One Pot Spinach Tomato Pasta

This easy Spinach Tomato Pasta comes together in one pot in less than twenty minutes with ingredients just a few common ingredients. Make it with your favorite pasta for a quick and easy dinner everyone loves.

I love making pasta dishes but I hate how many dishes it always entails. On busy weeknights, no one wants to wash multiple pots and pans. 

Thankfully, on those nights, there are one-pot pasta recipes! This easy Spinach Tomato Pasta is at the top of the list with a creamy tomato sauce, tons of fresh spinach, and perfectly cooked pasta.  My whole family loves this pasta. 

New to one-pot pasta? This magic thing happens when you cook pasta with all the ingredients in one pot. The starch from the pasta combines with the cooking liquid (which is full of flavor from the other ingredients) to create a rich and creamy sauce.  It's not only time-saving, but it's also so good! 

All in all, this is a pretty healthy and delicious pasta dish that's ready in just 15 minutes.

We also love this One Pot Caprese Pasta, One Pot Chicken Pasta, and One Pot Creamy Mushroom Pasta.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here is everything you need to make this delicious spinach and tomato pasta recipe!

• Shallots and garlic cloves: These two aromatics add lots of flavor to the sauce. White or yellow onion can be used instead of shallots.
• Diced Italian tomatoes: Any type of diced tomatoes can be used in this recipe. Make sure to add the juices from the can as well. For a another sauce, use your favorite marinara or pasta sauce.  You could also swap in fresh tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, just saute them first so they release their juices.
• Vegetable broth: Broth adds flavor to the sauce since the pasta cooks in it. Use chicken or vegetable broth for the best results. 
• Oregano: This amps up the flavors of the tomatoes. Use any dried herbs you like including dried basil, rosemary, or Italian seasoning. 
• Pasta: This works with any pasta shape, so use whatever you have on hand. It also works with whole wheat pasta. 
• Fresh spinach: Spinach is a great vegetable for this recipe since it wilts right into the hot pasta, making for really easy prep. If you prefer another green, just saute it first.
• Parmesan: Use any cheese you like to finish the dish or leave it off for a dairy-free option.

How to Make Spinach Tomato Pasta

If this is the first time you are making a one-pot pasta recipe, have faith. You're going to think the pasta won't cook or will stick together. I thought that too. But have some faith in this recipe! It does work and it works beautifully!

Start by sauteing the shallots and garlic in olive oil. Remember since the cooking liquid becomes the sauce, we want to ensure to infuse it with tons of flavor.  This is the first step to do that.

Continue to build those flavors by adding tomatoes, broth, spices, and pasta. Make sure to stir in the pasta until it's all submerged in the liquid. (Don't skip this step or your pasta will cook unevenly.) Press it down with a spoon into the liquid.

Then cover the pot with a lid and let everything come together over medium-low heat. This takes about 7-8 minutes. The steam that's created by closing the lid helps to cook the pasta. If at any point, it looks like too much liquid has been absorbed, add a splash of water or more broth. 

Then stir in the spinach during the final minute of cooking so it wilts but doesn't get too mushy. The spinach and Parmesan go in together. I give it another stir and let it stand for 5 minutes to thicken up. That's it! Season and serve. 

Recipe Ideas and Variations

You can customize this easy pasta recipe in lots of ways!

• Pasta shape: Use any old kind of pasta you like, but remember this recipe only has enough liquid ingredients to cook 8 ounces of pasta. If you use more than that, you'll have to adjust the rest of the recipe as well.
• Different greens: If you don't have spinach, then kale, Swiss chard, arugula, or another hardy green would work well in this dish. Just make sure to saute it with the shallots and garlic since these greens need more time to cook.
• More veggies: Add more veggies if you like, just saute them at the beginning before adding the pasta. If you add a lot of vegetables, you may need more broth. 
• Add protein: If you'd like to add meat to this dish, I recommend cooking that on the side first (sorry, it does require another pan) or cooking it in the skillet or pot before you cook the shallots and garlic. Just remove the meat after it's cooked and set it aside. Then follow the directions as they go, in order, from there. Once you reach the last step, add the meat back in with the spinach and Parmesan. I love a good Italian chicken sausage in this dish.
• Try different cheeses: You can use another hard cheese like gouda or romano if you like. You could also try a softer cheese like goat cheese or feta.
• Add fresh herbs: Add some herbs at the end, like basil, rosemary, oregano, or thyme.
• Try it with pesto: Add in some store-bought or homemade pesto to amp up the flavor even more.

Add Protein to this Tomato and Spinach Pasta

Many times I will add protein to this dish to bulk it up. My favorite is ground turkey or ground turkey sausage to start the dish. Since these proteins don't overcook easily, you can saute them right in the pot and then just follow the recipe.

This is also great with shrimp, precooked chicken sausage, or chicken breast, but you will need to cook it separately so it doesn't overcook. 

For a plant-based option, consider adding some white beans or chickpeas along with the spinach.