One-Pot Tomato Spinach Pasta
Short pasta simmered right in a garlicky crushed-tomato sauce, then finished with wilted spinach, basil and grated cheese. No draining.
- Servings
- 4
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 45 min
Ingredients
A 5 to 6 quart pot fits this batch. When doubling, use a bigger pot so the pasta stays under the liquid, and allow a few extra minutes for it to come to a boil.
Equipment
- Large, wide pot or Dutch oven with a lid
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large, wide pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and translucent, 6–8 minutes.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden, about 1 minute.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, broth and water, then add the pepper and the rest of the salt. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.
Stir in the pasta, pressing it under the liquid. Once it returns to a boil, lower the heat to a steady simmer, set the lid ajar and cook, stirring every couple of minutes so nothing sticks, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened, 14–18 minutes.
If the pot looks dry before the pasta is tender, stir in a splash of water and keep simmering. If the pasta is done but the sauce is still thin, simmer uncovered for 1–2 minutes more.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time until it wilts, then stir in the cheese and the cream, if using.
Let the pasta stand for 2 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly, then stir in the basil. Taste, add more salt if needed and serve with extra cheese on top.
Notes
- Pick a pasta shape with a package cooking time of 10–12 minutes. Very thin shapes turn mushy, and large ones like rigatoni need more liquid and time.
- Tomato sauce catches on the bottom of the pot easily, so keep the heat at a steady simmer rather than a hard boil and stir often.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta keeps absorbing sauce, so add a splash of water when reheating.
My notes
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Nutrition estimate
- Calories
- 530
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbs
- 85 g
- Fat
- 13 g
Per serving, estimated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed amounts. Optional ingredients and to-taste seasoning are not included, and actual values vary by brand. How we estimate
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