Vegetarian spaghetti with mushrooms and spinach makes an easy, healthy one-pot pasta dinner that’s ready in 25 minutes!
A meatless Monday dinner is definitely in order for me this week.
I had a fabulous time at the lake with my girls for our annual boat day this weekend! We cruised around, floated in the lake on noodles for a long time, sipping our drinks, and ate dinner on the porch, overlooking the water.
Lots of sunshine and swimming. Lots of good conversation and laughter. Lots of food and drinks. 😀
And now I need to recover. With healthy, healing foods that are still delicious and comforting.
And easy. And fast.
Sounds like a tall order, but this one-pot vegetarian spaghetti absolutely delivers.
I love an easy one-pot pasta recipe for a weeknight meal. I make lots of different versions and this is one of my favorites for being super light but also so creamy and very decadent feeling.
(My other one-pot pastas include my one-pot creamy chicken and mushroom pasta with peas and my 15-minute turkey noodle soup is also made all in one pot.)
In this veggie version though, the noodles soak up the flavor from the vegetable broth and tomatoes and it makes them so rich.
The mushrooms bring a meaty quality to the dish — and give it some heft — and the fresh spinach just brightens it all up.
All kinds of deliciousness right here! ❤️
One updated note of something I’ve more recently learned…
Parmesan cheese isn’t technically considered vegetarian because it’s made using animal rennet during part of the process. However, there are Italian-style hard cheeses and Parmesan-like cheeses made from vegetable rennet that are available in some stores.
You can also use nutritional yeast, which would make this recipe vegan as well, as noted below. Or leave off the cheese altogether.
So there’s your lesson for the day. 😉 Let’s continue…
A few notes on this vegetarian spaghetti:
- You can definitely add any extra veggies you have on hand: peppers, zucchini and broccoli would all be lovely. Add them in at the same time as the onions and mushrooms and sauté everything together until it’s slightly tender.
- If you want to make this recipe vegan, just substitute nutritional yeast or your favorite vegan cheese in place of the Parmesan.
- Not vegan or vegetarian? You can stir in some cooked, shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken with the spinach at the end to warm it through. (If you have a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian, this can be a great way to make it a dish for both.)
- You can substitute cremini or portobello mushrooms for the regular button mushrooms if you prefer.
- You could also stir in 1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese if you want a super cheesy pasta. 👍
Here’s to a healthy, happy week, friends!
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. Check out some of my other vegetarian recipes, like my southwest vegetarian quinoa skillet and my veggie burger scramble (aka, the lazy way to make veggie burgers!)
P.P.S. Be sure to check out my NEW VIDEO below for this recipe and see how easy it is to make. Plus, I give you some of my ideas for substitutions!
One-pot vegetarian spaghetti
Vegetarian spaghetti makes an easy, healthy one-pot pasta dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 (8 oz.) package button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 10 oz. thin spaghetti noodles (I use whole wheat)
- 3 cups fresh spinach or baby spinach
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Italian-style hard cheese, plus extra for serving
- For serving: 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil or parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms and saute for 5-7 minutes, until tender and the liquid from the mushrooms has been mostly cooked off.
- Add garlic and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (if using) and saute another 30 seconds.
- Increase heat to high then add canned tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil.
- Add spaghetti noodles and stir until they wilt and fit in the pot. Cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes. (Your liquid should be at a low boil this whole time.)
- Remove lid and add fresh spinach, a couple of handfuls at a time, stirring to get the spinach mixed in and wilted.
- Remove from heat and let spaghetti sit, covered, for a few minutes
- Stir in Parmesan cheese, taste and adjust seasonings.
- Serve with fresh basil or parsley and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Recipe Notes
You can substitute cremini or portobello mushrooms for the regular button mushrooms if you prefer. And you can add any extra veggies you have on hand: peppers, zucchini and broccoli would all be great. Add them with the onions and mushrooms and sauté everything together until it’s slightly tender.
Parmesan cheese may not be considered strictly vegetarian (see the post above for details), so you can substitute an Italian-style hard cheese here. Or if you want to make this recipe vegan, substitute nutritional yeast or your favorite vegan cheese in place of the Parmesan.
