You guys know I love simple. Well it doesn’t get any simpler than this: 1-pot pasta. Yep, all the ingredients in ONE POT. I think I’m in love.
I’m not sure where this idea originated – probably Martha Stewart herself. But I love it. Not that pasta is super complicated anyway, but to create an even smaller mess and save time is a double upgrade if you ask me.
This dish starts with plenty of veggies: Mushrooms, eggplant and fresh parsley. You start by sautéeing your veggies in a big pot or pan and then setting them aside. Next comes the pasta, tomato sauce, garlic, water and seasonings into the SAME POT. Super easy stuff.
Then you literally just bring it to a boil, cover it, and let it simmer until the noodles are al dente. All that’s left to do is taste, adjust seasonings, and throw the veggies back on. So simple. So good.
This dish is:
Light yet filling
Fresh
Rich with tomato flavor
Full of good-for-you veggies
Vegan (and gluten-free optional)
& (best of all) EASY
Plus, it’s extremely customizable. Use your pasta of choice, sub in your favorite veggies, throw in fresh herbs, roast your garlic, top with cheese – the options are endless. Enjoy!
1-Pot Vegan Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry pasta*
- 1/2 small eggplant (cubed)
- 2 cups cremini or button mushrooms (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced and divided)
- 1 1/2 cups vegan marinara sauce
- 2 cup water
- 2 tsp sea salt (plus more for eggplant)
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
- Fresh parsley or basil (optional // for finishing)
Instructions
- Rinse and dice eggplant into small, bite-sized cubes. Place in a colander in the sink and sprinkle generously with salt to draw out some of the moisture. Wait 20-30 minutes. Then rinse and pat thoroughly dry with a towel. Set aside. If you’re short on time, skip the eggplant and double the mushrooms.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, the eggplant and 1/3 of the minced garlic (1 clove as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sea salt (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until a golden brown color is achieved, then add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes more or until all of the veggies have color. Set aside and cover – you will top the pasta with it.
- To the same saucepan, add the pasta, water, marinara sauce, the remaining cloves of garlic. Start with 1.5 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp black pepper (you will likely add more later depending on the saltiness of your marinara/your personal taste // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
- Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer until the pasta is cooked to al dente – will vary depending on kind of pasta – but typically an average of 10 minutes, stirring once or twice so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
- Once cooked, stir and taste to adjust seasonings. I added more salt and fresh herbs at this point.
- Remove from heat and top with eggplant-mushroom mixture and more fresh parsley or basil. Serve immediately. Serves 3-4 (as original recipe is written).
Notes
*Use gluten-free pasta to keep gluten-free.
*Adapted from Martha Stewart.
*Inspired by Vegan Miam.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Callum says
Soooo good!! I’ve been trying to wean myself into vegan food by having a vegan day a week and this recipe was suggested by a friend. Overall I don’t like mushrooms or aubergine and so I was slightly wary of this recipe but honestly this was so yummy! The taste + nutrients makes this a great causal vegan recipe!
We’re so glad you gave it a try and enjoyed it, Callum! Thank you for sharing! xo
Sally says
I really liked it as it was fresh, healthy and easy.
I was confused about it being one pan, though, as it tells you to set it aside. You either have to use two pots or a big bowl and a pot.
Hi Sally! We call this 1-Pot because you only need 1 pot to cook everything (in batches). Sorry for any confusion! Thanks so much for the review!
K says
I don’t normally comment on online recipes, but this was so good with a couple of modifications that I felt i had to share. First I used a whole pound of pasta since I was feeding the whole family and wanted leftovers, so I used a whole jar of marinara and about three cups of veggie broth instead of water. Second, I doubled the garlic (I usually do because we love garlic) and added some hot pepper flakes, tomato paste (for extra tomato-y goodness), and a few shakes of an Italian herb blend. I didn’t plan far enough ahead to let the eggplant sit for a full 20 minutes, but five was good enough after I gave them a squeeze and let them cook longer to get toasty. We did top it with some parmesan, which of course made it non vegan, but it would be just as delicious without.
