Vegetarian One Pot Pasta
⏱ 5 min prep · 🍳 15 min · 🍽 4
Vegetarian one pot pasta is the dinner we slot into Tuesday or Wednesday on the weekly plan — the day when school pickup runs straight into dinner prep and nobody has the patience for more than one pan to wash. Pasta, canned tomatoes, vegetable stock and a handful of fresh vegetables simmer together for 15 minutes, and the starch released by the pasta thickens the sauce on its own — no separate sauce base, no draining.
Cherry tomatoes and basil add a lift when they're in season (roughly June through September), but canned tomatoes work just as well the rest of the year — this isn't a recipe that waits for summer. Chili flakes and anything spicier stay out of the pot and get served on the side, so each family member controls their own heat level.
Serve with crusty bread or a bread roll pulled straight from the freezer.
Ingredients
- 200.000 g cherrytomater
- 1.000 stk rødløk
- 1.000 stk hvitløksfedd
- 1.000 glass syltet grillet paprika
- 1.000 dl frisk basilikum
- 6.000 dl grønnsakskraft
- 400.000 g pasta
- 400.000 g hermetiske tomater
- 1.000 ts paprikapulver
- salt
- pepper
- 2.000 stk jalapeno
Instructions
Del cherrytomater og rødløk. Finhakk hvitløk, kutt paprika og basilikum.
Ha alle ingredienser i en stor gryte: buljong, pasta, hermetiske tomater og krydder.
Dekk til og la koke ca. 15 min til pasta er al dente. Rør noen ganger underveis og smak til med salt og pepper. Tilsett mer buljong ved behov.
Topp med rødløk og jalapeño hvis ønsket. Server med nybakt brød.
This is a weeknight recipe built for the gap between pickup and dinner — everything happens in one pot, with no starter-to-dessert planning involved. Kids eat it without clocking that there are canned tomatoes in the sauce; from where they're sitting it's just pasta with red sauce. Swap in wholewheat pasta and it needs more liquid and a few extra minutes in the pot, or the bottom scorches before the pasta's done. Put it on a fixed weeknight in the plan — it's forgiving enough that someone running late doesn't force a replan of dinner.
FAQ
How do I make this milder for kids?
Keep chili flakes and hot paprika out of the pot entirely and serve them on the side for any adult who wants more kick. Use sweet paprika instead of hot, and go easy on black pepper while it simmers. A little grated cheese or a spoonful of sour cream stirred in at the table softens the acidity from the tomatoes for kids who are wary of red sauce.
Can I freeze leftover vegetarian one pot pasta?
Yes — freeze it in portioned, airtight containers as soon as it's cooled, and use it within 2–3 months. Thaw in the fridge the night before and reheat in a pan with a splash of water or vegetable stock, since the pasta soaks up liquid as it freezes. It's worth doubling the batch while the pot's already out and sending half straight to the freezer.
What can I prep the night before to save time?
Chop the onion, garlic and bell pepper the evening before and keep them covered in the fridge. Measure out the pasta and canned tomatoes and set them right next to the stove, so everything's ready the moment you're home. With the prep done, the actual cooking takes under 15 minutes, which is why it holds up well as a fixed weeknight slot — it doesn't demand that you hit the door at an exact time.
Which pasta works best for this recipe?
Short shapes like penne, fusilli or macaroni absorb the liquid evenly without turning mushy. Spaghetti works too, but break it in half and stir more often so it doesn't clump at the bottom. Wholewheat pasta needs more liquid and a few extra minutes of cooking time than regular white pasta. Skip gnocchi and other shapes that fall apart during a longer simmer in a single pot.
Can I swap the canned tomatoes or vegetable stock?
Canned tomatoes can be swapped for passata or crushed fresh tomatoes when they're in season — cut back the liquid slightly, since passata is thinner. Vegetable stock can be replaced with chicken stock if the dish doesn't need to stay vegetarian, or with water and a bit of extra seasoning if the cupboard's out of stock cubes. Taste before adding extra salt, since stock brands vary a lot in sodium.
Is this a good recipe for a busy week on the weekly plan?
Yes — it's built for exactly that. Because it's a single pot with a short simmer time, it tolerates being pushed back thirty minutes if practice or pickup runs late, and it reheats well the next day for a quick lunch. Many families set it as the fixed Tuesday or Wednesday dinner so it stops being a decision each week.