Or if you're not vegan or vegetarian, you can stir in some cooked, shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken with the spinach at the end to warm it through and make a more hearty meal or to serve both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
You can also stir in 1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese if you want a super cheesy pasta.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 326kcal Calories from fat 35 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 5% |
| Sodium 453mg | 19% |
| Carbohydrate 61g | 20% |
| Dietary Fiber 6g | 24% |
| Sugars 6g | |
| Protein 13g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
what a great and healthy way to eat spaghetti! Pinned 🙂
Thanks Rachel! It’s light but super satisfying!
I saw a pic on your social media of your girls lake trip and it looked all sorts of relaxing and fun! Glad you had a great time!! This one pot vegetarian spaghetti looks super delicious and seriously comforting! Love that you added mushrooms and spinach! Even better that this is a quick, one pot meal! All kinds of perfect for a Monday! Cheers, friend!
P.s. never heard of the beauty counter but I’ll be sure to check it out!
Definitely a good one for a Monday 😉 Thanks friend! XO
O lovely meal! We always need those easy pasta dishes that the whole family will love!
Yes, it’s an easy go-to that everyone enjoys!
Sounds like you had a lovely time with your friends, Kathryn! I’m sure it was a blast and nice and relaxing!! I’ve never cooked pasta like that before, but have seen it. Love the ease of the recipe, not to mention that it’s healthy! Pinned, of course.
I’m all over all kinds of beauty products and creams and the like…big time 🙂 And I’m particular of what I use. I’ve never heard of that brand before, but will certainly have to check out. Thanks girl! xo
You’ve gotta try the one-pot pasta method Dawn – it’s so easy and versatile! And yes, YOU absolutely need to check out Beauty Counter. You would love their stuff. Go watch that video pronto – it’s a game changer! And then enter away so you can win! XO
Our favorite family meal is spaghetti 🙂
Spaghetti night is always a hit here too! Who can resist?! This is a fun way to switch things up and lighten it up a bit but still have a hearty meal. Hope you give it a try!
My favorite beauty product is lipstick because of my grandma who always told me to put on some lipstick and smile when I was upset!
Aww, I love that Nicole! It’s a mood lifter for sure!
This looks so so yummy! Perfect meal to recover from an extra fun weekend! 😉
Absolutely!! Thanks Laura!
We go Back to school next week and this will be the perfect weeknight meal when we get home and my 2 and 4 year olds want to play. Love your blog, keep the great recipes coming!
Oh yay, that makes me so happy Laura! It’s hard keeping up with those little ones — and feeding them, too, right? I’ve got lots more recipes coming your way to help!
It sure sounds like you had a fantastic time at the lake! This one pot pasta is a perfect and easy way to end such a fun day!
Thanks Rachelle! It’s got me back on track for sure 😉
This looks so good!! My favorite healthy meal is collard green wraps filled with buffalo chicken, veggies, and a little crumbled blue cheese.
My favorite meal is a good fresh homegrown garden salad and my favorite beauty product has to be rose water…love it!
Can’t beat a homegrown salad! And I gotta try rose water – sounds so lovely!
favorite beauty product is this facial tonic spray. love it
A new to me product — I’ll have to check that out!
I like the Farmacy sleep tight moisturizer and I have the Beauty counter hydrate body lotion. My favorite helathy meal is veggie pho made at home with zucchini noodles.
Awesome, you already know about Beauty Counter! Love the sound of that veggie pho – yum!
My favorite healthy meal is Tofu Stir Fry
Yum! Sounds great! Stir fry is such a great go-to meal for a busy night!
I like baked brussel sprouts with shiitake mushrooms.
I adore Brussels sprouts! My husband is so-so on them, so anytime he’s out of town, I make a big batch and eat them all myself!! Will have to add shiitake mushrooms next time!
My favorite beauty product is Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper. I’m not joking when I say it completely transformed my curls.
Wow, good endorsement! I’ll have to let my curly-haired friends know 😉
This looks delicious! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Thanks Karly! It’s a great light meal!
We make something like this at home all the time. Can’t wait to try your version! Love mushrooms, and your photos are gorgeous my dear!
Thanks so much Lauren! I adore mushrooms, too, and they make it this vegetarian dish seem really hearty!
I just made this and I think the recipe needs to be adjusted.