All in all a solid recipe that I will definitely be making again!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, so glad everyone enjoyed!
Mary says
This was great! I was skeptical about cooking the pasta in the sauce, but I was pleasantly surprised at the result. I used vegetable stock instead of water and reduced the salt a bit. The pasta cooked perfectly! I also added some diced jalapeño for heat.
Yay! We’re glad you enjoyed it, Mary. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Christine Benjamin says
This is another new favorite. I used 1 large eggplant and about 4 cups of sliced mushrooms. All the veggies cook down so I wanted to make sure I had enough for leftovers during the week. I used rotelli pasta instead of orecchiette. I cooked the pasta in boiling water instead of in the sauce. The veggie sauce is also really good over your 1 pot mashed potatoes.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Christine! Thanks so much for sharing!
Monica says
Help! I was confused. It said to set aside mushrooms and eggplant, then next it said “in the same pot”.
Hi Monica, step 1 says to set aside and step 3 says “in the same pot”. Step 2 should clarify =)
Lauren says
Nah, you’re right Monica. It doesn’t make sense.
Anie Fong says
I have just made this recipe and it was the best! I have been trying different recipes but this recipe is my go to now that I’ve tried this recipe! Thanks heaps! Btw, I have added zucchini, nutritional yeast, vegan cheese, and chopped up walnuts as I love to have some crunch in every bite. Oh so yummmmmm…..
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Anie. And love your additions. Thanks so much for sharing!
Aya says
I made this last night. I used onions instead of mushrooms and adjusted the cooking time for that. I also added some thyme and cooked the pasta separately. It was so easy and delicious. Everyone loved it. Thank you so much!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Aya!
ela says
So i misread the recipe and ended up cooing the pasta+sauce with the begs from the beggining… Only halfway through I realised I was probably supposed to separate them .. but it still turned out amazing!! super fast and easy! thank youu
We’re so glad it turned out well even with the change, Ela! Thanks for sharing!
Donna Ramirez says
This recipe is simple and tasty. The salt on eggplant really added flavor to the recipe. I didn’t think that the pasta, water and sauce mixed together to boil would work but it did. The result was a nice saucy yet slightly sticky pasta.
GG says
This was disappointing for me. Time listed in recipe was not long enough to brown the tiny chunks of eggplant / cook them through. Pasta had to cook almost sixteen minutes and was still way too firm (I used rotini.) Recipe called for a lot of salt and end result was salty and pasta had strange gummy texture with a sauce that was more starchy than anything. I might try again with some tweaks.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it, GG! We’ll look into it and see if we can make any revisions.
Susan says
I was dubious; really cook the pasta in water and marinera?? Yes! And As promised this recipe is flexible. I used double the mushrooms (portobellos), no eggplant, extra garlic, diced zucchini and added chickpeas after adding pasta. Garnished with combo of chopped basil, parsley and spinach. The adult and the teenager both give it 5 stars!
Chris says
I didn’t have marinara on hand, so I used jarred Vodka sauce (not vegan, I know…) and it came out awesome!! The boyfriend loved it too!!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Chris!
Juan says
I’ve been making this recipe for a while and it never disappoints! I find rotini works really well with this recipe so I usually use that. I also use the entire eggplant and more mushrooms just to give it more veggies. Thanks for the great recipe!
Susan C. says
Very tasty dish. I loved this since it was so easy and what favor! Next time I am going to use my edamame pasta with it. YUM!
Susan C. says
That would be flavor! lol
Sara G says
Hi Looks soo amazing and i tried making and it tasted good! but would you go metric measurements too, or just convert it? It would save a lot of people a lot of time like me because i love all your recipes!
Marc Sager says
I have made this a number of times. It is a favorite, but the amount of salt called for is way high. I used 1/4 tsp with the eggplant and mushrooms, and 1/2 tsp in the sauce and pasta. The recipe called for 1/2 tsp and 1 1/2tsp. My reduced salt version still turned out a bit salty.
