A one pot pasta meal where pasta and sauce cook together in one pan, resulting in luscious spaghetti doused in a silky curry gravy. Piled with season’s bounty fresh courgettes and tomatoes, this pasta dish makes an ultimate end-of-summer meal.
One pot pasta is one of those dishes that leave you nothing but charmed when made the right way. The key is to know your pasta and use enough liquid accordingly. While the pasta cooks in a large pot, the liquid gradually reduces leaving a luscious creamy flavourful sauce. One-pot magic is one to keep for an easy weeknight dinner with leftovers that reheat well for next day’s packed lunch.
In-season produce like courgettes and tomatoes, with flavours at their peak, bring a bright summery note to this spaghetti dish. Although, other vegetables will work equally well to make this a year-round versatile recipe and celebrate every season’s bounty.
Surprisingly enough curry marries really well with pasta. It may sound like pure comfort food but the tomato-based sauce keeps it light.
Sautéing the vegetables first allow for a little more control on how much time the vegetables and pasta are cooking for. Then the vegetables are mixed back into the pasta at the end when it is almost done. We find that when tomatoes are added at the beginning, they tend to slow down the cooking process of the pasta as the acidity interferes with the starch. At least, that is the case with the corn pasta that we are using. In the final stage of cooking, the noodles soak up the juices from the tomato and the vegetables, and are transformed into a tangy sweet exquisite dish with complex flavours.
Spaghetti works well but any other types of pasta will yield oodles of deliciousness. The amount of liquid you will need will vary depending on the type of pasta but also on the pot that you are using. We like to use a wide base frying pan or wok and cook uncovered except for the first few minutes. A large pan allows for quick evaporation and less risk of the pasta becoming over-cooked. More water can be added to continue cooking the pasta if needed.
This one-pot meal does require that you stand with it and stir occasionally. But 20 minutes, or even less, is all that it is going to take to be ready.
In this video Kevin shows us the step-by-step process of making this delicious curry vegetable spaghetti one-pot pasta dish.
One Pot Pasta – Curry Vegetable Spaghetti
with Fresh Tomatoes and Courgette (Zucchini)
Ingredients (serve 3)
250 g [9oz] pasta of choice (we used gluten-free corn spaghetti)
2 medium [300g, 10.5oz] vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
1 medium [200g, 7oz] courgette (zucchini), cut into ribbons
1 medium [100g, 3.5oz ] carrot, cut into julienne or matchsticks
5 – 6 white mushrooms, sliced (or any other type of mushrooms)
1 teaspoon minced ginger (check out our post on how to pre-mince ginger and preserve it or you can watch this video)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
5 – 6 curry leaves (fresh or dried)
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 small hot green chilli (optional)
1 small onion, sliced
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons coconut oil
7 – 8 cups [1.75 – 2 litres] hot water, adjust as needed depending on the type of pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
Coriander leaves (cilantro) for garnish
Directions
In a pot or pan (with lid), heat one tablespoon coconut oil on medium temperature. Once heated, add in the diced tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are a little soft and have started to break down.
Next add in the carrots and cook covered for about 7 – 10 minutes or until almost cooked.
Add the mushrooms and cook for about 2 minutes. If you like the courgettes to be well cooked, you can stir them in at this stage, else leave them for the end if you like a bit of crunchiness.
Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, with the heat on medium, add one tablespoon of coconut oil. Add in the minced ginger and garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds, then add in the curry leaves, chillies (if using), curry powder and turmeric. Roast for about 30 seconds then add about 4 cups hot water and 3/4 teaspoon of salt (or to taste).
Bring the sauce to a boil, then add in the spaghetti (break in half if it doesn’t fit into the pan). Stir the spaghetti into the sauce, and then add 3 more cups of hot water or as needed to cover the pasta.
Cover and cook for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, stir and continue to cook uncovered while stirring occasionally so that the pasta doesn’t stick, especially if you are using gluten-free pasta.
As the pasta cooks and the water evaporates, check the pasta for doneness.
Add more water if required to cook the pasta further or to add more sauce. When the pasta is cooked up to 75%, add in the onions. Stir and cook for about 1 minute then add in the pre-cooked vegetables as well as the courgette ribbons (if you did not add them to the pre-cooked vegetables). Stir and turn off the heat.
Adjust salt to taste if needed. Sprinkle on the paprika and pepper. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve warm.
One-Pot Pasta - Curry Masala Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes and Courgette (Zucchini)
Ingredients
- 250 g pasta, of choice, we used gluten-free corn spaghetti [9oz]
- 300 g vine-ripened tomatoes, [2 medium] diced
- 200 g courgette (zucchini), [1 medium, 7oz] cut into ribbons
- 100 g carrot, [1 medium, 3.5oz ] cut into julienne or matchsticks
- 5 - 6 white mushrooms, sliced (or any other type of mushrooms)
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger, check out our post on how to pre-mince ginger and preserve it, see notes
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
- 5 - 6 curry leaves, fresh or dried
- 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 small hot green chilli, optional
- 1 small onion, sliced
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1.75 - 2 litres hot water, [7 - 8 cups] adjust as needed depending on the type of pasta
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Coriander leaves, or cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a pot or pan (with lid), heat one tablespoon coconut oil on medium temperature. Once heated, add in the diced tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are a little soft and have started to break down.
- Next add in the carrots and cook covered for about 7 – 10 minutes or until almost cooked.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for about 2 minutes. If you like the courgettes to be well cooked, you can stir them in at this stage, else leave them for the end if you like a bit of crunchiness.
- Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, with the heat on medium, add one tablespoon of coconut oil. Add in the minced ginger and garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds, then add in the curry leaves, chillies (if using), curry powder and turmeric. Roast for about 30 seconds then add about 4 cups hot water and 3/4 teaspoon of salt (or to taste).
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then add in the spaghetti (break in half if it doesn’t fit into the pan). Stir the spaghetti into the sauce, and then add 3 more cups of hot water or as needed to cover the pasta.
- Cover and cook for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, stir and continue to cook uncovered while stirring occasionally so that the pasta doesn’t stick, especially if you are using gluten-free pasta.
- As the pasta cooks and the water evaporates, check the pasta for doneness.
- Add more water if required to cook the pasta further or to add more sauce. When the pasta is cooked up to 75%, add in the onions. Stir and cook for about 1 minute then add in the pre-cooked vegetables as well as the courgette ribbons (if you did not add them to the pre-cooked vegetables). Stir and turn off the heat.
- Adjust salt to taste if needed. Sprinkle on the paprika and pepper. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve warm.
Very tasty and satisfying meal…thank you for the lovely recipe…
You’re welcome. Thank you for your nice comment. I’m glad you enjoyed your meal. 🙂
I’ve tried this recipe and I fell in love, so tasty! The zucchinis give an amazing texture. Greetings from Argentina
So glad you enjoyed this recipe Coti. It’s a staple at our place, we make it at least once every 2 weeks. 🙂
This recipe sounds wonderful but I cannot figure out how to print it out. Help!
Hi Shirley, you should see a print button now in the boxed recipe display. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hello, I just found your web page yesterday and i am ECSTATIC!!!! Made the curry Masala Spagetti last night and my husband who is no near a veggie person LOVED it….I was so shocked and excited at the same time. needless to say none left for lunch today…lol…I am gonna make the choc., vanilla swirl bunt cake today and the tofu curry recipe as well!!!! thanks again for this great find!!!!