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–+ servings
Close-up of penne pasta with cherry tomatoes and spinach in a skillet, part of the Ultimate Dinner Ideas Guide.

One-Pot Pasta with Tomatoes and Spinach

This one-pot pasta recipe is a quick and easy weeknight meal that uses simple ingredients and minimal cleanup. It's adaptable for gluten-free diets and can be customized with your favorite pasta sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces dry pasta gluten-free or regular
  • 8 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1 small zucchini chopped and quartered
  • 3 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 cup pasta sauce of choice
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 3 ounces fresh spinach

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Serving bowls

Method
 

  1. Add the uncooked pasta to a large pot. Add the tomatoes, garlic, onion, zucchini, mushrooms, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, pasta sauce, and water. Mix everything well.
  2. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-14 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Stir the mixture every 2 minutes to prevent sticking.
  3. Turn off the heat. Stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts. Divide the pasta into serving bowls and add your desired toppings.

Notes

This recipe works with both gluten-free and regular pasta. Shorter pasta shapes like penne, rotini, shells, or macaroni cook more evenly than long noodles. If using gluten-free pasta, brown rice pasta is recommended.

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