This throw-it-all-together recipe for One Pot Creamy Pasta is healthy, flexible and easy to make. It’s got a beautiful creamy element without being too heavy. You can adjust the recipe to keep it vegetarian and/or make it gluten free using gluten free pasta, as needed.
During the week there are those nights where I just don’t really know what to make for dinner. I haven’t planned anything, and I want to cook something delicious, but I need it to be ready in a flash and I don’t want to trash the kitchen! Those nights are what this one pot pasta is made for. I wasn’t quite sure what to call this recipe, so I just went with the most literal name I could think of. It’s One Pot Creamy Pasta with Greens because:
- you make this in one pot;
- it uses lots of green veggies;
- it’s a little creamy; and
- it involves pasta. Duh!
A Very Easy and Flexible One Pot Pasta
Like a lot of my recipes, this one is pretty flexible. Yes, you add green veggies to it, but the exact vegetables is up to you. Zucchini, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, peas, cabbage, kale, silverbeet, whatever. Throw all those odds and ends in there. That’s what I do! I’ve specified exact veggies in the recipe, but you can change it up.
As you can see in the pictures, I also add extra protein to my One Pot Creamy Pasta. Usually it’s canned tuna, hot-smoked salmon or leftover rotisserie chicken. For a vegetarian option, chickpeas work well.
Are you wondering where the creaminess comes from in this recipe?! I don’t know if you might be weirded out when I tell you, but it really does make it nicely creamy. Promise!
The creaminess is from a few spoonfuls of Greek yoghurt and a handful of parmesan cheese. Yes, yoghurt as the pasta sauce, and yes yoghurt mixed with cheese! Really truly, it’s the goods. Think of it like a lighter, fresher take on cream/sour cream. And unlike cream or sour cream, I usually have Greek yoghurt in my fridge anyway, which makes this recipe so practical and useful.
Fertility Friendly Recipe Benefits
- Packed full of green veggies, many of which are a really great source of folate. Folate helps to reduce the risk of a type of birth defect known as neural tube defects.
- Helps you meet your overall goal of 5 serves of veggies per day, which is how we get in lots of fertility boosting antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E that support egg and sperm quality and a healthy pregnancy.
- Made with wholemeal pasta or pulse pasta, this recipe uses low GI high fibre carbohydrates which balance blood sugar, help to support regular ovulation and support gut health too.
- Add a fertility-friendly protein like salmon, tuna, chicken or chickpeas and get the benefits of additional fertility boosting nutrients like zinc, vitamin B6 and iron from the protein (plus loads of omega 3 if you use salmon).
With little mess and a simple ingredients list, this one pot creamy pasta is SO easy to make. If you make this recipe I would love to see your creation! Take a snap and tag me @moniquecormacknutrition on Instagram 🙂
Healthy One Pot Creamy Pasta with Greens
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 cups dried pasta I usually use chickpea pasta spirals but wholemeal pasta also works really well
- 1 zucchini small/medium size
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 large handful baby spinach
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt (unsweetened)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables by rinsing as needed, and then chop the zucchini and broccoli into small pieces.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to boil and add a pinch of salt. Add the pasta to the water and reduce heat so it's bubbling along nicely.
- When the pasta only has around 3 minutes to go, add the frozen peas, zucchini and broccoli to the pot to cook with the pasta. For the last 30 seconds or so, add the baby spinach as well so it wilts. Give everything a good stir so it cooks evenly.
- Drain the pasta and veggies, reserving a few tablespoons of pasta water. Return the pasta and vegetables to the saucepan and place over a low heat. Stir in the garlic powder, olive oil, yoghurt and parmesan. Add a little bit of the reserved pasta water as needed to create more sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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