)
Have made this several times now (using gf pasta and it still comes out great!). Will add mushrooms next time.
That looks delicious! I love one-pot pasta dishes! Hope you’re doing well, have you been back to Boston?
This recipe was awful. It was like eating a pile of goo. Too starchy for me. Ingredient selection is good but I would prefer to cook my noodles separately and then sauté the veggie mix prior to adding in the pasta. A little organic coconut oil and herbs would compliment the pasta dish well.
Sorry you didn’t like it Tasha – People usually love it but not all recipes are for everyone. Good idea about the coconut oil – I will try that. Thanks for your comments and for being part of our community!
Thanks for checking back in Tonia. So happy you liked it!
I’ve made this a few times already and it’s a favorite
I’m making this tonight… I bought a can of sun dried tomatoes in oil… I try to stay away from oil right now but wanted to try this recipe. I’m not sure I bought the right thing?
I like the sun dried tomatoes in oil best but I make sure I dry them off with paper towels to get rid of the excess oil and sometimes I even rinse them. Hope you enjoy it Tonia. Thanks for stopping by and for being part of our community!
It was very good… my sister agreed. My cat wanted it too! Loved the one pot concept. Thanks
Thanks for checking bac in Tonia – so happy you liked it!
Delicious! We added Portobello mushrooms and zucchini and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Enjoyed by all.
Hello
Made this recipe a few times and now this is the way I will do my pasta.
Love the idea of one pot.
Thank You
Maria
This is SUPER easy to make and a delicious dinner for everyone to share! I love making it when the weather is cool its just so yummy!
I make this,but, yes, I add the veggies after the pasta is cooked, steamy, the spinach and basil will blend just nice……….good receipe though, quik, easy, yum then at the end dash of olive oil and parm cheese…
If you are a vegetarian, skip the parmesian, but perhaps you are not.
This recipe looks delicious, I will have to try it.
I just made this and it is amazing! I have recently went from vegetarian to vegan. This dish has made me miss the parmesan – sorry! So, are there any good substitutes for that? I am determined to make this work!
Health food stores sell vegan parmesan cheese and it is delicious.
Hi Lisa D, have you tried savoury yeast flakes? They are so great to have in your kitchen if you are vegan. You can sprinkle a spoonful on top of your pasta instead of parmesan. They give a cheesy flavour. They can be used in lots of recipes to add flavour and extra nutritional value.
Blend cashew nuts, garlic powder and nutritional yeast together and you get a GREAT vegan Parmesan. 🙂
What results have people had with fresh tomatoes? I think I might add a can of rinsed garbanzo beans in order to add some protein. Can’t wait to try it!
Fresh tomatoes shoould work well too Mert and I love the idea of throwing in some garbanzo beans! Yum
Melody Donnelly: Yeast, like mushrooms, are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the Fungi kingdom, which in layman’s terms means that yeast is not derived from animal products or classified as an animal and is thus vegan-friendly.
Thanks for this recipe. I’ll be making it tomorrow for dinner!
Used gluten free pasta and it turned out horribly. Really frustrating because it looked so good. The pasta turned to a mushy mess. Wasted a bunch of good ingrediants
Could be the kind of GF pasta. I got a different kind once and, I remember correctly, you just soaked it some hot water, you didn’t even have to boil it. I was really surprised. You’ll probably want to compare the cooking times for the pasta in conjunction with the recipe’s cooking time.
Hi Lisa – I am really liking Barilla gluten-free pasta and I think it would work well in this dish.
I am full fledged Celiac and also have Dermatitis Herpetiformis which is external Celiac. I have been eating gluten free since 1999 after being diagnosed. Up until then I was Vegan but found eliminating items with gluten made me unsatisfied. So sadly slowly I veered away to eating meat etc., Now I’m trying to implement my vegan lifestyle and also cater to my diabetic husband whom I have through diet, prevented anymore use of medication. I’m excited to try recipes such as this using Batilla pasta. This US my first time on your site and looking forward to more interaction.
Welcome to our community Maureen!
I also was a bit skeptical of this recipe when I first saw it but I’m so glad that I tried it. So easy and delicious with a nice sauce. Next time I will put less red pepper flakes in though – my mouth is burning!! 🙂
I am looking forward to adding other ingredients as well. This is a great recipe. Thinking of trying Thai red curry and Thai basil.
What a great idea Mick! I’m going to try that too.
OMG I am doing the 22 day revolution and eating vegan and I must say over the last week I have totally enjoyed and this Sunday we did this meal and it was amazing. Even my husband who is a complete meat eater loved it. Thanks. Definitely will be doing this past the 22 days.
Thanks and congratulations on your plant-based diet!
Recipe went pretty well for me, as much of a novice at cooking as I am. Added in mushrooms too, cause what doesn’t mushrooms make better? However I feel if the water was meant to be boiled off in 10 mins, 4.5 cups of boiling water was way too much, took more towards the 30 minute mark on full (gas element). Probably should be halved for a 10-15 minute recipe.
Thanks for the feedback Justin and thanks for being part of our community!
This was awesome; so much flavor! I had to cook it a lot longer and let it stand (covered) for a while for the liquid to absorb, but it was delicious. It was the best pasta I’ve ever made. Highly highly recommend.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and kind words Rachel..and thanks for being part of our healthy community! Nancy
Tried this last night – was SO good!!!! My wife said it’s a keeper!
Thanks for the feedback Chris and so happy you and your wife enjoyed it!
Can I use gluten free pasta without it turning mushy ? If so, what brand and type ?
Hi Karen – Yes you can use gluten-free pasta, just make sure you don’t overcook it. I like a brand called Barilla.
The term “vegan” has become a politically-charged term which seems to evoke negative sentiment and elicit argument and debate.
Incidentally … My family and I absolutely LoVE this quick & easy, 1-pot, plant-based recipe!
Keep ’em coming
This was fantastic! And easy. Thank you for another delicious recipe. I’ll be making this often.