Easy Mushroom, Pepper, and Onion Pasta Sauce (One-Skillet Comfort Food)

Craving a tasty pasta dinner that’s big on flavor but low on effort? This hearty mushroom, pepper, and onion pasta sauce delivers comfort, convenience, and serious savory goodness—all in one skillet.

Let’s be honest—no matter how good the pasta is, the magic is always in the sauce. And this one? It’s one of my go-to favorites.

This hearty mushroom, pepper, and onion pasta sauce is completely plant-based, full of savory flavor, and comes together fast in one skillet. It’s the kind of simple, comforting sauce that tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did. Low-fat, healthy, and deeply satisfying—basically everything I want to add to my pasta.

This sauce is super flexible, too. I used cubed tofu to keep it plant-based, but you can easily swap in cooked chicken or whatever protein you have on hand. 

And here’s the funny part: we actually had a cold snap in South Florida. When I made the pasta, it was 46 degrees, damp, and windy, which immediately sent my cravings straight to comfort food. When I think comfort food, I often think pasta and a good sauce.

I call this my shortcut sauce because I cheat a little making it—but in a good way. I use organic frozen peppers and onions to save on chopping, cleanup, and time as well as a jar of organic marinara sauce from 365 Whole Foods. I like their zero fat marinara sauce but you of course can use whatever is your favorite jarred marinara sauce.

I do chop a little garlic, fresh mushrooms, and tofu. If you can't find a bag of frozen organic pepper and onions- chop your own.

For those on a low carb diet or those who don't eat pasta, this sauce is also delicious over spaghetti squash or spiralized zucchini. Sometimes I eat a bowl made up of half pasta and half spiraled zucchini. 

This sauce tastes better than it photographed!!!

Ingredients For The Pasta Sauce

2 cloves of fresh garlic, pressed or chopped

1 cup of frozen colorful pepper and onion mix

6 large cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/2 jar of organic marinara sauce

1 cup of cubed extra firm or firm tofu

optional: 1/2 cup of sliced zucchini

 cooked (gluten-free) pasta (about half pound)

Optional garnish: Chopped scallions

Directions: 

Add garlic, peppers and onions, and mushrooms to a large rimmed skillet and saute for 5 minutes stirring. Add marinara sauce and tofu and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes until sauce is hot. Ladle over cooked pasta of your choice. Garnish with chopped scallions and enjoy.

My notes: 

1. I use gluten-free pasta for all of my pasta dishes. 

2. I sauté in 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of water or broth. The object with water or broth is not to drown the vegetables. They too will emit some juices for the sauté. I use water or broth to cut down on calories and truthfully, I find sautéing this way still tastes wonderful. 

What's your favorite comfort food? Do you like heartier food in cold weather?