Mediterranean One Pot Pasta (Printable)
Vibrant pasta with vegetables, olives, and herbs. Quick one-pot meal ready in 30 minutes.
# What You’ll 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 medium zucchini, sliced
06 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 3 oz baby spinach
→ Seasonings & 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
→ For Serving
16 - 2 oz crumbled feta cheese (omit or substitute vegan feta for dairy-free)
17 - Fresh basil leaves
# Steps:
01 - Warm olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add minced garlic and thinly sliced red onion, sautéing for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Add sliced bell pepper, zucchini, halved cherry tomatoes, olives, and drained capers to the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in dried pasta, dried oregano, dried thyme, and chili flakes. Pour in vegetable broth and stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
04 - Bring the mixture 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.
05 - Stir in baby spinach and cook uncovered for 2 minutes until fully wilted. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle into bowls while hot. Finish each portion with crumbled feta cheese and torn fresh basil leaves.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks in a single pot, which means you get all the layered flavors of a slow simmered sauce with almost zero cleanup afterward.
- The broth infuses the pasta as it cooks, so every bite carries deeper flavor than any boxed pasta dinner deserves to have.
02 -
- Stirring only once or twice will cause the pasta to stick and clump at the bottom, so give it a gentle stir every 3 to 4 minutes during the simmer.
- The pasta continues absorbing liquid after you take it off the heat, so serve it slightly saucier than you think it needs.
03 -
- Use a pot that is wider than it is tall so the pasta cooks evenly and has room to release its starches into the broth properly.
- Taste the broth before adding the pasta and adjust seasoning, because the liquid is the sauce and fixing it later is much harder.