One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta

Happy weekend! Have I mentioned that my sister-in-law is pregnant? Well – she is! As an only child, I never thought much about being an aunt, but that obviously changed when I married KK because his brother has been happily married for 10 years.  We’re staying local the next two weekends as we anxiously await the arrival of our twin niece and nephew! We’ll race down to Delaware as soon as my SIL goes into labor so we can meet the newest additions to the family as soon as they arrive.  If that doesn't happen this weekend, we might spend some time wandering NYC or maybe we’ll drive down to the beach for a day trip.  It’s been such a busy summer that I’m actually looking forward to two unplanned weekends.  What are you doing this weekend?

I keep seeing one-pot meals on Pinterest and on blogs I follow, so I was eager to give one a try.  This was a perfect meal for Tuesday night when I got home late from the gym – I chopped the ingredients, threw them into the pot, left KK on stirring duty while I took a quick shower, and then dinner was ready to serve by the time I was showered! SO simple!  Cleanup was also a breeze, so I know KK is now a fan of one-pot meals.  I wish I’d taken a before picture like Emily from The Culinary Couple.  But, to be honest, I wasn't careful when I combined the ingredients in the Dutch oven, so it wasn't necessarily something pretty enough to be posted on the blog.  I used garlic salt instead of regular table salt, and didn't have fresh basil so I was forced to used dried basil instead.  I’ll get an herb garden going one of these days (probably not until we move somewhere with a yard or balcony though…).  I didn't realize it at first, but I let too much broth absorb when I cooked the dish.  The first serving was fine, but the pasta looked a little dry when I went back for seconds.  I added a little hot water from the tap to the pot, gave the remaining pasta a quick stir, and it was as good as new! I’m really looking forward to leftovers of this one. Enjoy!

One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta

Adapted from The Culinary Couple

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 lb. linguine

28-oz. can diced tomatoes, do not drain

1 large onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 ½ cups vegetable broth

2 tsp dried oregano leaves

1 ½ tsp dried basil, or 2 large springs of fresh basil

1 tsp crushed red pepper

½ tsp dried sage
½ tsp dried thyme

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, for garnish

Directions

1. Place pasta, diced tomatoes and juices, onion, garlic, and vegetable broth in a large stock pot or Dutch oven.  Sprinkle oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, sage, and thyme on top; drizzle top with olive oil.

2. Cover pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer.  Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring every 2 minutes, about 10-15 minutes in total.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve garnished with mozzarella or Parmesan cheese.