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Here’s a quick little one pot pasta I’ve been making lately with my leftover veggies. You can literally add in whatever you have on hand and it creates a tasty one pot meal with tons of color, flavor, and texture. It may not be revolutionary, but I think sometimes it helps to see what quick meals other people are making and this One Pot Veggie Pasta is my latest go-to quick fix. :)
“I’m a college student and this is my go to meal prep every other week! I make a huge six or seven servings of it on the weekend and eat it over the course of the next several days when I get home late from class. Still delicious heated up, and I add chickpeas + pieces of chopped squash as well if I’ve got it.”
Earl
Vegetable Pasta Made in One Pot
As far as one pot pasta goes, this recipe isn’t that revolutionary, but I love it for one main reason—it’s perfect for using up leftovers. Got two carrots left? Or maybe a half a bell pepper. A handful of mushrooms or sundried tomatoes? How about that partial bag of broccoli florets hiding the back of your freezer? They can all go in this super quick one pot pasta! The more colors and textures the merrier.
Once the veggies are chopped, the rest is super easy. I just pour vegetable broth into a pot and let the pasta simmer with the lid on (to hold in the steam), stirring occasionally so nothing sticks, and so I can keep an eye on the liquid level. The goal is to have the pasta cook until it’s tender with just a small amount of saucy liquid left at the bottom, then you stir in your favorite jarred pasta sauce and finish with a handful of mozzarella to make it extra melty and comforting.
Recipe Success Tips
- Use a pot with a thick bottom. I’ve found this makes all the difference when making one pot pastas like this. Thin-bottomed pots will create hot and cold spots that tend to cook the pasta unevenly.
- Use a burner close in size to the bottom of the pot. If the burner is too small, the outer edges will not simmer, and the pasta will cook unevenly.
- Make sure the broth is simmering the whole time. If it stops simmering, the pasta will stop cooking and will become mushy.
- Make adjustments as needed. Learning how to cook a one pot pasta can take a little practice. It’s all about observing and adjusting. Every time you stir, check the pasta texture and the amount of liquid left in the pot. If the pasta is almost tender and there is still a lot of liquid, let it simmer without a lid. If the liquid is almost gone but the pasta is not tender, add a splash of hot water.
- Add in frozen veggies if that’s what you’ve got! Frozen veggies work great here and are a super budget-friendly shortcut. I like to toss them in when I add the broth to the pot.
- Use your favorite sauce. Convenience is the name of the game with this quick weeknight pasta dish, so I used a jar of pasta sauce instead of making my own this time around. But you can, of course, use any leftover homemade marinara you already have prepped to go. You can literally use any red pasta sauce, as long as it’s one you know you like. Actually, I bet you could also turn this into a really tasty Alfredo! *jots down notes for testing*
One Pot Veggie Pasta
Cost $9.43 recipe / $2.36 serving
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves ($0.16)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.70)
- 2 carrots ($0.20)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.44)
- 8 oz. mushrooms ($1.94)
- 1 zucchini ($0.88)
- 1 red bell pepper ($1.50)
- ½ lb. rotini (not cooked, $0.59*)
- ½ tsp dried basil ($0.05**)
- ½ tsp dried oregano ($0.05**)
- 2 cups vegetable broth ($0.26)
- 24 oz. pasta sauce ($1.68)
- 4 oz. mozzarella cheese (shredded, (optional) $0.98)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic, dice the onion, and slice the carrots. Add the garlic, onion, and carrots to a large pot with the olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.
- While the vegetables are sautéing, slice the mushrooms. Once sliced, add them to the pot with the other vegetables and continue sautéing.
- While the rest of the vegetables are sautéing, dice the zucchini and bell pepper.
- Once the bell pepper and zucchini are diced, add them to the pot along with the rotini, basil, oregano, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine. It's okay if the broth doesn't fully submerge the pasta.
- Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the broth to come up to a boil.
- Once the broth reaches a full boil, give the pasta a quick stir, replace the lid, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the pasta simmer over medium-low, stirring occasionally and always replacing the lid, for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
- Once the pasta is tender, add the pasta sauce to the pot and stir to combine. Top with the shredded cheese then place the lid back on the pot. Let the pasta heat for a few minutes, or just until the cheese is melted. Serve hot!
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make One Pot Veggie Pasta Step-by-Step Photos
Sauté the aromatics and veggies: Mince 2 cloves garlic, dice 1 yellow onion, and slice 2 carrots. Add the garlic, onion, and carrots to a large pot with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium for about five minutes, or until the onions are soft.
While the garlic, onion, and carrots are sautéing, slice 8 oz. mushrooms (or you can buy pre-sliced). Add the sliced mushrooms to the pot and continue to sauté while you chop the rest of the vegetables. Chop one zucchini and one red bell pepper.
Add the remaining ingredients: Add the chopped zucchini and bell pepper to the pot along with 8 oz. rotini (not cooked), ½ tsp basil, ½ tsp oregano, and 2 cups vegetable broth.
