One-Pot Spaghetti With Cherry Tomatoes and Kale Recipe (2024)

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!

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.

I think this is a fine recipe, that may be supplemented with just about any green such as arugula, swiss chard, etc. I think the normal way to cook pasta is the way to go here. I have found it is easier to add the ingredients after the pasta has been cooked "very" al dente to get the best flavor and consistency. This is an old and simple technique, which has worked in this and in many recipes.

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

Marc, it's one pot if you're smart, and you use your electric kettle to boil the water.
And even if you boiled the water in a pot, that pot doesn't need to be washed so it doesn't count.

Cooked as presented and it was delicious. The sauce was silky and delicate; the partakers ecstatic. (Yuck? -- Lotti must have screwed up somehow) Agree that just about any green will work -- I used beet greens, 'cuz I had them.

One pot pasta is a classic. I have added onion & garlic which I sautee briefly in the skillet before I add pasta water, tomatoes, herbs & spices & a splash of wine toward the end of cooking. I like & really never thought to add kale or spinach, but why not & why limit your imagination. Great idea. When using cherry tomatoes, I leave them whole.

I made this last night - it was fantastic! Who knew such a simple dish could be so delicious! I made it exactly as written, but added 1/2 a recipe more to serve more people. I would recommend using this method rather than the traditional way of making pasta. The pasta was creamy and smooth and the flavors were blended perfectly. I don't want to make pasta the traditional way any more! It would be easy to add other greens if desired. Great recipe - this will be a regular in our house.

This really hit the spot last night! I made changes based on what was on hand: whole wheat spaghetti, vegetable broth (aka refrigerator soup), arugula instead of kale, the last handful of homegrown tomatoes (chopped), and I added 1 Italian sausage. I brown the sausage meat (remove casing), and then remove from pan. Add the broth to the same pan, bring to a boil. Add pasta, tomatoes, zest, seasonings. After the pasta was cooked, I added the arugula, let it cook down, and finally the sausage.

This is one of those generic recipes that can go in a hundred different directions. The main thing is the technique for cooking the pasta, which may not be familiar to everyone. As for the veggies, nearly anything can be used, even leftover salad from the night before. For protein, throw in a little ricotta, cottage cheese, or other similar cheese at the end. For extra richness, throw in a dash of heavy cream.

We love this. Followed advice to saute half an onion and some garlic to fill out the flavor profile and added a little more parmesan to help with thickening. No way you can get the same hearty texture by cooking spaghetti separately and incorporating into the other ingredients. It needs the starch.

I just did, using Ronzoni's gluten-free spaghetti. I was concerned, because directions for the spaghetti emphasize using lots of boiling water and rinsing afterward. But I forged ahead, and we liked the dish a lot. I only used the zest of one lemon, and that was plenty. I also added a small amount of anchovy paste when I added the kale. It's important to keep stirring the dish with tongs to prevent the spaghetti sticking to each other and to the pot.

I really enjoyed this recipe but as an Italian I just couldn’t make myself cook the pasta in the pan with everything else. I cooked the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water and drained 1 minute before time. I then added it to the pan with all the ingredients and a cup of pasta water.

I agree with other posters that this is a surprisingly tasty, easy weeknight pasta dish. I made it for two, (about 25% of the recipe) and had to add water and wine during the cooking process, but it worked just fine. I low-toasted garlic in the oil first, then proceeded as written. A keeper!

Made this w home made pasta sauce I added over the top at end. Enjoyed cooking pasta in skillet this way and adding greens to it. Very simple and quick. Fewer pans.

Cooked this tonight. Delicious. Loved the sauce that was created. At the very end, I added some fresh tomatoes and artichoke hearts and let them warm up. I also threw in some olive pesto that I had in the fridge. Very versatile recipe. This is a great way to cook spaghetti when camping.

This method is especially good for one or two servings that fit in 10 or 12 inch skillet with high sides.

I’ve made this several times. I zest 1 lemon tho and then squeeze the juice in towards the end. I also add fresh garlic and basil and a dash of red pepper flakes.

Made it with grits - just yummy!

Minimal ingredients but surprisingly very tasty. It was just a smidge on the salty side. I’m going to try only one tsp next time. As others have said, I think garlic would be a great addition as well!

This is by far one of the best recipes from NYT Not only was it genius to cook the pasta this waybut the recipe was easy and adaptable to many other additions. Wonderful!

I loved this recipe! I made the entire recipe even though I am solo .. will make great leftovers. Next time, I will use spinach in place of the kale and add garlic as others recommended. The dish had a very rich and creamy texture. Lovely!

This is indeed a great way to cook spaghetti. Good for cace a Pepe, good base for carbonara. But for me, the lemon zest ruined this particular dish. The lemon flavor was overwhelming.

Perfect quick recipe. I used chard as my greens here. Sauteed garlic, chopped chard stems and some onion, before adding the pasta and all the remaining ingredients. Also added basil. Seasoned liberally with chili flakes and ripped with grated parm. Quick and easy.

This is a delicious, fast meal that could be taken in a hundred different directions based on mood and what’s in the fridge. Next time I might add basil and goat cheese, another time red onion and mozzarella. Love it.

As the saying goes if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I followed instructions, but in my version, the pasta stuck to the pan and rapidly turned into a glutenous, gooey, revolting mess. I’ve never taken so many good ingredients, and turned them into something so terrible in such a short amount of time. Now I’m gladly boiling a pot of water and starting over properly.

Could you be more specific about the pan? A rimmed baking sheet? A large casserole? Or just a large skillet? I don't know if I have the right pan...or I'm just dense!

As with many NYTimes recipes I found this under seasoned even after I sautéed garlic and red pepper flakes before adding the pasta. But with anchovy paste, more pepper flakes and copious quantities of good Parmesan it was very good. I love that I've learned how to make one pot pasta (I heated the water in my electric kettle) next time I'll put my own spin on it. My husband who is the dishwasher likes the ides.