In the kitchen, a square meal is sometimes all the extravagance you need. If you want a comforting dish that feels filling with little effort, a one-pot pasta soup comes to the rescue. Bringing the heartiness of soup together with the chewiness of pasta, this meal is as comfort-centric as it is sustenance-focused. The part I love the most about this recipe is how versatile it is: it all cooks in one pot, so you can prepare it on a busy weeknight, during a slow weekend, or even meal prep for the coming days.
Whether you are a meat eater, a vegetarian or just enjoy experimenting with flavors this pasta soup can be adapted to fit your tastes and dietary needs. Using only some pasta, broth, veggies, and a few spices you have yourself something that’s hearty and filled with flavor. The soup is hearty enough to be main course and light enough to have as a starter And the one-pot nature means less post-meal clean-up, always a nice time-saver in the kitchen.
Why this One-Pot Pasta Soup?
Before getting started with the recipe, it is worth giving some context as to why this kind of dish has become so widespread in many types of kitchen out there! Of course, the biggest one is how convenient it makes things. They are simple to make and do not require much activity. Forget about cooking pasta in one pot, a separate sauce in another, and then mixing it all together at the end. All cooked together in one big pot or Dutch oven, which means less time spent preparing meals and doing the dishes afterwards.
Plus, pasta soup is really flexible. You can customize it according to your taste and nutrition goals. With the addition of chicken, beans or whatever your favorite veggies might be, this meal will fit just about anything you have on hand. The broth is a great starting point for all sorts of seasonings, making it easy to customize the soup in terms of richness, spice level, or heartiness.
What I love the most about this recipe is how filling it is. Now that the pasta absorbs all of the flavor of the broth, and all of those vegetables they are a delicious mix of flavors and textures with every single bite. Only to say, when done you may have a bowl of soup that arrived special like a full meal and melded the need not only for foodstuff but in addition for something comfortable.
Ingredients for One-Pot Pasta Soup
The best part about this one-pot pasta soup is you dont need a long list of ingredients to make it flavorful. So, here is how you can prepare a simple yet flavorful version of this soup — and feel free to customize any ingredient according to your taste well.
- Pasta (8 oz): Use any shape pasta you like, but in soups smaller pastas shapes work best (elbow macaroni, orzo, ditalini or mini farfalle), but you can also use penne or fusilli. Or to make it healthier or use for a gluten-free dish you can swap out the pasta for whole wheat or gf pasta.
- Vegetable Broth or Chicken Broth (4 cups): The broth forms the base of the soup and provides flavor to the pasta and vegetables. You can use either vegetable or chicken broth from here. If you want more flavor you could use bone broth, or a homemade broth if that is available to you.
- Olive Oil (2 tbsp): Olive oil is for sautéing the vegetables and providing a base to the soup. If you would like a creamier taste, feel free to replace it with butter.
- Garlic (4 cloves, minced): Garlic brings aromatic depth to the soup. If you’re pressed for time, you can use fresh garlic or pre-minced garlic from a jar.
- Chopped Onion (1 medium): We use a sweet onion to help balance things out. Using crimson onion or yellow onion, based on what you have handy, works nicely in case you prefer extra flavour.
- Diced carrots (2 medium): Carrots adds natural sweetness and texture to the soup. Plus, they give the soup a lovely pop of color!
- Celery (two stalks, diced): Celery provides a subtle crunch and its own earthiness to round out the flavors of the other veggies and broth.
- Tomatoes (1 can, diced, 14.5 oz): Canned diced tomatoes add acidity and slight sweetness to the soup making them a perfect addition as well. When the tomatoes are in season, you can also use fresh ones.
- 2 cups chopped spinach or kale: great for adding some nutrition and bulk to the soup. Kale, on the other hand, is a stiffer option that won’t wilt in soups and stews (if you’re one for your greens with some chew), whereas spinach wilts down beautifully.
- Italian seasoning (1 tablespoon): This combination of dried oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary gives the soup a classic Italian flavor. Pre-made Italian seasoning, or equal parts of these dried herbs.
- Red Pepper Flakes (1/2 teaspoon, optional): For a little heat without getting too carried away with spice that will ruin the whole consistency of the soup, adding a pinch of red pepper flakes will do you nicely!
- Salt and Pepper (to taste): This is important to season the soup to bring out all flavors.
- optional: Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup, grated): For a little more indulgence, toss a handful of Parmesan on top of the soup before serving. It dissolves into the broth and gives the velvety finish.
- Fresh Basil or Parsley (optional garnishing): Sprinkling fresh herbs on the top of the soup brings brightness and freshness, countering the rich broth.
