One-Pot Cheese and Tomato Pasta with Spring Vegetables and creamy feta – a fab Meat-free Monday meal!
I think I might start making all of my pasta meals as one pot dinners! It’s so easy to bung everything into the pan, then bring the pan to the table and serve up from there.
I also quite enjoy the challenge of figuring out different types of pasta meals and how to convert to one-pot.
As well as this One-Pot Cheese and Tomato Pasta with Spring Vegetables here are a few of my other favourites on the blog:
Chicken and Broccoli Pasta – with a hint of creamy garlic
Garlic Chicken Pasta with Lemon and Kale
Cajun Chicken Pasta with Chorizo and Peppers
One Pan Spaghetti and Meatballs
I’m sure there’re more too. I’ll have to pull together a round-up post and get them all in one place.
Well it’s Friday – and I’m shattered! I’d love to say that I’m looking forward to a long relaxing weekend, but I’m working all weekend.
In fact, I think the last two weeks have been the busiest I’ve ever encountered with blog, freelance and sponsored work. I’m not complaining though!
As well as the regular work, I’ve been doing lots of video.
I should really say ‘we’, rather than ‘I’. Chris has been recording and editing my videos during the evening, whilst I’ve been in front of the camera, plus working on the recipes, photos and photo editing.
We’ve finally cracked the issues we were having with artificial lighting, so it’s all about improving the filming and editing process now.
Chris has been enjoying it so much (I’m so happy that my husband is an IT/Camera geek!), that we’ve recently made the decision for him to come and work on Kitchen Sanctuary full time!
We’re still figuring out how to juggle everything financially, but hopefully we’ll be working together before Summer. I’m so excited!!
A few people have questioned the idea of working with my husband, and whether we might end up strangling each other. We worked together for years in IT though (nearly always in the same office and team), so I’m 95% confidant that it won’t end up in a daily shouting match 🙂
I’m hoping that also means he’ll be around to help with the massive pile of washing up that I often end up with after a day of shooting. I might be asking too much there though.
Fortunately this One-Pot Cheese and Tomato Pasta with Spring Vegetables pasta dish involves minimal washing up. A chopping board, knife, pan and serving dishes. Even the kids can manage that meagre amount of washing up!
The Recipe:
One-Pot Cheese and Tomato Pasta with Spring Vegetables
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 720 ml (3 cups) milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 250 g (9 oz) dried penne pasta
- 420 ml (1 3/4 cups) water just boiled from the kettle
- 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato puree/paste
- 12-15 stalks of tenderstem broccoli
- 1 small courgette chopped
- 150 g (1 1/3 cups) grated mature cheddar cheese
- 2 large handfuls of watercress
- 80 g (3/4 cup) crumbled feta cheese
- ½ small red onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan or Dutch oven. Stir in the flour with a whisk until you get a thick paste, then add the milk a splash at a time, whilst stirring with the whisk, until all the milk is mixed and no lumps remain.3 tbsp unsalted butter, 4 tbsp flour, 720 ml (3 cups) milk
- Add in the salt and pepper, then add the pasta.1/2 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, 250 g (9 oz) dried penne pasta
- Pour in the water and stir, then add the tin of tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir everything together and bring to a gently bubble. Stir again and place a lid on the pan.420 ml (1 3/4 cups) water, 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato puree/paste
- Turn the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes (stirring a few times to prevent the sauce from sticking), unless the pasta is almost cooked.
- Add in the broccoli and courgette. Place the lid back on and cook for a further 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are lightly cooked (add them in a little earlier if you like your vegetables softer). Add a splash of water from the kettle if it’d starting to look too dry.12-15 stalks of tenderstem broccoli, 1 small courgette
- When the vegetables are cooked, take the lid off the pan and stir in the cheese.150 g (1 1/3 cups) grated mature cheddar cheese
- Stir in half of the watercress, and sprinkle the rest on top. Sprinkle on the feta, red onion, and parsley, plus a little black pepper if you like. Serve immediately.2 large handfuls of watercress, 80 g (3/4 cup) crumbled feta cheese, 1/2 small red onion, 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Trying to introduce more meat free days into our lives and this is a great mid week dinner to add to our meal rota.