Teresa says
So …I made this! The taste was awesome. I did as you suggested, and used spaghetti instead of Orechiette. I also added chopped spinach at the end, to incorporate some greens. My one disappointment: it was “sticky”. The cooking process caused the pasta to be very sticky as a result of too much starch. While I like the one-pot idea, I think next time I will just boil the pasta in water, and add the ingredients together at the end. Excellent recipe for a tasty pasta, despite the starch issue! I will make this again!
Shannon says
I used protein penne pasta and a fire roasted tomato pasta sauce. Super yummy! Thank you for the recipe.
Rebecca says
Just tried this and had a lot of trouble with liquid to pasta ratio, I used 11.5 oz fettucini noodles, not sure if I woulda have success with smaller pasta, but I started with the liquid called for and it was nowhere near enough, I kept having to add more and added more pasta sauce, water, and some milk to make it nice and creamy (I know that de-veganizes it, I’m not vegan). Because I kept having to doctor it it took awhile for the noodles to fully cook and some got stuck on at the bottom. It tastes good but I probably wouldn’t make this again, feel like it woulda been less hassle to just cook pasta and sauce separately.
lila says
This Dish is more than 100 years old its not Martha Stewarts its a Mediterranean dish versions of the dish can be found in Italy, Greece, and parts of the Mild east. I think people should do more research on deferent diets and have a better understanding ! like imam baildi which is served with couscous or cracked barley an other dish is Melanzane parmigiana ok you are vegan don’t add the cheese or add the fake one with the yeast or try the greek way with orzo also try it with pasta al fourno which means in the oven: slice everything thinly add a bit of olive oil or avocado oil, thyme, oregano black peper and a bit of garlic when all veggies are soft add tomato with a dash of balsamico mixed together then add the pasta mix them well and leave them in the oven util the tomato is dense and the pasta is cooked this is one oven tray instead of one pot and you get to slow cook all the ingredients bon appetit! my question why do you use parsley there are so many nice herbs out there?
Sara says
Super easy & delicious! Had a lot of flavor which was surprising. I used penne which I enjoyed with it. Upped the mushrooms a bit. Will definitely put into regular rotation.
Pavla says
It was delicious, but the pasta (I used penne) took sooo long to cook. Definitely going to cook the pasta separately when I do this again, to save some time!
Anete says
Just made this! Very versatile, and my dad also liked it. I had seconds. Thanks a lot for posting this recipe!
MG says
Great recipe! Turned out very delicious, to spice it up I added some red chilli powder.
Tereza says
Just made it. Added onion and parmesan cheese on finished pasta. It is amazing!
Elaine says
We are enjoying it as we speak. My husband thinks it’s great and I loved that it was not hard to make. I used Trader Joe’s Red Lentil Pasta and kept it al dente. I used fresh rosemary and parsley, dried oregano, and chile flakes. I also made almond/lemon zest vegan parm to put on top. It did not take too long to sweat the eggplant. I was concerned about that, but it was simple. I soaked the almonds before making the parm and removed the skins.
Betsy says
I’d love to make this for a family gathering – does it store well? If I make it the day before would that work?
Hmm, it’s best when fresh but should reheat OK the next day.
Anastasia says
oh my gosh yes please to everyone of these gorgeous dishes! And love the little slide bar to go to the next recipe, so smooth! Genius. Pinned and can’t wait to make my dinner life easier and healthier with these.
Emily says
I love your recipes and am cooking this one right now, but if you have to use a colander and a bowl to set aside the eggplant while the pasta is cooking, it is no longer a one pot meal. You tricked me!
Nathalie says
Made this recipe last night, added some zucchini with the eggplant and mushrooms. This was INCREDIBLE! Definitely one we will be making again!
Ida says
I made this recently and it was a total success! I altered a few things, I cooked the pasta separately and used fresh instead of dry orecchiette (didn’t clump together at all), added peperoncino (chili powder), and didn’t bother to draw out moisture of the aubergine as I didn’t think it was necessary. Will definitely make again!
Mollie says
Many European nations have one pots, but it’s mainly Italian. It’s so interesting how it became a big hit after Martha Stewart made it.