Method for Making One-Pot Pasta Soup
You have all the ingredients, so here is how to make this one-pot pasta soup. Give it a warm and comforting bowl in less than 1 hour by following these steps:
Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients Step
Getting your ingredients ready is the important step to do before starting cooking. This is especially true of a one-pot meal (which all the prep done ahead of time, you will want before putting in that pot).
Dice the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and other vegetables you’re using.
If using diced tomatoes from a can, drain.
Clean the leafy vegetables and chop them.
Calculate the amount of the pasta, broth and spices.
This has got to be the best part — doing all the prep work beforehand, will make preparing the entire dish easy breezy.
Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables
Drizzle the olive oil into a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, toss in the chopped onion and sauté them for 3-4 minutes until the onion has become soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic, carrots and celery into the pot, then sauté for 5 more minutes. We want to just, you know, tenderize those vegetables and release their natural sugars.
Add red pepper flakes at this stage too, if using; you want them to bloom in the oil and loosen their heat into the soup.
Step 3: Pour in the Broth and Tomatoes
After the veggies are softened, add in the veggie or chicken broth, and your canned tomato. Mix so that all the vegetables are saturated with the liquid. To the boil and once boiling lower to a simmer.
Step 4: Add the Pasta
Add the dry pasta right into the pot Mix in order to distribute the pasta within the broth. Add lid and let soup come up to a gentle simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until pasta is cooked al dente. Stir (if the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot)
While the pasta cooks, it absorbs some of the broth leaving the soup thick and with great flavor.
Step 5: Incorporate the Greens and Seasonings
When the pasta is done cooking, add in your spinach or kale. Spinach will cook really quickly and wilt down, but kale holds a little more structure and nibble. Then stir in the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, taste for seasoning. For a stronger flavor, feel free to increase the Italian seasoning or add an extra pinch of red pepper flakes.
6: Prep and Serve
Remove the pot from the heat when the greens have wilted down and the soup is at your desired flavor. This is also the time to make it creamy by adding a splash of cream or milk. If not, simply transfer the soup to bowls and top with some grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley.
To serve: Spoon the soup into bowls and accompany it with crusty bread or a simple salad to round out the meal.
Tips for Perfect One-Pot Pasta Soup
- Choose a Heavy Pot: Use a heavy pot or Dutch oven to distribute the heat evenly; this helps your soup from burning to the bottom of pot.
- What to keep in mind: Use small pasta shapes Elbow macaroni, orzo, mini shells all work great for soup since they are quick cooked and absorb the flavor of the broth. But, if you want something more filling, larger pastas like fusilli or penne can be used too.
- Make it ahead: This particular soup can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for 3-4 days. It will evolve even more flavors as it sits. Heat on the stovetop over low heat, adding more broth or water if the soup is too thick.
- Vegetarian or Vegan Soup: Use vegetable broth and skip the Parmesan topping to keep this soup vegetarian, or even vegan if you use cashew cheese. You can also add beans or lentils for additional protein, or
Conclusion:
One-pot pasta soup is the ultimate comfort food a cozy meal that’s filling and satisfying without requiring too much fuss. This soup is just as versatile as it is delicious, made with simple wholesome ingredients including pasta, vegetables, broth and a few seasonings. That means it could be light and fresh with leafy greens or hearty and savory with a variety of vegetables, this dish is very versatile so you can adjust your lil hearts out. One-pot meals are a godsend, capturing the wonders of harmony in flavors while ensuring that little to no dishes need washing after serving time is over, rendering it an ideal recipe for casual weeknight dinners or relaxed gatherings.
You can customize this recipe, and that is what I love about it. You can use any pasta shape you want, add other vegetables, or protein like chicken, beans or sausage. The broth is that blank canvas for flavors to marry, while greens and spices present bounty and complexity. And, since everything is cooked in one pot you are left with more time to enjoy the taste and less time for cleaning.
This isn′t a if-you-are-not-a-seasoned-chef-do not even bother-soup, it is an easy to make forgiving recipe anyone can whip-up in the kitchen. Yielding a hearty, belly-filling soup that will leave you feeling nourished and content-the method of sautéing your vegetables, adding in the broth and pasta to simmer all together is simple.
And as an added bonus, it is great for meal prep–it holds up really well in the fridge and makes for a quick lunch or dinner later on in the week! Well, if you want to make this delicious and hearty meal hit your table with less effort in the kitchen then your answer is one-pot pasta soup.
To sum it all up: a one-pot pasta soup is more than just a meal; it contains an enticing mix of flavors, textures, and convenience. Whether you are feeding a family, entertaining friends or enjoying a night in at home this dish is warming and satisfying in one-pot. Serve with some crusty bread, a dusting of parmesan, and a couple of thyme leaves–what more do you need for the coziest meal ever?
