Learn how to make Meghan Markle’s One Pot Pasta in this easy recipe! Her version as seen on With Love, Meghan is updated here with spring vegetables, to make the most of spring’s bounty. And because everything is made in one pan, this pasta is the perfect weeknight meal with very little cleanup!
My sister Kathryn loves the British royal family and royal history. We have English and Scottish ancestry on our dad’s side, and Kathryn is a savant with our genealogy. I’m not quite into genealogy as much as Kat, and I’ve always been neutral on the current British royal family. But I started to take notice of them in 2019 and 2020 when I saw very specific narrative was being pushed in the news about Meghan Markle. Facts reported on the news are one thing, but when I start to get article after article recommended to me about subjective opinions on someone’s personality, it immediately raised red flags.
So I did some research on Meghan Markle. I watched her in Suits (a bingeable legal drama), but I didn’t know much about her personally. And let me pause here to say that NONE of us here behind our phones and computers actually know her. These invested celebrity pseudo-relationships, whether good or bad, are not productive or healthy. But when I came across this article on Buzzfeed, I started to have a better idea of what was going on. These articles provide plenty examples of the British (and sometimes American) media treating Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle wildly differently for the exact same things –
For example, their love of style:
Or their love of avocados (this one is especially unhinged):
Always be skeptical of a forced media narrative on a subjective topic.
This really serves as a cautionary tale about media literacy. We have two women who are doing the exact same thing, yet one receives nothing but glowing press, while the other is publicly scorned. This is what I mean when I say that I’m always cautious about the media pushing a specific narrative about a subjective topic. There is a clear bias here. An considering that Harry’s late mother, the beloved Princess Diana, died in a car crash while she was fleeing the British media, I can’t blame them in the slightest for stepping back from that.
But here is where the nuance of the conversation about Meghan totally breaks down. Naysayers grip tightly to this false dichotomy that you are either in the public eye or you are not. Meghan and Harry have publicly advocated for their privacy many times, and for good reason. But they will ALWAYS be famous by nature of who they are. Suits is still an incredibly popular show on streaming services. And Harry is literally a prince. They will always be famous whether they try to be or not. But does that mean they should seclude themselves inside their house and never set foot outside ever again? Absolutely not! Because the press wins that way too – if they scare them away from living life.
Meghan is reclaiming her craft.
I love that Meghan reclaimed her craft through her show, With Love, Meghan. Remember, Meghan is an actress and entertainer by trade. It astounds me that people cannot understand the nuance of her setting boundaries with the media while still practicing her craft. Like Martha Stewart did in The Martha Stewart Show, Meghan films her Netflix series on a set. This is something that nobody had a problem with when Martha did it, but is now labeled as “fake” and “disingenuous” when Meghan does it.
And here is another place where logic breaks down for some – it’s incredibly dangerous for celebrities to show their homes in the media. Celebrities’ houses are robbed and broken into, sometimes at gunpoint, disturbingly frequently. Recall that Meghan and Harry have two young children. Why in the world would they want to flaunt their home’s layout on national TV, when there is a safe alternative?
I challenge any Meghan haters or naysayers who are reading this to question what they’ve been told by the media. Does asking the media to respect their family’s privacy mean that Harry and Meghan have to hole themselves up, never to be seen again? Does it mean that Meghan has to give up her trade? And does filming on a set mean Meghan is fake, or is it a way for her to protect where her children live? These questions bear examining beyond the one-dimensional articles written about her. I hope this provides you food for thought! Now onto the actual food…
Now (finally) about the recipe!
When I saw Meghan’s One Pot Pasta on her show, I immediately knew I had to make my own version. But since tomatoes aren’t in season in CT, I made this spring version instead! I use garlic and shallots as the aromatics, with seasonal asparagus, haricots verts, and snap peas for the veggies. I also added in a bit of white wine in honor of Meghan’s fondness for it on the show! Plus, the wine aspect felt very California to me. I’m a huge fan of wine in food, and it extends beyond risotto!