Mina says
The only word I can think off is – WOW! This is delicious. Thank you for this recepie! :)
Louise says
I am gluten free and really don’t like to use gluten free pasta…. What can I use as an alternative for pasta?
Danielle says
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it tonight for dinner. Would you recommend subbing some veg broth for water?
You can try it, but I haven’t tested it that way! Good luck!
LL says
This was great! I’m not a fan of mushrooms and I’m not sure if we are eggplant fans so for the veggies I used onion, zucchini and fresh tomato. I also used cilantro for the herb and it was a nice kick!
For those up in arms about the “one pot,” I accomplished this by cooking the veggies in the pot, setting them aside on a plate when done and cooking the pasta in it, then adding them back…Really not that complicated! This is such a versatile recipe…My only gripe is leaving 1/4 of a box of pasta left…What the heck am I supposed to do that with that ?
Carol-Ann says
Incredibly delicious is all I can say. I honestly was surprised to be able to create so much flavour with so few ingredients.
I used penne noodles, and found I needed to cook them a bit longer than 10 minutes, and I used basil instead of parsley. Fantastic flavours, and such an easy meal to prepare.
We both had seconds ? – outstanding dish – very yummy. Thanks for posting!
joyce says
I don’t understand, If I set the pan with the cooked veggies aside, how do I cook the pasta in that pan, and then TOP it with the veggies…. I am not understanding something here…??????
Tina. says
Looks great! Just one thing I wasn’t sure of–did you add fresh parsley at any point during cooking or just at the end before serving. Thanks!
Lenore Emmanuelli says
absolutely delicious. i substituted vegetable broth for the water, used all mushrooms and penne pasta.
love your website and i thank you for your lovely inspiration.
Mikayla says
Holy oh my yum. This looks fabulous. I’ve got a guy at home obsessed with all things mushroom, so I know this would be a hit! Thanks!
Linda Ray says
This was sooooooo good! I left out the onion and the garlic and used garlic infused oil and it was still sooo good! Thank you for a great Vegan pasta recipe!
Anthony says
So when cooking the pasta in water you add the sauce at the same time? so the pasta cooks in water and the sauce?
yes.
Leo Sigh says
This looks fabulous and SO easy :) A pot that size would make at least three meals for me, yet so simple and cheap. Have to go to my local farmers market today so will definitely be picking up ingredients for this. Thanks!! (And gorgeous photos, btw).
Erin says
Needed more water because I used a little more eggplant and shrooms but overall this was AMAZING. I added some vegan parmesan on top — ugh! So good!!! And so easy! Thank you!
Great, thanks for sharing, Erin!
Jen says
I just tried making this and sadly it was a disaster. I used gluten free spaghetti made from corn and rice and it clumped badly and never got soft. Had to throw it all out :(
Tynan says
This is probably a stupid question but won’t adding the water and marinara at the same time really thin out the sauce? This looks amazing and I want to try it!
Amanda says
Just made this and I’m eating it as I type. Its my first time cooking with eggplant and it is great, it adds a meaty texture to the pasta! I added green peppers and used organic corn pasta instead. Tastes awesome! It will be one of my new weekly meals, thanks so much for posting!
Real apulian orecchiette says
Your sauce is very good, I advise you to use another type of pasta ?
orecchiette born in Puglia and made a recommendation espeto Italy … I live here
Renz says
What a coincidence. I’m making a one pot pasta now too that I use. This one looks yummy. I’ll def try this
Bryanna Duca says
Made this for me and my guy for a quick lunch after a trip to the farmer’s market! We got an assortment of mushrooms that were all different sizes, and with the fresh eggplant it was amazing!!
This dish keeps it so basic and so simple, but it comes out so flavorful! It was light yet filling, just like you said! We opted for some organic bow-tie pasta and Organic Bello’s marinara sauce. It was perfectooo!
I’d definitely make this again :) thanks so much for the recipe!
Lovely! So glad you both enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
Aishani says
Hello…the photographs look beautiful! Can’t wait to try out this recipe…How do you make the marinara sauce? I’m new to Italian cooking and if you could help me out with it I’d be really grateful! Thanks! :)
Kim says
I made this for meatless Monday but changed out the eggplant and mushrooms for zucchini, onions, and tomatoes so it wasn’t quite the same recipe. However, I love the technique! So simple yet so delicious. Family members who insist on meat with every meal didn’t even care that we didn’t have meat. Definitely a keeper! Thanks!
