After watching the entire Season 1 of With Love, Meghan I knew I had to try this version of a Healthy and Easy One Pot Pasta with Seasonal Veggies. It’s absolutely a perfect one-pot meal for busy weeknights. Meghan Sussex’s version used heirloom cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and lemon. This is perfect for summer when grape tomatoes are abundant.
But, we’re still in the final weeks of winter so let’s lean into the seasonal greens and ingredients we’ve got on hand. Continue reading to see how we make this easy weeknight dinner the entire family will love. And scroll down for plenty of tips and ingredient suggestions to help tailor this recipe card for whatever seasonal vegetables you have on hand any time of year.
Why This One Pot Pasta Recipe Works
This is one of those healthy one-pot pasta recipes that makes great use of seasonal vegetables and is ready in just a few simple steps. You’ll love the versatility of this type of pasta recipe. It’s a great dish to add to weekly meal prep that the whole family will love. As for cooking time, this recipe is ready in 15 to 20 minutes and because we cook the pasta in the pot, we’ve saving a step in straining. We’re also saving an extra dish or two to wash since this can be made in a dutch oven or high-sided braiser pot or skillet.
Ingredients for This Healthy One Pot Pasta Dish
There are so many different ways to tailor this healthy pasta recipe that’s in rotation with many types of one-pot recipes. For this variation we’re making it with broccoli leaves and rabe, here’s what we will use in this ingredient list:
2.5 to 3 cups hot water just boiled water. This is what helps us in crafting these simple and delicious one pan pasta recipes. The just boiled waters allows us to craft restaurant quality pasta with minimal effort. We’ll use just enough to cover the pasta in the large skillet with the little liquid remaining to help craft our delicious sauce.
Dried spaghetti noodles. You can definitely swap this out for your favorite whole wheat pasta or short pasta shape like shells or penne.
Italian sausage. This is customizable for sure. Some days I’ll leave out meat if I don’t want to create a meat sauce. You can substitute beans for the beef to keep this vegetarian focused.
Chopped rabe and broccoli leaves. This is a part of the tailoring vegetables based on what ingredients are in season. You can also use fresh spinach in winter or chard in summer. Scroll down for the extra ingredient suggestions I offer to tailor your one-pot meals for the season.
Aromatics. We’re using garlic and yellow onion here. You can also swap for garlic powder and even use shallots or spring onion in lieu of yellow onion. Aromatics help to add flavor as the base for our simple pasta sauce.
Tomato paste. I love the use of tomato pasta here to create light tomato sauce especially when tomatoes are not in season. You can also use other tomato swaps as I share below.
Calabrian chiles. This is another umami accent that adds some depth and even a little heat to our pasta dish. If you don’t have Calabrian chiles on hand, crushed red pepper flakes will make for a great substitute.
How To Make This Single Skillet Spaghetti Version
This yummy pasta is ready in minutes making for a delicious meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Here’s how we’re able to make this in a pinch:
- To start, we’ll bring 3 cups water to boil in a tea kettle or large saucepan.
- While the water heats to a boil, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 3 quart high sided sauté pan, skillet, or braiser over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a small bowl. Add another tablespoon olive oil to the pan.
- Add the onions they cook until translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and stir for another minute until fragrant. Add the rabe and stir to combine.
- Add the tomato paste and Calabrian chiles. Stir to coat the vegetables. Add a 1/2 cup of the now boiled water to the pan to deglaze and scrape up any brown bits.
- Add the spaghetti and pour the remaining hot water until the pasta is just covered. Make sure all noodles are covered in the water. Bring to a quick boil then cover with lid. Lower heat to simmer and cook until pasta is al dente, about 6-8 minutes.
- Lift lid to allow excess moisture to evaporate and stir noodles and vegetables together. Add the browned Italian sausage and stir to combine. Remove from heat and grate a generous amount of Parmesan cheese on top. Use tongs to mix and combine all ingredients together. Enjoy immediately.
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. This is a great option for lunch leftovers to take to the office or if working from home.
Seasonal Substitutions and Swaps
When it comes to healthy recipes like this one pot pasta, I really love highlighting how adaptable and versatile a recipe like this can truly be. I’m breaking this down by the big picture ingredients to show you how we can tailor this recipe to become part of our regular rotation for dinner no matter the season:
AROMATICS and SEASONINGS: This is another area where we can customize and adapt ingredients. Think of umami accents like sun-dried tomatoes that pair well with broccolini or dark leafy greens. Garlic and onion add great flavor. Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, and rosemary are a great way to add flavor.
PASTA: Any uncooked pasta works well here. I tend to measure our 2 ounces of dried pasta per person for a serving size. This helps me to hone in on the ratio of cooking liquid so I have just enough to cook our pasta while making a yummy sauce. Use whichever pasta type fits for your preference and dietary needs. Brown rice pasta, whole-grain pasta, chickpea pasta, and even different pasta shapes work here.
SEASONAL VEGETABLES: This is where we can really get creative. If I were thinking about this pasta by the seasons, here’s a few ingredient ideas we could use:
- Winter: Spinach, Kale, and other dark leafy greens will work. I think cabbage varieties could also be delicious here is caramelized down low and slow for the cook time.
- Spring: Springtime peas and asparagus are classics here. We can also opt for tender spring greens.
- Summer: All the summer produce works well here! Classic tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, basil, and more. Think of the ingredients that pair well together. Eggplant with fresh herbs and red bell pepper, for example. Tomato and basil as well. I’d also make a basil pesto to toss with some grilled chicken breast for an easy summer dinner idea that’s minimal cook.
- Autumn: Roast butternut squash cubes, dark leafy greens, broccolini are a couple that come to mind here.
MEAT or NO MEAT: You can make this pasta with meat or without. I love Italian sausage here but you could opt for ground pork or lean ground beef and add in some Italian seasoning or fresh herbs like thyme and sage for a hearty large pot pasta dish.
COOKING LIQUID: Water is what we use most here and it’s super easy to do in helping our pasta cook in the single pan. But you could also use equal amounts of vegetable broth or chicken broth. That could also add a bit more flavor as opposed to water.
More Easy Weeknight Pasta Dishes You’ll Love
Pasta dinners are easy and delicious! Here’s a few we love to have on hand in the weekly rotation:
Single Skillet Spaghetti with Seasonal Greens
Equipment
- 1 3 quart saute pan or braiser
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried spaghetti
- 4 ounces ground Italian sausage
- 2 cups of chopped rabe and broccoli leaves packed
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chopped Calabrian chiles
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2.5 to 3 cups hot water just boiled water
Instructions
- Bring 3 cups water to boil in a tea kettle or large saucepan.
- While the water heats to a boil, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 3 quart high sided sauté pan, skillet, or braiser. Add the sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a small bowl. Add another tablespoon olive oil to the pan.
- Add the onions they cook until translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and stir for another minute until fragrant. Add the rabe and stir to combine.
- Add the tomato paste and Calabrian chiles. Stir to coat the vegetables. Add a 1/2 cup of the now boiled water to the pan to deglaze and scrape up any brown bits.
- Add the spaghetti and pour the remaining hot water until the pasta is just covered. Make sure all noodles are covered in the water. Bring to a quick boil then cover with lid. Lower heat to simmer and cook until pasta is al dente, about 6-8 minutes.
- Lift lid to allow excess moisture to evaporate and stir noodles and vegetables together. Add the browned Italian sausage and stir to combine. Remove from heat and grate a generous amount of Parmesan on top. Use tongs to mix and combine all ingredients together. Enjoy immediately.
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