Tomato Mixed Vegetable Pasta

Why people make this dish

Not every healthy meal needs to be a long-simmered soup. On busy days when the heat takes away your appetite, a light pasta tossed with seasonal vegetables and a tomato sauce base can be just as nourishing — and a lot quicker. The combination of tomatoes, peas, potato, and corn makes for a colourful, satisfying bowl that is genuinely low in fat and cholesterol. Parsley added at the end brings a fresh herbal note and, as a bonus, is traditionally considered supportive for kidney health.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Anyone who wants a quick, light, vegetable-forward meal
• People watching their fat and cholesterol intake
• Suitable for most adults and older children
• Those who need to limit their potassium intake (for example, due to kidney disease) should check with their doctor before eating parsley and potato in combination

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Tomato (fan qie): Rich in lycopene and vitamins; traditionally considered a food that clears heat and promotes fluid production. Cooking tomatoes in oil increases the bioavailability of lycopene.
• Potato (shu zai): A gentle, starchy food that supports the stomach and helps sustain energy; eaten with the skin it retains more potassium and fibre.
• Green peas and corn kernels: Both provide natural sweetness, plant protein, and dietary fibre — good complements to the pasta base.
• Parsley (ou qin): Well-known in both Western cooking and in Chinese food-therapy circles as a herb associated with kidney cleansing and flushing accumulated salts. Available fresh in most supermarkets.

Ingredients (1–2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Spaghetti or pasta	~80–100 g	Use your preferred variety
Tomatoes	2 medium	Cut into small chunks
Potato, small	1	Cook skin-on; peel after boiling
Green peas	Small handful	Frozen is fine; thaw before use
Corn kernels	Small handful	Frozen is fine; thaw before use
Canned tomato sauce	1 can	Standard pasta-sauce tin
Parsley, fresh	2 stalks	Rinsed and finely chopped

Method

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta and the whole potato (skin on) together for about 12 minutes until both are tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Peel the potato and cut into small cubes.
2. Cut the tomatoes into small chunks. Thaw the peas and corn if frozen. Rinse and finely chop the parsley.
3. In a saucepan, bring about 1.5 bowls of water to a boil. Add the canned tomato sauce and stir until dissolved and simmering.
4. Add the tomato chunks, green peas, corn kernels, and diced potato. Cook for a few minutes until everything is warmed through and the tomato softens.
5. Add the cooked pasta, stir to combine, and sprinkle over the chopped parsley. Mix well and serve immediately.

Bro Niu’s tips

If you do not have canned tomato sauce, a can of borscht soup or oxtail soup works equally well as the base and gives the dish a different but very pleasant flavour. The dish is versatile — adjust the vegetable mix to whatever you have on hand.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (fire马峻星): Where can I buy parsley (ou qin)? I cannot find it locally. Bro Niu: Most well-stocked supermarkets carry it in the fresh herb section, and it is also available at Chinese or Asian grocers, or online. Parsley is said to help clear kidney salts and toxins, based on overseas research.

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Published May 25, 2014 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.