A quick Vegetable Pasta that’s made with less pasta and more veggies that tastes so amazing, no one realises it’s a healthy pasta recipe!!! It’s a vegetarian pasta loaded with a whole head of broccoli, corn, zucchinis, capsicum/peppers and onion, and smothered in a garlic herb tomato sauce.
All made in one pot – from scratch, in 20 minutes. *Fist pump!*
Vegetable Pasta
There’s a time for making vegetable pasta the proper way – roasting veggies until beautifully caramelised, making a pasta sauce, cooking the pasta, then bringing it all together at the end. It’ll take close to an hour, and it’s totally fabulous.
This one pot vegetarian pasta is for all those other times.
A complete meal that covers all bases:
tons of veggies;
light on the pasta;
minimal prep;
just one pot to clean; and
absolutely delish. (The cheese helps… 😉)
Choose your own vegetables and pasta
This is a terrific versatile vegetarian pasta that you can make your own using your vegetables of choice. I’ve used a whole head of broccoli, the icy remains of frozen corn, 2 zucchinis nearing the end of their life and a capsicum/bell pepper. All vegetables I happened to have (albeit I then had to go out and buy them again to make the video 😂)
You can also choose your own pasta. This recipe will work with any short pasta – macaroni, spirals, penne, ziti (which is what I’ve used).
Jeez, I’m being flexible today, aren’t I! I figure after all the rules I set out in Friday’s Chocolate Mousse, I was due for a nice and easy “use what you want” recipe today. 😂
Though having said that, while this vegetable pasta is adaptable to whatever vegetables and short pasta you want, the liquid quantities and cook times are not as flexible so please do follow the recipe.
A 20 Minute Quick Healthy Dinner
This recipe has a nice flow to it. I start off by chopping the garlic and onion, then get that on the stove to cook slowly on a low heat so it becomes sweet and becomes an amazing flavour base for this quick healthy dinner.
In between leisurely stirring the onion every now and then, I chop the other vegetables, pop open cans and measure out the herbs and spices so it’s all ready to go into the pot by the time the onion is done.
Once the pasta is in, it takes a mere 10 minutes to finish cooking. Much longer than this and you’ll end up with soggy pasta, so basically, this has to be a quick 20 minutes recipe otherwise your pasta is overcooked! 😂
I know I’m talking up how this is a healthy Vegetable Pasta recipe but when you watch the video, you’re going to see me toss in a nice handful of cheese that’s stirred through the pasta, then a bit more to melt on top.
There’s no denying cheese makes this even tastier, but for a healthier option, opt for some parmesan instead.
Excluding the cheese, this pasta is a mere 378 calories per serving – and it’s a generous serving size, this recipe makes a big pot full!
Either way, you’re going to be yscoffing this down. Added bonus: it’s great Couch Food. (Definition: food you can eat on the couch without taking your eyes off the TV 🙌🏻) – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Sometimes it’s nice to have a visual, so watch me make this Vegetable Pasta!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Vegetable Pasta – One Pot!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 2 zucchinis* , halved lengthwise and cut into sliced 0.8cm / 1/3″ slices
- 1 red capsicum/bell pepper* , halved and sliced
- 1 cup corn* (frozen or canned)
- 1 broccoli* , broken into bite size florets
- 250g/ 0.5lb ziti/penne , or other short pasta (Note 1)
- 800 g / 28 oz crushed tomato
- 1.5 cups / 375 ml vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Italian herb mix (or other dried herbs)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (chilli flakes, adjust spiciness to taste)
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
Optional:
- 1.5 cups shredded cheese of choice (Cheddar, tasty, Monterey Jack etc)
To serve:
- Finely chopped parsley (optional)
- Parmesan (if not using cheese)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic and onion – cook slowly for 3 to 4 minutes until onion is translucent and sweet.
- Turn heat up to medium high, add zucchini and capsicum. Cook 1 1/2 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT pasta and broccoli. Stir until tomato paste dissolves.
- When liquid starts bubbling, lower heat to medium, add pasta and stir. Top with broccoli, push in.
- Place lid on and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove lid. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta is almost cooked through and most of the liquid has been absorbed by the pasta.
- Stir through half the cheese (if using). Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with remaining cheese, put lid on. Leave for 1 minute until cheese is melted and pasta is perfectly cooked.
- Garnish with parsley and serve immediately. Don’t leave leftovers in the pot, residual heat will overcook the pasta so transfer into a serving dish.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
MORE ONE POT PASTA READER FAVES!
Life of Dozer
If only it was real….
No would not like to be in Dozers frame of mind. Uh looks like piece of meat but it does not taste like one. Cheeky….. Anyway have safe trip and do NOT WALK AWAY LEAVING STUFF BIHIND AT TAXI STOP. Talk to you soon.