Ginger says
I made this last night. It was fantastic. I considering adding Parmesan (as I would to most pasta dishes), but it really didn’t need it as the recipe has so much flavor. I’ll definitely make it again.
Yay! Thanks for sharing. Glad you liked it, Ginger!
Chi says
I made these a few days ago– made a few changes by substituting the eggplant for broccoli since neither me or the hubs are eggplant fans. I apparently didn’t read the recipe well because I cooked the pasta, mushroom sauté and marinara sauce all at the same time, and I found the pasta to burn easily so I had to turn to heat down a whole lot to fully cook the pasta. I don’t know if it burned easily because of my mistake, but after all was said and done, it was delicious and really easy to make. Thanks once again for such a wonderful, simple, healthy recipe, Dana.
I tagged you on the picture on Instagram. : )
Oh thanks Chi! Sorry you had a few hiccups along the way but it sounds like it all turned out well in the end. Will check out the photo on Instagram!
Meredith @ Unexpectedly Magnificent says
You had me at orecchiette! It’s one of my favorite pasta shapes (and the most underrated, in my opinion). This looks delicious—I can’t wait to try it!
Keith Hawthorn says
I found this on buzzfeed thanks to Facebook and was intrigued. Sadly there is no option for ‘saving’ this recipe to say Zip List, which is a bit disappointing…If you try to print it off, you get all the comments, the lot,about 26 pages including the recipe!! Please rectify this anomaly!!
Keith, sorry we don’t utilize Zip list as we found most of our readers weren’t utilizing it. However, if you click the print button in the recipe box, it should print off for you on one page without the comments. Hope that helps!
Megan says
I’m kind of confused. The sixth step tells us “Remove from heat and top with eggplant-mushroom mixture and more fresh parsley or basil”. Are you just saying to mix the eggplant-mushroom mixture around because it is already in the same pan?
Thanks!!!
Megan, sorry for the confusion! No the veggies are cooked separately in this recipe. They’re pan sauteed and then set aside while the pasta and sauce cook. Then, they are added BACK on top of the pasta and stirred in once it’s fully cooked. Hope that helps!
Zoe says
guess its not really one pot then, is it?
It requires one pot, it has several steps.
Jojo says
I made this last night for me and my omni partner. I used a whole small eggplant and a thick hollow noodle (can’t remember the name). Anywho, this was a HIT! She had two bowls! The noodles were great because they carried a lot of sauce and the eggplant was nice and juicy! I will be making this again! Thanks!
So glad you two enjoyed it!
Pam says
Hi there! Is there anything I could substitute for the oil? Looks like you said Avocado but that doesn’t make sense to me for sauteeing…. but then again I’m brand new to plant-based diet :) Looks delish though!!
Hi Pam, I don’t see where I recommended subbing an avocado for oil. But if you’re concerned about oil, just leave it out and saute the veggies in a non-stick pan (with non-stick spray if you can).
Dianna @ Chard in Charge says
Ah, what an awesome recipe! A pasta dish in one pot, that’s not overcooked and soggy? That is truly perfection. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!
Amy says
Thank you! Perfect for the vegetable loving gluten intolerant one in the relationship (me) and if I add a meatball or two on top it will be perfect for the omnivore (him) too!
I am so glad to have found you again Dana. I followed your first blog and then I thought you had disappeared. Happy to have rediscovered a gem :)
So glad we can reconnect, Amy! You’re the sweetest. I pulled a fast one there and switched to MB in 2012. Glad you found me again!
erica says
do you have a recomendation for jarred pasta sauce? i never find one that i like….
I recommended to someone else in the comments that I usually just go for whatever’s on sale! But honestly, the local selections at your local market or store will probably be best (and freshest), so go for those first. Otherwise, look for ones with low sugar, since some can add a ton and oversweeten the sauce. Hope that helps!
