Name: One-Pot Spaghetti
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 12 dl vegetable stock (diluted); 1 pcs red onion; 2 cloves garlic clove; 500 g spaghetti; 1 can canned tomato; 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp chili flake; 1 package cherry tomato; 100 g fresh spinach; 2 tbsp olive oil; 60 g grated parmesan or other aged cheese; 0.5 package fresh basil

UntrainedChef

Tips from the kitchen

Stir more often than feels necessary, especially in the first few minutes. The spaghetti dumps a lot of starch into the stock and the strands love to clump and stick to the bottom.
Break or fan the spaghetti out as you add it so it sits in the liquid, not stacked dry on top. Once it softens a little you can push the rest under.
The stock should sit just barely over the pasta at the start. By the time the spaghetti is cooked, most of the liquid has thickened into the sauce, so don't drain anything.
Add the cherry tomatoes whole near the end. They hold their shape and burst when you bite them, which keeps them from turning into mush.
Fold the spinach in off the heat. The residual warmth wilts it in under a minute and it stays bright green instead of going gray.

Ways to vary it

A handful of sliced mushrooms or a diced zucchini can go in with the onion if you want more veg in the pot.
Swap the chili flakes for a spoon of pesto stirred in at the end for a milder, herbier version.
If you eat meat, a bit of crisped pancetta or chorizo scattered on top works well with the tomato base.

Storage & leftovers

Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. The pasta soaks up sauce as it sits, so add a splash of water or stock when you reheat it in a pan over low heat. I wouldn't freeze it, the spaghetti turns soft and the spinach loses its texture.