Vegan One Pot Pasta
This one pot pasta recipe makes the best quick and easy dinner! Made with simple, fresh ingredients and a few pantry staples, you’ll love having this delicious vegan recipe in your back pocket.
Features
- vegan, can be gluten-free and oil-free
- packed with veggies for a simple, nutritious meal
- easy to make in one pot in under 30 minutes!
- customize with your choice of protein
- budget-friendly, great for the whole family and perfect for quick weeknight dinners
Ingredient Notes
- Onion: White or yellow onion is suitable.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best but you can use 1 tsp garlic powder if that’s all you have.
- Oil: You can substitute water for an oil-free recipe, otherwise any neutral cooking oil works.
- Dried Herbs: Suggested is basil, oregano and thyme. If you want to use fresh herbs, use about 3 tbsp finely chopped. If you’re missing one, it’s not a big deal or Italian seasoning would work as a substitute.
- Mushroom: If you don’t like mushroom, you can leave it out.
- Crushed Tomato: Use crushed tomato for a smooth sauce. If you don’t mind it chunky, you can use diced tomatoes. Any jarred pasta sauce would also work.
- Kale: Can be omitted or swapped for spinach.
- Pasta: The recipe calls for rotini but any short pasta shape works.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. In a large heavy-bottom pot saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes over medium heat.
Step 2. Add the dried basil, oregano, thyme, red chili flakes, salt and pepper and continue cooking for another minute or two.
Step 3. Add the zucchini, mushrooms and bell peppers and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often until the mushrooms are soft.
Step 4. Add the crushed tomato, vegetable stock and pasta and mix well. Bring to simmer and cook for 13-14 minutes. Give it a good stir every few minutes to make sure nothing is stocking to the bottom of the pan.
Quick Tip: Note that cooking time will vary based on the pasta used. You want it to be a slightly underdone al dente at this point. It will continue to cook after you add the kale and let the dish sit for a few minutes. Be careful not to over cook it or you’ll have mushy pasta!
Step 5. Once the pasta is al dente, stir in the kale and remove from heat. Allow it to sit for 3-5 minutes to thicken up.
Serve with freshly chopped parsley, fresh cracked black pepper and vegan parmesan!
FAQs
Nope. If you don’t like mushrooms or have an allergy, just leave them out. No problem!
No. This recipe works with any pasta but I suggest sticking to a short pasta like penne, shells, bows, macaroni or fusili. You can also use long shapes like spaghetti or linguini but I’d suggest breaking them in half before adding so they cook more evenly.
Note that cooking times will vary based on the pasta used. Whatever variety you use, cook to a slightly underdone al dente before adding the kale, as it will continue to cook for a few minutes after that.
Yes, water is fine but broth adds more flavour.
Yes. This recipe can be made with gluten-free pasta such as brown rice or quinoa pasta. Note that the cooking time will vary based on the pasta you use.
Adding Protein
- If adding crumbled or sliced sausage, tempeh or veggie ground round, brown it first in the pan, then remove and proceed with the recipe. Stir it back in when you add the kale.
- If adding cooked or canned lentils, white beans or chickpeas, stir them in when you add the kale.
- Something like a lentil or walnut “meat” would make a yummy addition. Same thing. Add it when you add the kale.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve topped with nutritional yeast or 2-ingredient vegan “parmesan“ or homemade tofu feta.
- I love it all mixed up with lots of fresh cracked black pepper, nutritional yeast or parmesan and tofu feta, it’s so good!
- Homemade garlic bread always makes a wonderful side dish. To make your own, mix 3-4 tbsp of melted butter or olive oil with lots of minced garlic and 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast. Slice a loaf lengthwise and spread with the mixture. Bake until browned and delicious!
- This pairs well with caesar salad. Make your own with this vegan caesar salad dressing!
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs like basil and parsley.
Did you try this recipe?
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I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review and be sure to tag me @runningonrealfood if you post it on social media.
Vegan One Pot Pasta
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
No straining, no boiling water, you will love how easy this one pan pasta is! Cook everything up in one pot for a delicious, wholesome meal the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sliced white onion (130 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (10 g)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (30g, sub with vegetable stock for an oil-free recipe)
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes flakes
- 1 medium zucchini diced (175 g, 1 heaping cup)
- 1 red bell pepper, core and seeds removed and diced (210 g)
- 2 cups white mushrooms, sliced (225 g)
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomato (794 g)
- 4 cups vegetable stock (1000 ml)
- 5 cups dry rotini (350 g)
- 2 heaping cups finely chopped kale (70 g)
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottom pot over medium heat, sauté 1/2 cup sliced white onions with 2 cloves of minced garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil (use broth for oil-free) for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and starting to soften.