He gnaws away at it like it’s a real one!! 😂
Never mind the wonderful; pasta right up my alley . . . never mind poor Dozer being made fun of: Mother, how could you, no wonder he looks sad ! You are going to Vietnam !!! To eat the best food in the world !!! Now I am properly pea green with envy – missed a very good chance when Luke Nguyen was still leading his tours but that foodie trip[ is at the very tip of my bucket list ! Heaps of ‘real’ Vietnamese recipes for us, please . . .
Wait – what?!! YOU were on a Luke Nguyen foodie tour??!!!
Nope ~! Prevaricated and prevaricated and then he was not doing them personally any morel I was actually booked on the one he took his parents !!!! And I believe he took you into all these ‘secret’ backstreet places also . . . I could kill myself !
This is roughly what I make, but in 3 pans (pasta, fried vegetables, then sauce). Will for sure try this one and stick to one pan in future! When bell peppers stop being 9 bucks a kilo anyway! Another fab recipe Nagi ^.^
Believe me, I’ve been there before too!! 😂
You call this a vegetarian pasta several times, but your ingredients include Chicken Broth.
Would using a Vegetable Broth effect the cooking time at all?
I love one pot recipes, and will probably try this with veggie broth instead of chicken.
Oops! Funny thing is, I actually shot it with veg broth! 😂 Fixed! N x
Hi Nagi! I have been craving pasta dishes and this one sounds delicious! This souonds like it could be one of those “clean out the frig” recipes we talked about 🙂 One pot in a bonus!
YES! That’s exactly what this is 🙂 Hope you’re well Dorothy, please give G a hug from me! N x
Hi N!
This looks really good and healthy! I also have a bag of frozen butternut squash to use up. Now I can buy a squash cheaper and cook it myself- not expensive now. Also a little bit of kale or spinach put into the mix! Yummy!
Dozer is thinking I’ll taste the bubbles- it’s all over me anyway.😂
Dozer is prob wishing he knows magic to turn his toy steak into a real one. 😂
Hope you’re week is going great N! x
Oooh YES! I was actually thinking about whether to make this a pumpkin pasta recipe! 🙂 Dozer wishes everything was edible 🙄
Heading to the store to get the ingredients. Loving your recipes Nagi!
Hope you love it Zeinaitani! N x
Nagi,
I have joined your forum only a couple of days ago, but sleeady feel grateful. Thank you. Being an industrial and management engineer and a rather busy amateur cook (cooking every single day for many years now, French, Chinese, Thai, Indian and Mid-Eastern cuisines), I would also like to compliment you on the structure of your “organization”, especially about the thought you have invested with the user in your mind. Both in the recipes’ descriptions and the structure of the site/mail service. Congratulations. Not to mention the quality of your recipes – I am not enough experienced as yet…
Thank you for the compliment Eitan! I’m glad you like the way I have my content structured 🙂 N x
Love your recipes. Must try this one, it looks amazing.
Hope you get a chance to try it Kathleen! N x
Mmmmm. Can’t wait. Looks like a midweek recipe.
Hope you get a chance to try it Kerry! 🙂 N x
Hello and thank you for all your wonderful recipes. the last few that I have received have a place where it says watch how but there is no video attached. I am not computer literate it appears. can you tell me how to get the video.
thanks
Fran
Thank you so much for getting back to me. Must have been something on my end because the next day all was good. Can’t wait to try your pork roast. Looks amazing.
Hi Fran – how odd! I just checked and they are all there 🙂 Perhaps it just needs more time to load to appear? 🙂 N x
I just love your recipes and this one in particular so easy.. I live in Hampshire England so i cant always get your exact ingredients but i get as close as i can.. Sandra
Glad you’re enjoying my recipes Sandra! Most of my recipes are pretty flexible so don’t worry if you can’t get exact ingredients :)( N x
Nagi this looks great! I am trying this tomorrow for sure. Instead of a can of crushed tomatoes, can I add regular fresh tomatoes or shall I add blanched tomatoes?
Hi Sheenam! I don’t think regular tomatoes will give the same flavour intensity required 🙂 Sorry hun!
It looks practical and very delicious. I will try. Thank you.
Hope you do get a chance!! N x
Nagi,
I have joined your forum only a couple of days ago, but sleeady feel grateful. Thank you. Being an industrial and management engineer and a rather busy amateur cook (cooking every single day for many years now, French, Chinese, Thai, Indian and Mid-Eastern cuisines), I would also like to compliment you on the structure of your “organization”, especially about the thought you have invested with the user in your mind. Both in the recipes’ descriptions and the structure of the site/mail service. Congratulations. Not to mention the quality of your recipes – I am not enough experienced as yet…