Healthy One Pot Pasta

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Creamy, cheesy, oh so easy, this Healthy One Pot Pasta is the ultimate cozy comfort food. It's soft and saucy with great flavors from garlic, cheese, and sautéed veggies with minimal dishes and minimal effort required.

overhead image of two ceramic bowls filled with pasta, topped with fresh basil and crumbles of cheese.

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About this Pasta
Recipe Ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make This Recipe
Recipe FAQs
More Recipes You'll Love
Recipe

About this Pasta

I make this meal nearly every week as part of my meal prep because it's so delicious and simple. And when I say "one pot," I truly mean only one dish required for this pasta!

Everything is made in the same dish and you don't even have to strain the pasta. Now that's convenient for anyone who hates doing dishes as much as I do!

This Healthy One Pot Pasta is super customizable, too. I like to make it as a "clean out the fridge" dish when I seem to have small random scraps of ingredients laying around. That said, leave out what you're not a fan of and add what you do enjoy!

And if you're looking for more cozy pasta dishes, also check out this this Healthy Baked Ziti, Healthy Goulash Pasta, this Sausage Hummus Pasta or this One Pot Pasta Alfredo that I'm sure you'll love, too.

Recipe Ingredients

flat lay of ingredients on speckled tray

Ground Meat - I personally love using the brand Mighty Spark Food because they have a seasoned Bruschetta Chicken that is SO good. It knocks the flavor out of the park and it a house favorite here. Ground turkey is a good option, too. You can also omit the meat entirely or sub it for an alternative like roasted tofu or tempeh.
Pasta - Any pasta will work here but I love to use Barilla or Banza because they have all kinds of shapes and blends for reasonable prices. I usually use the chickpea pasta for a little extra protein.
Pasta Sauce - Use any blend and brand available. I prefer a sauce with great garlic & olive oil flavor, but will typically go with whatever is on sale at the store.
Veggies - I usually throw in spinach because it wilts easily, but use whatever is in your fridge. Onions and tomatoes make their way into this recipe, too.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions and Variations

This pasta dish can be made hundreds different ways depending on what you have available. Whether you're using up pantry ingredients, buying products on sale, or making it as a 'clean out the fridge' meal, make this dish your own!

To make this extra creamy, try adding a dollop of plain/greek yogurt + a pinch more salt!
For some crunch, try adding roasted or slivered almonds or maybe even breadcrumbs (?!) on top. Either would add great texture to the creaminess of the pasta.
Use a jar sauce of your choice or if you're feeling a bit fancy, make homemade! Sometimes I like to make a special dinner of this by making the sauce homemade using my Italian Roma Tomato Sauce Recipe. It can be a fun kitchen experiment too.
Keep this vegan/dairy free by omitting the meat and swapping the crumbled feta for a dairy free cheese alternative.
Try different vegetables for different textures in this pasta dish. Some favorites of mine are mushrooms, red pepper slices, roasted cauliflower, or chopped broccoli.

How to Make This Recipe

jar of pasta sauce pouring into sauce pot with other ingredients.

Add olive oil to a large (4 or 6 quart) sauce pot and turn on the stove to medium/high heat.
Add ground meat and the minced garlic to the pot once oil is heated.
While the meat starts to brown, dice the onion, tomatoes, and spinach. Then add to the pot.
Once the meat is cooked (after 6-10 minutes), pour in pasta sauce of your choice. Then fill the almost emptied pasta jar up with ½ cup cold filtered water. Cap the jar and swish it around, getting all of the sauce off the sides of the jar. Pour the liquid into the sauce pot.
Pour a box of noodles into the pot. Using a spatula, stir the dry noodles into the meat sauce mixture.
Turn the heat down to medium and cover the sauce pot and let cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring 2-3 times throughout.
Once the noodles are cooked, add in ½ cup of crumbled feta and stir.
Serve with fresh basil, additional cheese, and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

How do you store it?

This One Pot Pasta stores GREAT as leftovers. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days and reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each to avoid any cold pockets.

Why is my pasta sticking to the bottom of the pan?

It's likely your heat is too high. Be sure your on medium-low and don't forget to stir the pasta every five minutes or so. And give it a GOOD stir so what's on the bottom of the pot makes it to the top

Why do you add water to the pot?

The sauce alone is not enough moisture to cook the noodles. Adding water to the dish keeps the pasta from drying out and gets the pasta soft. Adding the water to the jar also ensures you get ALL of the sauce out.

close up image of creamy healthy one pot pasta, crumbles of cheese, and basil on top.

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If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find HEALTHY ONE POT PASTA calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.

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