We’ve all been there. You’re standing in front of your fridge or pantry and you simply don’t know what to make. Or, it’s the end of the week and your kitchen is full of little bits of this and pieces of that and you just can’t figure out a cohesive dish or know how to put it all together. That’s why we’re introducing a recipe series called “Eat Down the Fridge.” It’s full of easy-to-follow recipes and totally customizable dishes that can be made quickly while using a lot of ingredients you likely have in your fridge.
First up is a simple one pot pasta dish. Regardless of what onions you have or if you have grape instead of cherry tomatoes, the key is to let everything simmer together for a fragrant and filling dish that can be enjoyed in minutes.
Reminder that this dish is supposed to be customizable based on what you have in your fridge and pantry. Any onion will work, whatever can of beans you have will be tasty, sweet potatoes and squash are interchangeable (or combinable!), and any type of pasta will work, too. The point of this dish is to add in any leftover bits and pieces that would otherwise go to waste—and still end up with a totally tasty dinner.
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One-Pot Pantry Pasta
Description
We love a simple pasta dish! It’s an easy weeknight dinner that doesn’t require a lot of prep. This simple one-pot pasta dish is also super customizable. Regardless of what onions you have or if you have cherry or grape tomatoes, the key is to let everything simmer together for a fragrant and filling dish that can be enjoyed in minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pasta like spaghetti or linguine
- 2 cups cubed sweet potatoes or winter squash, cubed, or 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 red, white, or yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups fresh basil, or greens spinach or kale, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients except for the cheese into a large pot or Dutch oven. Turn heat to high. Allow the mixture to boil, about 9-12 minutes, stirring often. (This will help the pasta from sticking.)
- Reduce to a simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. As the liquid evaporates, the starch from the pasta will thicken the “sauce.”
- When everything is cooked to your liking, turn off heat and sprinkle in the cheese. Stir to combine and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Comments (9)
Very interesting! I’ve cooked onions with potatoes, intending to mash them together, and I’ve put frozen peas in to boil with pasta. But I never thought of combining everything! I’m going to try it. Thanks for the idea.
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I love this theme, especially because spring sports season started this week! It can be hard to be creative and make sure nothing from my box goes to waste when we are on the field during dinner time most days. I will definitely be trying this one- I will add Turkey Italian sausage when I make it????
When I was in Switzerland, in the mountains; the home I was staying at cooked like this. The home owner, went outdoors to pick what ever veggies she had in her garden, and then added it to fresh pasta she made, that was cooking in a big pot.
When the pasta was done, all was drained, and their own fresh butter was put on the dish, along with their home made cheeses. I will make this soon, recalling those days in Switzerland.
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I wouldn’t cook the greens for that long, they’ll be mush. I would add them the last two minutes or so.
I’ve made a dish just like this and absolutely love it! Thanks for sharing!
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I love this idea! I wonder has anyone tried freezing the leftovers?
Love the idea of using up what we have in the fridge! Thank you!
Great idea!
We made this tonight with a cup of radish greens, a cup of leftover collards, green peppers, yellow onion and some leftover caramelized onion, some elderly tomatoes, and tri color rotini. Yummy! The probabilities really are endless.