Dinner on one burner with 30 cm of counter: one-pan tomato pasta for one

Name: One-pan tomato pasta for one
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 small, diced onion; 1 clove, sliced garlic; 200 g (half a 400 g can) chopped tomatoes; 350 ml (about 1 1/2 mugs) water; 1 good pinch salt; 1 pinch (optional) chili flakes; 100 g short pasta (penne or fusilli); 1 large handful (about 40 g) baby spinach; 15 g, grated parmesan or other hard cheese

Cook the pasta in the sauce, in one deep 24-26 cm (10 in) pan with a lid. Take out one ingredient at a time: the onion goes in first and softens while you slice the garlic, then tomatoes and water, then the pasta with the lid on. The cheese waits in a mug until the end. The board is never holding more than one thing.

1 serving · 1 burner · 30 cm of counter · about 25 min

The order: what comes out when

With one free surface you cannot take everything out at once. Each line is one round: out of the fridge or cupboard, onto the board, into the pan, and the counter is free again.

Out: pan, olive oil, onion → Board: Halve the onion, wrap one half for the fridge, dice the other half. → Pan: olive oil, diced onion (4 min)
Out: garlic → Board: Peel and thinly slice the garlic on the same board. → Pan: garlic (1 min)
Out: can of chopped tomatoes, salt, chili flakes → Pan: 200 g tomatoes, 350 ml water, salt, chili → Waits: the other half of the tomatoes, in the can, covered, to the fridge (3 min)
Out: pasta → Pan: 100 g pasta (11 min)
Out: spinach, cheese → Board: Grate the cheese straight into the mug. The board can go to the sink. → Waits: grated cheese in the mug; spinach in its bag (while it simmers)
Out: nothing new → Pan: spinach, grated cheese (1 min)

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil · cupboard
1/2 small, diced onion · cupboard
1 clove, sliced garlic · cupboard
200 g (half a 400 g can) chopped tomatoes · cupboard
350 ml (about 1 1/2 mugs) water · tap
1 good pinch salt · cupboard
1 pinch (optional) chili flakes · cupboard
100 g short pasta (penne or fusilli) · cupboard
1 large handful (about 40 g) baby spinach · fridge
15 g, grated parmesan or other hard cheese · fridge

Gear

One burner: One working hob ring, or a plug-in single induction burner if your stove is broken or missing. Induction needs a pan with a magnetic base.
One deep pan with a lid: 24-26 cm (10 in) across and at least 5 cm deep, so the water and the pasta fit without boiling over.
One cutting board: About 30 x 20 cm. It is the only work surface in this recipe.
One knife, one spoon, one mug: The mug measures the water and later holds the grated cheese.

Step by step on a 30 cm counter

Step 1

Take out: pan, olive oil, onion
On the board: Halve the onion, wrap one half for the fridge, dice the other half.
Into the pan: olive oil, diced onion

Medium heat. Onion goes first because it needs the longest. Oil bottle and onion skin are put away before the next step.

Step 2

Take out: garlic
On the board: Peel and thinly slice the garlic on the same board.
Into the pan: garlic

Garlic goes in only for the last minute of the onion, so it doesn't burn. Board scraped clean into the pan.

Step 3

Take out: can of chopped tomatoes, salt, chili flakes
On the board: Nothing to cut. Open the can on the board.
Into the pan: 200 g tomatoes, 350 ml water, salt, chili
Waits: the other half of the tomatoes, in the can, covered, to the fridge

Fill the mug at the tap one and a half times for the water. Turn the heat up until it boils.

Step 4

Take out: pasta
On the board: Nothing to cut.
Into the pan: 100 g pasta

Stir, lid on, low simmer. Stir every 2-3 minutes so nothing sticks. Cook for the time on the packet plus 1-2 minutes; add a splash of water if it gets dry before the pasta is done.

Step 5

Take out: spinach, cheese
On the board: Grate the cheese straight into the mug. The board can go to the sink.
Waits: grated cheese in the mug; spinach in its bag

Done while the pasta simmers. The mug and the spinach wait on the windowsill, off the counter.

Step 6

Take out: nothing new
On the board: Nothing to cut.
Into the pan: spinach, grated cheese

When the pasta is tender and the sauce coats it, stir in the spinach until it wilts, take the pan off the heat and add the cheese. Taste for salt. Eat from a bowl or straight from the pan.

Method

Heat the oil in the pan over medium heat and cook the diced onion for about 4 minutes, until soft.
Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, 350 ml water, salt and chili. Bring to the boil.
Stir in the pasta, put the lid on and simmer for the packet time plus 1-2 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water if it gets dry.
Stir in the spinach until wilted, take off the heat and finish with the grated cheese.

Tips

No lid? A flat plate on top works on a 24 cm pan.
Cover the leftover half can and keep it in the fridge for a second dinner within a couple of days, or move it to a jar.
Pasta shapes differ: thick shapes need more water and time than thin ones. Keep the mug of water nearby until the end.

Short on cupboard space too? Read small kitchen storage without drilling.

The gear on Amazon

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Single induction burner

Duxtop 9600LS portable induction burner

One plug-in induction burner, up to 1800 W on a standard 120 V / 15 A outlet, 20 power and 20 temperature levels, child lock. Needs pans with a magnetic base at least 5 in across.

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Deep pan with lid

SENSARTE deep non-stick skillet with lid

10 in (25 cm) pan, 2.7 in (7 cm) deep, 3.5 qt, glass lid, induction base. Choose the 10 in size on the listing for one burner and one serving.

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Over-sink cutting board

Dexas over-the-sink cutting board with colander

11.5 x 20 in (29 x 51 cm) board that bridges the sink, with a collapsible 2.5 qt colander underneath and non-slip edges.

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Small prep bowls

HillSpring glass prep bowl set, 3 sizes

12 small clear glass bowls (1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 oz) that stack: the wait spot for sliced garlic, grated cheese or spices.

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Why these and what to measure: the small kitchen gear guide.

The order: what comes out when

Ingredients

Gear

Step by step on a 30 cm counter

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Method

Tips

The gear on Amazon

Duxtop 9600LS portable induction burner

SENSARTE deep non-stick skillet with lid

Dexas over-the-sink cutting board with colander

HillSpring glass prep bowl set, 3 sizes

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