- Add the 2 tsp each dried basil and oregano, 1 tsp each dried thyme, salt and pepper and 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and continue to cook for an additional minute, stirring often.
- Add 2 cups sliced mushrooms, 1 heaping cup of diced zucchini and 1 diced red bell pepper and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until mushrooms are soft, stirring often.
- Stir in 5 cups of uncooked rotini, 4 cups of broth and the can of crushed tomatoes.
- Bring to a light simmer and allow to cook uncovered for 12-14 minutes until the pasta is a slightly under done al dente, stirring frequently to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the pasta is cooked al dente, stir in the chopped kale and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve pasta with freshly chopped parsley, fresh cracked black pepper and vegan parmesan and/or tofu feta.
Notes
Rotini can be substituted with fusili, macaroni, shells, bows or any other short pasta shape. You can use long pasta like spaghetti and linguini but I’d recommend breaking it half before adding to the recipe so it cooks more evenly . Note that cooking time will vary based on the pasta used. Cook until al dente before adding the kale. Be sure not to overcook the pasta, especially if you’ll be storing leftovers.
To store, let cool then store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat as needed stovetop or in the microwave until heated to your preference.
For a low-sodium recipe, omit or reduce salt and use low-sodium or no salt added vegetable broth (or use water) and no salt added crushed tomatoes.
To make gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta of choice such as quinoa pasta, brown rice pasta or chickpea pasta and adjust cooking time as needed until pasta is cooked al dente.
Vegetables: Kale can be omitted or substituted with spinach. Mushrooms can be omitted if you don’t like them or have an allergy. Any colour of bell pepper works. Vegetable amounts don’t need to be exact, use as guidelines to adjust to your liking. Diced carrots can be added or substituted for zucchini, bell pepper or 1 cup of the mushrooms.
This recipe makes quite a large amount – about 6 hearty servings. Consider cutting it in half if you don’t need that much or can’t eat it within 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
- Calories: 389
- Sodium: 461 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 12 g
Keywords: one pot pasta, vegan one pot pasta
Just made this tonight for dinner and my husband said keep this as one of my favourites.. He loved it! it was very tasty . I added more mushrooms, red peppers and zucchini than what it called for.. I will definitely be making this again. I love how easy it was to make also.
Thanks Lori! Glad it was a hit!
Love how quick this dish came together. I opted out of mushrooms but added canned lentils and served it with fresh ciabatta. So tasty!
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Yum! Glad you enjoyed it.
Would you say that 5 cups of pasta is a one pound bag?
350 g is 3/4 lb.
This is such a simple meal to put together! Very flavourful with lots of healthy veggies. I did cut back on the amount of red pepper flakes but that’s the only change I’ve made to your recipe. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
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I love your blog and your recipes! I made this recipe last night and I think it is my favorite so far. It really turned out great! It was so delicious! A definite keeper!
I used mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, chickpeas and kale.
A super simple and super delicious meal! It made a ton as well!!!
Thank you, Katie! I’m so glad you liked it!
Love this recipe! Do you think it would be possible to make it and freeze?
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So glad you enjoy it! I’ve never frozen pasta and sauce but I believe you can in a good freeze-safe container (cool before freezing) or bag then just thaw in the fridge before reheating. Let me know if you try it!
This was so easy to throw together and delicious! I’m so glad it yields a big batch, because I think the flavors tasted even better the next day for lunch. Will definitely add this to my vegan lunch prep recipe rotation.
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Made this tonight, good recipe… but I definitely wasn’t expecting how much food the recipe made! I only did 4 cups of dry rotini pasta thinking that would make 4 servings and I have A LOT of leftovers. So if you’re making for 2 people, half the recipe would be plenty.
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Glad you enjoyed it! The recipe makes 6 servings, so we’ll have it for dinner than have leftovers for a couple days. You could definitely cut it in half if you just wanted one dinner though! Thanks for the feedback and review!
I made this for the first time this week and it was sooo delicious! It’s PACKED with flavor. I’ll be adding it to my go-to meals for sure!
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Yesss! So glad you liked it. It’s one of my go-to meals too! Thanks for the review!
Sounds like a great recipe for family camping!
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