This is exactly how you make a Monday meal.
Do you need a simple, reliable Monday meal?
I definitely do after a weekend spent unpacking boxes that somehow sat around since August, wrestling with clutter, and spending far too long trying to figure out Snapchat. I felt like an old person who doesn’t understand modern tech — which is both humbling and a little hilarious.
Why did I open a social account after swearing I never would? Maybe it’s a place to share snapshots of this messy, real life and the kinds of dinners we eat, like a perfectly seared cast iron filet I somehow managed to cook just right.
But today’s recipe is different: it’s ridiculously easy. Embarrassingly easy.
The one-pot pasta trend has been around for a while and for good reason. I’d been curious about the Martha Stewart–style method because it looks so straightforward and satisfying. For this version, I cleared out the fridge and turned leftovers into dinner.
What I had on hand:
- Lots of mushrooms — a mix of cremini, shiitake and oyster.
- A bunch of Swiss chard (I bought it for another recipe and never used it).
And then, the magic: everything goes into one pot.
Yes — you add the vegetables, pasta and liquid to a single pan, bring it to a boil, and let the pasta cook right in the pot until it absorbs the liquid. It works, and it saves time and cleanup. Makes you wonder why we still bother boiling pasta separately sometimes.
This is an ideal weeknight recipe when you’re short on time. I took an optional extra step: browning butter first and sautéing the mushrooms for extra depth. But if you’re in a rush, you can skip browning and still end up with a flavorful dish — just adjust the seasoning at the end.
Another option: brown the butter separately while the pasta cooks, then fold that rich, nutty butter into the finished dish. If you’ve ever browned butter, you know it’s tempting to make a large batch — and you’ll want plenty to pour over this pasta.
Serve this with a glass (or bottle) of wine — it’s Monday; you earned it.
One Pot Mushroom and Swiss Chard Pasta
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Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster)
- 4 ounces cremini mushrooms
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces whole wheat gemelli pasta (or similar shape)
- 1 bunch of Swiss chard, stems removed and torn
- 3 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Heat a large pot over medium heat and add 4 tablespoons of the butter. Whisk constantly until it starts to bubble and you see brown bits forming on the bottom, about 5 minutes. As soon as the brown bits appear, turn off the heat and transfer the brown butter to a bowl. Set it aside.
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Add the remaining butter to the pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic, cooking until the mushrooms soften, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the pasta, Swiss chard, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. When the noodles have absorbed most of the liquid and are tender, remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the reserved brown butter and the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately, adding extra Parmesan if desired.
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*glass = bottle.