Vegan One-Pot Pasta with Marinara Sauce

on July 27, 2021

last updated April 17, 2024

4.84 from 6 votes

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This incredibly simple, outrageously delicious, and fast-as-lightning Vegan One-Pot Pasta will be your new go-to meal to feed the family.

Looking for a quick, easy, and delicious meal to whip up that has maximum flavor but minimal cleanup? This Vegan One-Pot Pasta with Marinara Sauce is here for you.

Loaded with flavor and satisfying texture, you won’t believe how easy this dish is—to cook, clean, and gobble up! Plus with just 10, easy-to-find ingredients and endless options for add-ins, this recipe will become your go-to any-day, any-time dish.

close up of pasta with tomato sauce and basil

As a busy mom and environmental scientist, One-Pot recipes are my absolute favorite! Less clean-up means we save on both time and water! Win, win.

Green tip: Speaking of cleanup, if you have a dishwasher-use it! Comparing dishwashing to handwashing, using an efficient dishwasher uses 1/6th the amount of water to get your dishes clean!

And with less than ten ingredients and less than 30 minutes, this vegan one-pot pasta recipe just ticks all the boxes.

Vegan One-Pot Pasta Ingredients

Here’s everything you’ll need:

Linguine. You can use other pasta varieties, but keep in mind this may effect cooking time.
Garlic.
Onion.
Crushed red pepper.
Salt & pepper.
Olive oil.
Tomato sauce. Use your favorite pasta sauce, spaghetti sauce, or pizza sauce.
Basil.

basil, olive oil, water, garlic, crushed red pepper, black pepper, onion, linguine, tomato sauce, salt

Tested Substitutions

You can use spaghetti or fettuccine in place of linguine. Just bear in mind the cooking time may vary. Check it after 12 minutes and then watch it close.

I kept this recipe vegan and garnished it with vegan Parmesan. I used the Violife wedge and grated it on top. You can also opt to garnish with nutritional yeast or dairy Parm if you have that on hand.

But quite honestly, this vegan one-pot pasta doesn’t even need the extra “cheese”! It’s easily just as delicious as is.

One-Pot Pasta Marinara Tips and Tricks

Cook Your Onion First

Before adding your pasta to cook in the pot, we want to cook off the onion until it’s translucent and fragrant.

This helps the flavor from the onion integrate seamlessly into your pasta and sauce and gives it a nicer texture.

Dice your onion and add it to the pan with olive oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until it looks like this:

Snap Your Pasta in Half If You Must

Once your onion is cooked, you can add the rest of your ingredients to your saucepan.

Listen. I know it’s controversial. Some people hate the mere suggestion of this. But if it helps your pasta fit into the pot, you can go ahead and snap it.

We want all the pasta to lay flat on top of the onion, so it cooks evenly. I just use my hands to snap the pasta right down the middle.

Add it All To The Pot

Add your pasta and water to the pan first, and then the rest of your ingredients. Chop half of the basil and add it to the pan, but save the rest to garnish your dish at the end.

It’s best if your garlic is minced so it cooks nicely into the sauce.

Though it is not the traditional way to serve up pasta and sauce, cooking pasta in the sauce will save you some cleanup and help infuse flavor into your pasta.

adding all the ingredients for on-pot vegan pasta into the saucepan

Cover It

Cover your saucepan or pot and bring your heat up to high. Cook for 12-14 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take a little taste test after 12 minutes.

You want your pasta al dente—or maybe even a little bit under. It will continue to cook once you remove your lid, so just keep that in mind.

Green tip: Pasta is a great option when it comes to your carbon footprint! Manufacturing of pasta is a relatively less intensive process than most other starches (less energy is required!), and its long shelf-life means you’re less likely to waste it!

Then Uncover It

Once your linguine is al dente, remove the cover, reduce heat to a light simmer and cook uncovered until any excess liquid cooks off and you reach your desired sauce consistency.

overhead shot of pasta with tomato sauce and woman's dress whowing

Make It Your Own

I kept this recipe super simple so you can use it as a base for your favorite add-ins. Think seasonal. Most veggies and greens taste absolutely delicious in this one-pot pasta recipe.

Whichever veggies you choose to add, chop them up and cook them with the onions in step 2.

Some add-in ideas that have been tested and approved are arugula, spinach, squash, mushrooms and zucchini. But make it your own! I’m confident your favorite veggies will fit right into this recipe.

Green tip: Eating seasonally is one of the best (and most delicious) ways to support local and decrease your carbon footprint. Local foods have less associated transportation costs and fuel emissions. Check which veggies are in season in your area with this Seasonal Food Guide.