Tomato Vegetable Pasta
A cozy one-pan tomato vegetable pasta with zucchini, eggplant, and melted cheddar cheese — easy, budget-friendly comfort food.
Ingredients
Vegetables:
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 zucchini courgette, chopped
- 1/2 eggplant chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
Sauce & Seasoning:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 5 tbsp tomato sauce
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp red pepper powder paprika or chili
To Finish:
- 200 g pasta penne or fusilli
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a wide pan and heat over medium-low heat.
- Add the chopped onion, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and garlic all at once.
- Cover with a lid and cook over low heat until the vegetables are completely tender.
- Crush the softened vegetables in the pan using a fork.
- Stir in the tomato paste and tomato sauce until fully combined.
- Add salt, black pepper, cumin, and red pepper powder, and mix well.
- Add the uncooked pasta directly into the pan.
- Pour in 1 cup of hot water.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
- Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and let it melt with the lid on.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Swap eggplant or zucchini for bell peppers, mushrooms, or grated carrots. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.