I know that this is a one pot meal that I’ll be making over and over. I mean, one pot? Minimal clean up? Being a food blogger constantly drowing in dishes, I’m always a fan of a dish like this. I know you’ll love it, enjoy! :)
Meghan Markle’s One Pot Pasta with Spring Vegetables
Ingredients
- 8 oz Spaghetti half a box
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Shallot chopped
- 6 Cloves Garlic minced or sliced
- 6 oz Haricots Verts (Green Beans) trimmed
- 6 oz Snap Peas carefully cut in half
- 6 oz Asparagus trimmed
- 1 Tsp Salt
- Black Pepper to taste
- 1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
- Water
- Juice from 1/2 Lemon or more, to taste
- 3/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan
- 1 1/2 Cups Arugula packed
Instructions
- To begin, prep all of your vegetables – mince the garlic, chop the shallot, and trim off any stems from the haricots verts. Trim off the woody ends from the asparagus, then cut them a into thirds. You can also cut some of your snap peas open, but that's optional!
- Add the olive oil to a large, lidded pan, and bring to medium-low heat. Add in the garlic and shallot, and sauté until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often enough so the garlic doesn't burn.
- Then, add in the haricots verts, asparagus, and snap peas to the pan. Stir around for another 1-2 minutes. Add this point, add in the salt and pepper, and stir well.
- Then, deglaze the pan with the white wine. (If you'd prefer not to add white wine, you can skip this step.) Stir everything around in the white wine and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add your pasta to the pan. Hopefully your pan is large enough to accommodate the pasta without having to break it. But if you have to break the pasta in order for it to fit, that's okay! Just don't tell any Italians! ;)
- Add in enough water to just cover the pasta. You can use room temperature water, though it will slow down the cooking process a little. If you're in a rush, you can use boiling water instead. Depending on your pan, you should be adding between 3-4 cups of water.
- Stir the pasta in the water a little so that each piece is submerged in the water. Then, bring the heat up to high. Cover your pot, and let the pasta cook for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, you can uncover the pan and stir the pasta around. If the pasta is still very hard but it looks like the water level is getting to low, add in more water in 1/4 cup increments, then re-cover the pan. Keep doing this until the pasta is cooked at al dente.
- Check your box of spaghetti for a reference on the cooking time. You want there to be a little bit of liquid left in the pan when the pasta is al dente, because it will create a creamy sauce with the cheese. However, you don't want too much liquid or the pasta will be soupy.
- Remove the pan from heat, then squeeze in the juice from 1/2 a lemon and stir (you can add more lemon juice if you'd like!) Then, stir in the parmesan cheese until everything is coated and the "sauce" is creamy. After this, stir in the arugula.
- Plate the pasta in bowls with extra arugula for garnish, and with a little more freshly-shaved parmesan on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend spaghetti for this recipe, but you can use linguine, fettuccine, or angel hair pasta if you’d like! Just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- I STRONGLY recommend using the white wine for this recipe – it adds so much flavor!
- Feel free to add any fresh herbs you’d like to this recipe, at the point when you stir in the arugula!
- You can also add any proteins you’d like to serve with this pasta.
Nutrition
Meghan Markle’s One Pot Pasta w/ Spring Vegetables FAQs
Please note: the Amazon links below are affiliate links! :)
Is this the same one pot pasta recipe as on With Love, Meghan?
My recipe shares the same bones as Meghan’s recipe, but it is a seasonal version for spring instead. Since tomatoes aren’t in season right now in Connecticut, I wanted to use vegetables that are – such as asparagus, haricots verts, and snap peas.
What kind of pot does Meghan use to cook this pasta on her show?
She uses the Le Creuset 3.5 Quart Braiser, which you can get on Amazon here! It’s definitely an investment piece, but Le Creuset pieces last a lifetime.
What pot did you use to make this recipe?
I used my Le Creuset Non-stick Sauté Pan for this recipe, which you can get on Amazon here! However I misplaced the lid so I used a glass lid from another pasta pot instead 😅
What’s the difference between haricots verts and green beans?
Although “haricots verts” translates to “green beans” in French, they are not identical. Haricots verts are a specific variety of green bean, characterized by their slender, longer shape and more delicate texture. Harvested at a younger stage, they possess a more subtle, vegetal flavor than regular American green beans. However, in this recipe, you can use either haricots verts or regular green beans – I tested both and they both came out great!
Is it haricots verts or harticot verts?
In French, the way the adjective is spelled changes when the word is singular or plural. So, one French green bean would be haricot vert, and multiple French green beans would be haricots verts.
P.S.
For more plant-forward recipes and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!
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