One-pan tomato, spinach and mozzarella spaghetti
Fast, one-pan spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, wilted spinach and molten mozzarella — perfect for first-time student cooks.
This one-pan spaghetti is the sort of recipe you need on rotation at university: cheap, quick, and almost impossible to mess up. Everything cooks in one frying pan, so washing up is minimal and you get a glossy tomato sauce that clings to every strand.
It’s forgiving — you can swap the greens or add tinned beans for protein — and it teaches two useful skills for new cooks: controlling heat and tasting as you go. A proper student winner.
Ingredients
- 180 g dried spaghetti
- 300 g cherry tomatoes — halved
- 1 brown onion — finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves — thinly sliced or crushed
- 30 ml olive oil
- 600 ml cold water — use cold — exact amount helps the one-pan method
- 5 ml sea salt — plus extra to taste
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground if possible
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 125 g mozzarella — torn into pieces
- 100 g baby spinach
- 10 g fresh basil leaves — torn, to finish
- chilli flakes — optional, to taste
Instructions
Prep the veg: halve the cherry tomatoes, peel and finely slice the brown onion, and slice or crush the garlic cloves.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium hob. Add the brown onion and a pinch of the sea salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic cloves and dried oregano and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant — do not let the garlic burn.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes, dried spaghetti, cold water, the remaining sea salt, black pepper and chilli flakes (if using). Push the spaghetti down so it is mostly submerged, then bring everything to a gentle simmer.
Simmer uncovered, stirring and turning the pasta every 2 minutes so it cooks evenly and the tomatoes begin to break down. Cook for 8 minutes, checking that the pasta is becoming nearly al dente and the liquid is reducing.
Add the baby spinach and torn mozzarella, stir through and cook for a further 2 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the mozzarella is starting to melt.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the fresh basil leaves and leave to rest for 2 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly.
Taste and adjust seasoning with extra sea salt or black pepper if needed, divide between two bowls and serve straight away.
Tips
- If the sauce seems too watery at the end, remove the lid (if using) and cook for another minute or two so excess liquid evaporates — don’t add more water.
- Use a wide frying pan so the spaghetti lies flat; if the pasta sticks while cooking, add a splash (1–2 tbsp) of cold water and stir immediately.
- Make this vegan by swapping the mozzarella for a handful of toasted pine nuts or drained tinned chickpeas — the texture will be different but still satisfying.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a frying pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
- To scale up, increase water by roughly 100 ml for every extra 90 g of pasta and keep an eye on cooking time.
Substitutions
mozzarella → feta, 100 g crumbled
Noticeably differentdried spaghetti → dried penne or fusilli, same weight (180 g)
Stays closebaby spinach → frozen spinach, 140 g (thawed and drained)
Stays closeolive oil → sunflower oil, same amount (2 tbsp)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 684
- Calories
- 28 g
- Protein
- 77 g
- Carbs
- 29 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 550 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use tinned tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes?
Yes — use one 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes and reduce the cold water by about 200 ml, then cook a minute or two longer until the pasta is al dente.
How do I make this vegan?
Omit the mozzarella and either add drained tinned chickpeas for protein or sprinkle toasted seeds for texture. Season well to make up for the lost creaminess.
Why did my pasta stick together?
Most likely the pasta wasn’t submerged early enough or the heat was too high. Next time, press the strands under the liquid at the start and keep the heat at a gentle simmer, stirring every 2 minutes.
Can I prepare this ahead?
You can prep the veg in advance and keep them covered in the fridge for a day, but cook the pasta and combine just before serving for the best texture.
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