Stir everything together. Don’t worry about the pasta not being fully submerged in the broth. I promise it still works. Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Bring the broth to a boil. When it reaches a full boil, give everything a quick stir, put the lid back on top, and turn the heat down to medium-low.
Simmer: Let the pasta and vegetables simmer, stirring occasionally and always replacing the lid, until the pasta is tender and there is very little liquid left on the bottom of the pot.
Pour in the sauce: Add a 24 oz. jar of your favorite pasta sauce and stir to combine.
Make it cheesy: Top the pasta with 4 oz. shredded mozzarella. Place the lid back on the pot and let the pasta sit for about 2 minutes, or just until the cheese is melted.
Serve: And then it’s done! I garnished with a little chopped parsley to make it pretty, but it’s totally unnecessary for flavor.
Serving Suggestions
I like serving this one pot vegetable pasta with a little shaved Parmesan on top and either quick sautéed green beans on the side (just garlic, a little oil or butter, and simple seasonings) or a simple salad to keep things fresh and crunchy. If you’re not keeping it vegetarian, a baked chicken breast sliced over the top turns it into an even heartier dinner.
Storage & Reheating
As with any leftover pasta dish, the rotini does get a little softer as it is stored in the refrigerator. Personally, that has never bothered me or stopped me from eating leftover pasta, but if you’re sensitive to textures, you might not enjoy the leftovers of this pasta! If you do want to store it, keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. I usually reheat mine in the microwave, sometimes with a splash of water to loosen it up as needed.
Try These Easy Vegetarian Recipes Next!
- This Veggie Sandwich is my go-to blueprint for a seriously satisfying lunch, built in layers with sturdy bread, a flavorful spread, piles of crisp veggies, and a sprinkle of extras (seasonings, seeds, etc.) to make it pop.
- Our Vegetarian Lasagna is a cozy, dairy-free bake layered with noodles, marinara, a savory lentil mixture, and a creamy tofu ‘ricotta’ so you still get classic lasagna comfort without the meat or dairy.
- My Vegetable Stir Fry is a fast weeknight dinner where a simple soy-sesame-ginger stir-fry sauce turns whatever veggies you’ve got into a bowl meal in about 25 minutes.
absolutely delicious! recently decided to become a vegetarian and this is such an easy but tasty meal to make. perfect for making in bulk for multiple days
This was delicious. Subbed cauliflower florets for the pasta because I can’t eat pasta.
I’m a college student and this is my go to meal prep every other week! I make a huge six or seven servings of it on the weekend and eat it over the course of the next several days when I get home late from class. Still delicious heated up, and I add chickpeas + pieces of chopped squash as well if I’ve got it.
I used pre-sliced baby Bella mushrooms and carrots chips to save time. I added sundried tomatoes in oil at the same time that the pasta sauce went in. Delicious! Husband also loved it. This is going into the rotation for sure.
This looks wonderful, and I’m doing the prep for it now! I was wondering, though, if you’d ever thrown some sundried tomatoes in or would that alter the flavor profile too much? I have some sun-dried tomatoes banging about in my fridge and I’m trying to use them up before too long. Thanks!
I think that would be lovely!
Is it alright to use all frozen vegetables? I am so exited to try this!
I’m sure that would still be delicious!
Absolutely KILLER! An immediate all-time favorite! The only edits I made were to dice the carrots like others suggested so that they cooked/softened more quickly, did a little extra garlic, and added a little cayenne. Absolutely phenomenal!!
Super easy, and the rotini is delicious cooked this way. Adding this to our regular rotation. Your recipes are always a hit here, thanks!
I made this exactly to the recipe. It is delectable! The veggies and pasta are cooked to the perfect texture. Not too hard; not too soft or mushy. I added 1/2 teaspoon of salt after adding the pasta sauce which really made the seasonings burst in flavor. No question that I’m a fan and will add this to my rotating menu. Thanks for sharing!
Great recipe! We’ll certainly be eating this again. How much is a serving? Thanks!
Thank you! If there’s a certain serving size to note, it will be located next to the serving amount in the recipe card. For this recipe, it’s just 4 equal servings, there’s no measurement amount provided. :)
I used whole wheat pasta, which seemed to hold up better on day 2!
This was a hit with my family. I used Italian seasoning as we had no basil. I also sautéed the veggies longer so they would be cooked enough. As mentioned you do need to watch it and add small amounts of hot water until pasta is done. Will make this again. Thanks for a different twist[no pun intended] for a pasta side dish.
SO GOOD
Wow!! This one is a forever keeper recipe. The whole family loved it. I decided to sautée everything in a lemon-infused olive oil that I forgot I had, and holy cow it lent a brightness to all the flavors. Served with shaved Parmesan. Can’t wait to make this again, thanks as always.
Very good. I used brown rice pasta. Next time I am going to try adding 1/2 cup more of the broth. There were some noodles that weren’t cooked after 20 minutes (step 6) but it was still delicious!