Sometimes a super simple, no chopping, no fuss meal is exactly what the doctor ordered (especially during the holiday season!). I love a simple tomato pasta showered with parmesan, so I wanted to create one that came together in one pot with as few simple ingredients as possible. The end result is a comforting, glossy, saucy tomato pasta that tastes so pure and balanced. You can easily add meat or veggies, but I prefer to enjoy it as is with a basic green salad on the side. Pull out your instant pot if you’ve got one!
Ingredient Highlight
Pasta! I have a deep love for pasta. It’s delicious, it’s a great vehicle for other ingredients, and it nourishes me inside and out.
“Pasta contains a high amount of protein (in the form of gluten) and starch, a complex carbohydrate. Some of that starch is resistant starch, which gets fermented in the large intestine, becoming a form of fiber. If the word “carbohydrate” were replaced by the word “fiber” when referring to pasta, and the word “gluten” replaced with “protein” – suddenly things become very different. Pasta provides the body with protein, fiber, and energy.” – Letitia Clark, Bitter Honey
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 5 minutes 
Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 4 cups water
- 16 oz short pasta shape*
- 3 tbsp butter, cut into cubes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic chopped or smashed (optional)
- ½ cup grated parmesan, plus more for topping
- * I love the “pipe rigate” shape (as seen above) but any short and fat ridged pasta will work great.
- Note: I like this pasta recipe as is without any add-ins but with a simple side salad
Veggie add-in options:
- Add in 2 cups chopped mushrooms with the pasta
- Stir in 4-6 cups spinach at the end until wilted
Protein add-in options:
- Cooke ½-1 lb ground meat (in 1 tbsp oil, ½ tsp salt, breaking into bite-sized chunks) before adding the rest of the ingredients. Or stir in 1-2 cans of drained white beans at the end.
Instant Pot instructions:
- In a 6-quart Instant Pot, follow the recipe, but reduce the water to 3 cups. The pasta will be mostly submerged with some pieces sticking out.
- Lock the lid in place and set the vent to “sealing”. Select “manual pressure” (set to high) and set the timer for 5 minutes. Once the timer goes off, carefully move the vent to “venting” to release the pressure. Turn off the instant pot, add the parm, and give everything a good stir.
- The sauce will thicken up and cling better to the pasta as it sits and cools a bit (recommend letting it sit for 5-10 minutes).
Instructions
- In a large pot with a lid, add the tomatoes and juices and use your hands to break up the tomatoes into chunks/release the juices (beware of splatter!)
- Add the water, pasta, butter, oregano, salt, and garlic (if using). Stir everything to combine, then cover with a lid and increase the heat to high to bring to a boil. Give the pasta a stir, scraping up any pasta that’s stuck to the bottom of the pot. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer rapidly (covered) for 10 minutes, stirring halfway to scrape up any pasta that might be stuck on the bottom.
- Remove the lid, give it another stir, and let it simmer for 5-10 more minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally to ensure no sticking. You’ll know it’s done when the liquid has reduced into a saucier consistency and the pasta is cooked to your liking.
- Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Note that the sauce will thicken up and cling better to the pasta as it sits and cools a bit (recommend letting it sit for 5-10 minutes).
- Serve topped with more parmesan and some black pepper. Serve with a simple side salad, if you’d like.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cube 3 tbsp butter
- Grate ½ cup parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- Chop or smash garlic (if using)
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, use a vegan butter or substitute with olive oil. Sub the parm with a slurry of about 2-3 tbsp mellow white miso pasta and hot water stirred in at the end. Top with my vegan Pumpkin Seed Parmesan.
- To make gluten-free, substitute with a gluten-free pasta (Jovial Foods is my favorite). Note that the cooking time may vary.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- This pasta will be a bit mushy as leftovers, but it is still delicious. Just warm it up in the microwave in 1 minute intervals, stirring/mixing after each minute until warmed through. Top with plenty of parm and some black pepper.
