One Pot Vegetable Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce
This one-pot vegetable pasta with creamy tomato basil sauce is hearty, packed with fresh veggies, and ready in 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp high quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced small (140g or 1 cup)
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh garlic, minced (about 5 cloves)
- 1 ¼ cups sliced cremini mushrooms, about 4 oz
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 ½ cups diced zucchini, 1 small zucchini
Sauce:
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 ½ cups full fat coconut milk, 12 oz
- 1 ½ cups tomato basil pasta sauce, see notes - like Trader Joe's, Rao's, or Carbone
- 1 cup vegetable broth
Pasta & Serving:
- ½ lb dried short pasta of choice like cavatappi, rotini, penne or rigatoni, about 3 ½ cups
- 1 cup chopped asparagus
- ½ cup fresh chopped basil plus more for garnish
- ½ cup dairy free parmesan cheese, like Violife Just Like Parmesan Wedge
- 1 oz dairy free cream cheese
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil, onions, and garlic. Sauté until the onions are fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the mushrooms, zucchini, and bell pepper. Cook the veggies until the mushrooms are mostly cooked down. About 3-5 minutes.
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to the cooked vegetables. Mix to coat, increase the temperature to medium-high, and bring to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add in the pasta. Simmer for 5-6 minutes covered, stirring occasionally.
- After 5-6 minutes, uncover and add the asparagus and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to al dente. Cooking time will vary slightly based on the type of pasta used.
- Add the fresh chopped basil, dairy free Parmesan and cream cheese. Mix until the cheese melts. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Different sauces and veggie broths have varying seasoning and sodium levels, so this step is important!
- Remove from the heat and serve immediately, garnished with more fresh basil and dairy free Parmesan. To prevent the pasta from overcooking, remove the pasta from the pot.
Recipe notes
- Choose Your Favorite Pasta Sauce: A high-quality tomato sauce can make a significant difference in the overall flavor of the dish. I love Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce in the recipe. It has an amazing flavor and it's very inexpensive.
- Be Sure to Watch the Pasta: Stirring occasionally is key to preventing the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Customize to Your Liking: Feel free to add other vegetables of your choice. The recipe is versatile and accommodates a variety of additions.