One‑pan tomato, courgette & chickpea pasta
Budget-friendly one‑pan pasta that cooks straight in a tangy tomato sauce with courgette and chickpeas — feeds 4 for pennies and minimal washing up.
This one‑pan pasta is the kind of recipe students dream about: cheap cupboard staples, a single frying pan, and a comforting bowl of food in under 40 minutes. It’s filling, fridge‑friendly and scales well if you’re feeding mates.
The trick is cooking the spaghetti straight in the tomato sauce so the pasta soaks up flavour — the chickpeas add protein and bulk without breaking the bank. Great midweek meal or study‑night rescue.
Ingredients
- 320 g Spaghetti
- 30 ml Olive oil
- 1 Brown onion — medium, finely sliced
- 3 Garlic cloves — crushed
- 1 Courgette — about 200 g, sliced into half‑moons
- 400 g Tinned chopped tomatoes
- 400 g Tinned chickpeas — drained weight ≈240 g
- 800 ml Vegetable stock — hot
- 100 g Baby spinach
- 5 ml Dried oregano
- 5 ml Red chilli flakes — optional
- 5 ml Salt — plus extra to taste
- 5 ml Black pepper
- 5 ml Sugar — balances tomato acidity
- 30 g Vegetarian hard cheese — grated, optional
- 10 g Fresh basil — torn
Equipment
- Large frying pan with lid
- Colander
- Grater
- Measuring spoons
Instructions
Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a kettle or saucepan so it’s hot when you add it later. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium hob.
Add the brown onion to the hot oil and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
Add the garlic and courgette, cook for a further 3 minutes until the courgette begins to soften.
Stir in the dried oregano and red chilli flakes and fry for 30 seconds to release their aroma. Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, tinned chickpeas, sugar, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.
Pour in the hot vegetable stock and bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning now.
Add the spaghetti to the pan, press it down so it’s mostly submerged in the liquid, then simmer gently, uncovered, for 12 minutes. Stir every 3–4 minutes to prevent the pasta sticking and to help it cook evenly.
After 8 minutes of the pasta cooking, stir in the baby spinach so it wilts into the sauce for the remaining 4 minutes.
When the spaghetti is al dente and the sauce has thickened to a glossy coating, remove the pan from the heat. Stir through the vegetarian hard cheese and torn fresh basil. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve straight from the pan into bowls and finish with an extra grind of black pepper if you like.
Tips
- Use hot stock rather than cold — it keeps the pan at simmer and shortens cooking time.
- If the sauce reduces too quickly, add a splash of hot water and reduce the heat; better than overcooking the pasta.
- Make ahead: cool, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the hob with a splash of water.
- For extra bulk and cheaper protein, swap half the chickpeas for a drained tin of butter beans.
- If you don’t have fresh basil, fold through a small handful of frozen peas at the end for colour and sweetness.
Substitutions
Tinned chickpeas → Tinned mixed beans, same quantity
Stays closeSpaghetti → Penne or other dried pasta, same weight; cooking time may vary slightly
Stays closeVegetarian hard cheese → Nutritional yeast, 2 tbsp for a cheesy flavour (dairy‑free)
Noticeably differentOlive oil → Vegetable oil, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 542
- Calories
- 20 g
- Protein
- 87 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use dried chickpeas?
Yes, but you’ll need to soak and cook them first. For speed and budget stick with a tinned can in this recipe.
What if the pasta isn’t cooked after 12 minutes?
Add a splash of hot stock or water, cover and cook for 1–2 more minutes, stirring and checking often until al dente.
Can I freeze leftovers?
You can freeze cooled portions for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the hob with a splash of water.
Is this suitable for vegans?
As written it contains vegetarian hard cheese. Make it vegan by omitting the cheese or using a vegan alternative.
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