The ‘Meghan Markle’ One Pot Tomato, Greens & Beans Pasta (with some tweaks)

Published by

Jasmine

on

Full disclaimer: I haven’t actually watched the Meghan Markle Netflix series, but I did see this pasta recipe clipped on social media and I thought it was pretty cute! I know people seem to love to hate her, but as a pretty disinterested party; I liked the idea. Pasta and risotto dishes rely on the starch released by the pasta to create creamy sauces, so there’s nothing ‘wrong’ about a one pot recipe. I just made a few little tweaks that seemed like low-hanging fruit to boost the flavours and fibre. If you’re busy and struggle to cook during the week; this is a minimal-prep, low-effort, low cleanup recipe that’s satisfying and pretty healthy too!

INGREDIENTS

Dried spaghetti (try to choose a high-quality pasta; it will make the dish creamier and saucier)

Garlic

Parmigiano Reggiano (or any other Italian hard cheese / rennet-free alternative)

Rainbow chard

Spinach

Cherry tomatoes

Cannellini beans (pre-cooked – canned or jarred)

Vegetable stock cube

Chilli flakes

Unwaxed lemon

Fresh basil

TIPS & NOTES

This is one of the easiest recipes I’ve shared, but I did make a few tweaks so I might as well tell you why! I honestly couldn’t tell which greens were in the original version but I’ve seen this online with spinach, chard, kale, rocket… personally, I went with chard and spinach, because spinach wilts nicely into a pasta and the chard means we can use the stems as well as the leaves. I added a pinch of chilli flakes, which doesn’t make this spicy at all, but does add a depth of flavour. I also just sautéed the garlic, chard stems and tomatoes before adding the pasta and water; it took 5 minutes but adds so much more flavour and allows the tomatoes to get nice and jammy.

I also decided to cook the pasta in vegetable stock rather than plain water, because why not take an easy win when it comes to boosting flavours? it’s no extra effort but just ensures the pasta is seasoned all the way through with savoury flavour. I also added half a tin of cannellini beans to boost the fibre and satiety of this dish. It also boosts the protein in this dish to 27g (not bad for a quick veggie pasta dish). Finally, I added some fresh basil for its fragrant qualities and some lemon juice and zest for fresh acidity.

The’Meghan Markle’ One Pot Pasta

  • Servings: 2-3
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

A tasty weeknight one pot pasta that reauires minimal effort

No special equipment or advance prep needed


Ingredients

  • 180g of dried spaghetti
  • 2 cloves of garlic (sliced)
  • A pinch of dried chilli flakes
  • 123g (half a can, drained) of cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 45g of chard (slice the stems, roughly chop the leaves)
  • 50g of baby leaf spinach (roughly chopped)
  • 200g of cherry tomatoes (cut into halves)
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 30g of Parmigiano Reggiano (finely grated)
  • 1 unwaxed lemon (juice and zest)
  • A small handful of fresh basil (optional: ribbon cut, otherwise tear by hand)
  • A drizzle or two of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste


Directions

  1. Boil the kettle
  2. In a large, wide-based lidded pan over a medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil
  3. Add the garlic and chilli flakes, season with salt and pepper, then sauté for a couple of minutes until fragrant
  4. Add the chard stems and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and continue to sauté for 3-5 minutes until the juices are released and thicken
  5. Dissolve the stock cube in 350ml of boiling water
  6. Add the pasta and the vegetable stock to the pan, cover and increase the heat to high for 5 minutes
  7. Ensure all of the slightly-softened pasta is submerged in the vegetable stock, reduce the heat down to medium and cover to cook for a further 10 minutes
  8. The pasta should now be just shy of al dente (if not, add an extra 30ml of boiling water); stir to release starches, add the beans, chard leaves and spinach (season again, if needed), cover and allow to steam for another couple of minutes
  9. Take the pasta off the heat and stir through the cheese (save some for topping) and allow to melt
  10. Add the lemon juice and sprinkle over the basil
  11. Serve topped with extra cheese and the lemon zest (optional: add a drizzle of olive oil and extra black pepper)

Let me know if you try this one pot pasta!

Leave a comment