One-Pot Spaghetti With Cherry Tomatoes and Kale

Recipe from Anna Jones

Adapted by Tejal Rao

Updated July 22, 2024

  • Ryan Liebe for The New York Times
Media 1 of 3
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(8,542)
Comments
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In this simple recipe, raw pasta and cherry tomatoes are simmered together in a single pan, cooking the pasta and forming a thick, starchy sauce at the same time. The efficient technique is internet famous, but this is the British cookbook author Anna Jones’s vegetarian take on the phenomenon, adapted from her book “A Modern Way to Cook.” The technique is easy to master and endlessly adaptable: When you add the kale, you could also toss in a couple of anchovies and a generous pinch of red-pepper flakes. When you season and top with cheese, you could add a pile of fresh chopped herbs, like mint, basil or oregano. —Tejal Rao

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 pound spaghetti

  • 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 pints)

  • 2 lemons, zested

  • ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 1 bunch kale or spinach, leaves only, washed and chopped

  • Black pepper

  • Parmesan, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

99 grams carbs; 5 milligrams cholesterol; 722 calories; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 28 grams fat; 9 grams fiber; 959 milligrams sodium; 21 grams protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring just over a quart of water to a boil. Meanwhile, place spaghetti, tomatoes, lemon zest, oil and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large, dry, shallow pan. (The pan should be large enough that the dry spaghetti can lie flat.)

  2. Step 2

    Carefully add the boiling water to the pan with the spaghetti. Cover pan, and bring up to a boil. Remove lid and simmer for about 6 minutes, using tongs to move the spaghetti around now and then so it doesn’t stick.

  3. Step 3

    Add kale or spinach and continue cooking until remaining liquid has reduced to a sauce and the pasta is cooked through. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and top with Parmesan.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
8,542 user ratings
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Comments

Anna Maria

It's difficult to tell sarcasm on the internet (maybe the author is making fun of people who demand fresh pasta always?) but to any concerned Americans: As an Italian, I can promise we normally use dry pasta in all our famous pasta recipes that you love so much. Our food is much more simple than food snobs try to pretend it is, and that's why it's so good!

Deb

I like very spicy food, so mine has a lot of garlic, red chili pepper flakes, etc. The first time I made this was for a Vegan friend who was visiting. In place of Parmesan, I placed dry roasted almonds--unsalted--in my food processor and pulsed until they were the texture of fine meal. I stirred this into my finished dish and everybody thought it was cheese. It added protein to the dish and I omitted the one thing that made it non-Vegan--the Parmesan.

Lynn Olson

People: The whole point of the dish is the way the pasta is cooked! That’s what gives it distinctiveness. You can cook it traditionally but then it’s not this dish. I’m single and it gave me 4 meals. Loved it

Ginger

A luscious, velvety creamy sauce develops with this technique. I love the quick, easy preparation and one out meant minimal cleanup. I used Joyval gluten free cappalini and it worked perfectly. I added red chili flakes, garlic, onion powder and fresh herbs to my cook of this recipe.

Reg

My only suggestion is to double the greens. (I used baby spinach.) I also used thin spaghetti, which we prefer. This is a big favorite at our house.

Stephanie L

I made this as written and didn't see the need to add anything. There are so many ways to make pasta with tomato and this is just one variation to be enjoyed. I halved the recipe and covered the pot after adding the kale. A little extra water was needed.

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Credits

Adapted from "A Modern Way to Cook," by Anna Jones (Ten Speed Press, 2016)

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