Kayan Wong says
I have your blog on my RSS reader and when I saw the title my mind read it as “pot pasta”. I guess not too strange given all the recent talk about marijuana legislation. Anyhoo, I love all the photos especially the 2nd one. The pasta shells look like mini-farmers hats, as if a hundred mini farmers threw their straw hats in the air like it was farmer graduation day. I assure you this imagery comes to me not because of “pot”. I have a naturally active imagination.
Caitlin says
love this idea and all the veggies!
Molly | memo2munch says
First of all, Dana, your photography is STUNNING! You really have a gift! I’d expect to see photos like these in Bon Appetit and Food&Wine! Also, I’m definitely trying this recipe. :)
Ugh, consider me head-over-heels flattered. Thanks Molly! Let me know what you think of this recipe!
Brie @ Entrée the Giant says
I love the idea of cooking the pasta right in a combo of sauce and water – it must infuse everything with a TON of flavor!! It’s not even 8am here, but I could go for a bowl of that business.
Brie, it does yield a lot of flavor but my favorite part is just that it’s so simple – one pot, less mess. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says
Lovely idea and sooo easy – love that it’s one pot (hate washing dishes!) I live in Greece where eggplant is a very commonly used veggie, so I’ll give this a go when I get back there soon. I’ll top mine with cheese for sure.
cheese for the win :D
Miriam says
Topping it with cheese will make it “not vegan”.
Gary says
Unless it’s vegan cheese, e.g., Parma.
Ditas Veg says
Yes! Just take a look at the cheeses section in fullofplants.com.
dinny says
YUM!! pinned! Would you mind telling me what marinara sauce you used? I’m on the lookout for a new one, and I like the looks of yours. – thanx
I don’t have a favorite brand, I usually buy whatever is on sale. That’s usually a brand – like Ragu – that has a no sugar added variety, since some brands can add a ton of sugar to the sauce and it makes your pasta more like dessert than dinner. Hope that helps!
Lanette says
That’s how I feel about jar marinara sauce, too much sugar. I use Lawrys or McCormick’s spaghetti sauce mixes because they aren’t sweet. I would love to make my own sauce.
Jenny @ BAKE says
I love one pot dishes! this looks amazing!
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking says
I looooove this! Brilliant. I am so making this for dinner!
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
this is just what i need..thanks Dana.
Katrina @ WVS says
This looks so delicious! Such a fabulous recipe!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
This one pot business is blowing my MIND! Ok dinner tonight is donezo!
Thanks Abby! Let me know how it goes!
Jessica (bakecetera) says
so many delicious things in ONE pot! YUM!! i can’t wait to try this out soon. it’s perfect for a healthy dish after a busy day.
veganmiam.com says
Thank you, Dana for the lovely mention! I’m so honored that my dish was inspirational! And what a beautiful masterpiece, orecchiette is one of my favorite pasta to use.
Thanks so much for YOUR recipe. It’s stunning!
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
This looks so incredible! One dish and full of vegetables? I’m in.
Abbie @ Needs Salt says
This pasta looks awesome! I can’t wait for summer when we have loads of fresh eggplant from our garden – I’m so going to make this!
pinned!
Thanks Abbie! Jealous of what sounds like a dream garden. We’re city dwellers now (sans patio) but maybe one day we’ll have room to plant!
valentina says
It’s the way some Italian chefs cook pasta, it’s called Pasta Risottata (from Risotto) ^_^
So cool. See? How do I not know things like this? Thanks for sharing!
valentina says
I know this just because…I’m Italian! :P
OK, now I don’t feel so uneducated :D
Christine @ Gotta Eat Green says
Holy gorgeous. Who knew pasta could be so pretty? And love this recipe.. so so simple!!
Thanks, Christine! :D
Alessandra @ THE FOODIE TEEN says
So gorgeous! I love the photography, and it sounds amazing! I completely agree, the less washing up, the better!
Thanks, Alessandra!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
So, so pretty, Dana! Wow! The recipe AND the photography! pinned
Thanks, Averie! You’re the sweetest. Always appreciate your shares.