On weeknights, this vegetarian one-pot penne spaghetti is a family favorite. The lemon, herbs, and vegetables give the penne a zesty kick. Just twenty minutes!
Vegetable Penne Pasta in a Single Pot
The dishwasher is responsible for today’s penne pasta recipe. So, here is what transpired:
I had no idea how many dishes we (mostly I) use every day until our dishwasher failed. When I get up in the morning, for instance, I drink a large glass of water before making a smoothie. Iced cold brew coffee is up next. Most of the time, while I’m making lunch, I’ll grab a new water glass instead of getting up and fetching the one I just used. By about midday, I’ve had four glasses, in case you were wondering. In addition to the two in the bathroom and the one beside my bed, there will be an even greater assortment at my desk by the end of the day. Issues of a first-world kind, I know.
I decided to give the famed one-pot penne pasta a go since I hated doing dishes so much. It seems like a French chef came up with the idea, and Martha Stewart made it popular on the internet. It seems a little too fashionable, and I’ve never thought washing the pasta pot was a huge problem, so I never really gave it a go. However, I was sick of doing dishes by this point, and this recipe seemed so simple. And it still is.
Plus, it tastes great. In contrast to cooking and draining the pasta, this technique leaves the starches in the pasta, giving the sauce a creamy texture.
Recipe for Penne Pasta What You Need
I added more herbs and spices to my version since I thought Martha’s dish was bland. My penne pasta dish is perfect for weeknights when you’re short on time but yet want a tasty dinner:
The gentle, sweet onion taste is enhanced by the addition of leeks and garlic.
This penne pasta dish is bursting with summer flavors and vibrant colors thanks to the addition of cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and red bell pepper.
It gets a zesty Italian twist from the basil and oregano.
A dash of lemon juice and zest makes it pop.
For a little spice, add red pepper flakes.
The crispness is enhanced by roasted pine nuts.
I used a hempseed topping that looked like cheese for the freshly grated Parmesan. You may use the cheese, “cheese,” or leave it out altogether; the penne pasta has a good amount of flavor on its own.
Penne Pasta: A Quick and Easy Recipe
Once you gather all of the necessary materials, cooking a large batch of penne pasta will be a breeze. This delicious one-pot dish may be prepared as follows:
Prepare the vegetables by chopping them and adding them to a large saucepan along with the penne, lemon zest, juice, red pepper flakes, and 2 1/4 cups of water.
Cook, covered, for 8 minutes (stirring once at 5 minutes), until thickened.
After cooking the pasta to al dente, take the pot from the heat, stir, and set aside for a few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
Garnish with pine nuts, parsley, Parmesan, and/or my “cheese” made from vegan hemp seeds. Savor!
I struggled a little to settle on an appropriate serving size for this dish. Even though the last pot seemed to be “family size,” we devoured it all—Jack even returned for more—because it was so delicious. So, I’m going to estimate that this penne pasta dish will feed two ravenous people—maybe even more if you include a side of protein or if your guests aren’t very big eaters.
Vegetable Penne Pasta in a Single Pot
Time needed for preparation: 10 minutes
Cook for 10 minutes.
Twenty minutes in total
Delicious and easy to make, this penne spaghetti dish is perfect for a weekday. The pasta and veggies simmer together in the same pot, making this meal a snap to prepare and clean up afterward.
Jeanine Donofrio is the author.
Sort of recipe: Main course
Yields: 2 generous dishes or 3–4 smaller portions
Recipe Items
penne pasta, 6 oz.
1.5 cups of cherry tomatoes, sliced
Thinly sliced leeks, measuring 1 cups
1 cup of zucchini, cut into half moon shapes that are ¼ inch thick
1/4 cup of red bell pepper, thinly sliced
three cloves of minced garlic, tiny
2 tablespoons of olive oil, extra-virgin
Juice from 2 lemons, with zest of 1 teaspoon, and dried oregano of 1 teaspoon
a teaspoon of mineral salt
30 milligrams of red pepper flakes
A single basil sprig
Toss in 2½ cups of water and garnish with chopped parsley, toasted pine nuts, grated parmesan cheese, or both. Topping made from vegan hemp seeds, if desired
Veggie Hemp Seed Crunch on Top
1 and 1/4 cups of hemp seeds
nutritious yeast, 2 teaspoons
Half a spoonful of uncooked sunflower seeds
somewhat salty sea air
Instructions
Mix together the following ingredients in a big saucepan: pasta, tomatoes, garlic, leeks, zucchini, bell pepper, olive oil, zest and juice of the lemon, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, and basil. Mix in the water. Boil for 8 minutes with the lid on. To prevent any sticking to the pan bottom, stir it around the 5-minute mark and replace the lid. Verify that the pasta is cooked through at 8 minutes. Take the saucepan off the heat, give it a good swirl, and then let it aside for around 2 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Combine the hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined to make the vegan hemp seed topping.
If desired, garnish with vegan hemp seed topping, minced parsley, toasted pine nuts, and parmesan cheese.
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