Tomato Spaghetti with Olives and Lemon

Why We Make This Tomato Spaghetti Every Week

If you’re anything like me, you need quick recipes like this tomato spaghetti in your life.

This, plus my 3-ingredient Vegan Zucchini Soup and Chickpea Spinach Curry are on constant rotation around here.

At the start of any given week, I always have grand plans and mini-missions to accomplish but I invariably end up chasing my tail and missing deadlines.

At least with this spaghetti I know I can get dinner on the table. This vegan pasta is a family favourite.

• It’s a one-pot meal! Who doesn’t love less dishes?
• This easy dinner is ready in around 10 to 15-minutes.
• Tomato spaghetti is a kid-friendly favourite
• It’s a really versatile dish – if you want to add kale, do that. Hate olives? Leave them out.

Spaghetti: Spaghetti means “little twine,” and variations include spaghettini (thinner), spaghettoni (thicker), bucatini (thicker with a hollow center) capellini (very thin) and angel hair.  

Use spaghetti here or bucatini in this pasta. Anything smaller and you will end up with a gluggy dish.

Crushed tomato and cherry tomatoes: You can use crushed or diced canned tomatoes here or bottled passata. You can also swap the cherry tomatoes for 1 or 2 medium-size diced tomatoes.

Miso paste: This recipe is inspired by one of my favourite BIWV (before I went vegan) dishes, puttanesca. Made with anchovies, puttanesca has a deep full-bodied tomato flavour; I am happy to find that a similar depth can be copied using miso paste. I use red miso most often but Shiro will work here too.

Olives: Pitted kalamata olives are king but you can use a pitted green olive for a milder flavour.

Chia and hemp seeds: I know these ingredients are a total curveball but hear me out. Firstly, the hemp seeds are completely optional.

The chia seeds, however, help to thicken the sauce. We want our spaghetti to be perfectly cooked which, depending on the pasta you use, may leave you with a more liquid sauce. Stirring through chia seeds thickens the sauce while keeping your spaghetti perfectly cooked.

Olive oil: We use a goodly glug of olive oil here to prevent the pasta from sticking and to add depth so use the best quality you can.

Spinach: I use baby spinach most often but most leafy greens will work. Add finely sliced kale or chopped sorrel for something different.

This tomato spaghetti is really simple. Basically there are only 2 steps.

Step 1: Add all the ingredients except the chia seeds, the hemp seeds and the spinach, to a large pan. You’ll need a pan large enough for the pasta to fit lengthways. Pop the pan on the hob and add the boiling water.

Turn the heat up to high and, stirring regularly, bring it up the boil.

As soon as it is boiling, reduce the heat to medium. Cook for three minutes, stirring often to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick and the flavours combine. Continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes or until the pasta is almost al dente. We want it slightly undercooked.

Step 2: Remove the spaghetti from the heat and stir in the chia seeds, the hemp seeds (optional) and the spinach. Pop a lid or cover on the pot and leave it to sit for a few minutes for the chia seeds to soften and the sauce to thicken.

If your sauce is already lovely and thick, you won’t need to add the chia seeds.

Recipe Notes

Choosing spaghetti: Different brands may differ in cooking time. Cook until al dente, add the chia and hemp seeds and set the pot aside for a few minutes; the sauce will thicken as it cools.

I use an egg-free dried spaghetti for this recipe and the cooking time is eight minutes.

Don’t wing it with the water: Measure out the boiling water to make sure you have enough to cook the pasta properly. Any excess liquid will be absorbed by the chia seeds to create a thick sauce.

If your sauce is already lovely and thick, you won’t need to add the chia seeds. You can if you like, but you don’t have to.