I followed it to a T and the spaghetti needed at least 10 minutes to wilt enough to fit into the pot because it was low boil and not a lot of liquid. At the end of the recipe I found my spaghetti was only half cooked. I had to continuously add water to the pot to prevent it from burning, and had to cook the spaghetti for much longer.
I just wanted to give you that feedback, so that others aren’t disappointed when they try to make this recipe. Perhaps the recipe would work better with other types of pasta that doesn’t need the extra time to wilt.
Thanks,
-P
Hi Paulina, I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you! I have made this recipe several times as instructed above and my spaghetti noodles are always cooked through. When my liquid is boiling, it takes me less than a minute to stir the noodles to get them to wilt down. Maybe it’s the size of the pot? Also, did you cover the pot and leave it on a low boil? That could affect the cooking time as well, in addition to the amount of liquid needed. (A covered pot keeps the liquid trapped in but if you take the top off repeatedly, a lot of that steam and moisture will escape.)
Anyway, I really do appreciate the feedback. Just sorry it wasn’t easier for you!
Thanks, it may be a combo of pot size and taking the top off.
Still appreciate the recipe – I’ll try it with other pasta types next time.
Sounds good – hope it works! I’ve also got a one-pot creamy chicken penne pasta you may want to try since it uses a smaller pasta: http://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/one-pot-creamy-chicken-mushroom-pasta-peas/ Have a great weekend!
Hi! I wanted to let you know that you don’t have spinach listed in the ingredients. I planned on making this tonight but am missing the spinach since it wasn’t listed.
Thanks so much for pointing that out Bethany! I emailed you earlier and have now updated the recipe – sorry for the omission! Hope you try it!
Hello, I just wanted to respectfully let you know that this dish isn’t vegetarian because of the parmesan cheese. It’s a cheese that uses animal rennet.
Hi Renee, you are absolutely right! I just learned about that earlier this year. There are some vegetarian versions of Parmesan cheese (which aren’t technically Parmesan but taste similar) you can use as a substitute if you need to for this dish. Hope that helps!
I made it and added a vegan parmesan cheese made with nutritional yeast, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and cashews. I put real parmesan it in for my omnivore husband. It was quite lovely and we will be having it again.
Excellent! I’m so happy to hear that – thanks for sharing Renee!
Depends on the type of vegetarian an individual is (: I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian for awhile, so the only animal product I would consume were dairy products and eggs. It would have been different if the recipe mentioned it was Vegan, to which I would have agreed that this was incorrect
That’s a great point – there’s lots of different ways to be a vegetarian.
How many servings would you say this makes? Thanks!
Hi Ashley! This makes 4 servings. Hope you enjoy it!
We had this for dinner last night and it was delicious! I am gluten free, so we used Schar GF spaghetti noodles. They are a different beast entirely. They stick easily, so I had to stir often, causing the steam to escape, which required a much longer cooking time and a quart and half of broth. HOWEVER> totally worth it! Such a delicious meal! Other than adjusting the time and liquid due to the GF noodles, I made it as written. YUM!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this!😊 And thanks for the info on substituting gluten-free noodles – I’m sure some other readers will find that useful!
Who could resist a big bowl of this! I love all the veggies in here!
Thanks Allison! 😊
I, literally, just sent this to my phone so I could buy the ingredients at the store today. Thanks for a fab dinner!
Oh yay! I hope you enjoy it Betsy! 😊
We loved it!! I added a red bell pepper and some oregano/basil but so easy and delicious.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Terri! And those sounds like great additions!
Do I just add the spinach raw like that? like washed but raw? im sorry im a total beginner. shouldn’t i boil it beforehand?
I’m also having worries because of Paulina’s comment above- should i cook them a little before just to wilt them enough that they cook completely in the pot?
Hi! If you use a big enough pot and enough liquid to fit the spaghetti noodles, you should be fine. (Or you can break the spaghetti noodles in half if you prefer.) And yes, as to your question above, the spinach goes in washed and raw. You can see in the video that’s how I do it. It takes just a few minutes to wilt down so no need to cook it beforehand. Hope you enjoy this!
I want to serve this to a group of 10 adults with baked chicken on the side. Would 2x the recipe be enough?
Hi, yes, I think that doubling the recipe and serving it as a side dish would easily feed 10 people. I hope you love it!