One Pan Pasta
Updated Aug 15, 2026
This easy one pot pasta cooks the linguine, tomatoes, spinach, onion, basil, and garlic all in the same pan.
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The main idea of one pan pasta is that you don’t have to pre-cook the pasta! The pasta cooks with the sauce and vegetables all together in one pan. It’s one less pan you have to use, which means quicker dinner on the table, and quicker clean-up. I know this is not the authentic way to cook pasta but when I learned how to make this one pan pasta from Martha Stewart, I loved how quick, delicious and fail-proof the idea was!
Recipe Testing Notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe before sharing it with you! These notes give you a peek into the process of developing this One Pan Pasta recipe.
Testing Cold vs. Boiled Water: I retested this one-pan pasta to see if starting with pre-boiled water was really necessary. When I used bronze-cut linguine and started with cold water, the pasta took much longer to cook and released so much starch that the broth became gummy and unappetizing.
When I retested with regular spaghetti and started with cold water, I had more success. Once the water came ot a boil, the pasta cooked in about 8 to 10 minutes and the broth stayed much lighter and saucier. It’s easier to start with pre-boiled water since different pasta shapes and brands can release starch differently. But it definitely works to start with cold water.
I also found that adding the spinach at the very end worked better. It only needs a minute or two to wilt, and adding it later helps it keep its brighter green color and prevents it from becoming overly cooked.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
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One Pan Pasta Ingredients
- Pasta: I use spaghetti for this one pan pasta, but any long pasta like linguine, fettuccine, or angel hair works. Break the noodles in half if they don’t fit in your pan. Short pasta like elbow macaroni, rotini, or bow tie works, too, but keep an eye on the liquid, since different shapes can absorb water differently. I haven’t tested making pasta in one pan using gluten-free pasta but I think it may need more water.
- Veggies: Cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, a yellow or white onion, and garlic. Slice the tomatoes in half so they release their juices as they cook.
- Olive oil: You can use regular olive oil but I prefer extra-virgin olive oil for more flavor since it’s essentially the creating the pasta sauce.
- Herbs and seasonings: Fresh basil, salt, and crushed red pepper. Keep the basil leaves whole, no need to chop them. You’ll also need some freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving.
How to Make One Pan Pasta
These photos show exactly how I make this One Pan Pasta. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or jump straight to the → One Pan Pasta Recipe below.
1. ADD INGREDIENTS TO THE PAN
Place the spaghetti in a large deep pan, then arrange the tomatoes, spinach, onion, garlic, and basil around it. Drizzle the olive oil over everything and sprinkle with the crushed red pepper and salt. Make sure you add the seasonings before adding the liquid so the spaghetti can absorb the full flavor while it cooks.
2. POUR IN THE WATER
Carefully pour the boiling water into the pan and bring it to a boil. As the pasta begins to soften, use tongs to gently move the noodles around so they separate and mix with the vegetables.
3. TOSS UNTIL TENDER
Keep stirring occasionally as the pasta cooks. The tomatoes will start to break down, the spinach will wilt, and the onions will soften while the cooking liquid reduces into a light sauce.
4. STIR IN THE PARMESAN
Once the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, remove the pan from the heat. Don’t drain the liquid! Stir in the Parmesan cheese until it melts into the sauce, if using. Serve warm with more basil and Parmesan, if desired.
Full One Pan Pasta Recipe
One Pan Pasta Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped basil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning optional
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups water
- 2 ounces baby spinach
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- In a large deep pan, place the spaghetti, cherry tomatoes, spinach, sliced onions, garlic and basil. Drizzle the olive on top and season with italian seasoning (if using), crushed red pepper and salt.
- Pour the water into the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 8–10 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally with tongs, until the liquid is nearly evaporated, creating a sauce.
- Stir in the spinach until it is wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy warm.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Try one pot ground turkey pasta: Brown 1 pound of ground turkey (or ground chicken) in the pan before adding the pasta and vegetables, then transfer it to a plate. Continue with the recipe as written, then stir the cooked turkey back in during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Use broth: Substitute boiling vegetable broth or chicken broth instead of water for more flavor.
- Make the sauce creamier: Replace some or all of the boiling water with milk. Stir the pasta often as it cooks so the milk doesn’t stick to the pan!
Recipe Tips
- Use a wide, deep skillet or sauté pan. The pasta needs enough room to soften and spread out as it cooks. If the pan is too small, the noodles can clump together and cook unevenly.
- Watch the liquid as you’re cooking. I prefer to use 1 cup of liquid for every 2 ounces of pasta. But this may vary depending on the type of pasta and vegetables you use. If the sauce is drying up before the pasta is fully cooked, add more water or broth to the pan.
Serving Ideas
- Serve it with chicken. When I want to make this meal a little more filling, I usually add a simple protein on the side. Try it with my Grilled Chicken Tenders, Air Fryer Chicken Breasts, or Oven Baked Chicken Breasts.
- Pair it with seafood. The light tomato and basil sauce works really well with seafood. I like serving it alongside Garlic Butter Shrimp, Air Fryer Salmon, or Oven Baked Cod.
- Serve it with bread. Scoop up leftover sauce with a slice of Air Fryer Bread, Garlic Cheese Bread, or Rosemary Focaccia.
Troubleshooting
Long noodles naturally stick together as they soften. Stir frequently during the first few minutes of cooking, especially before the pasta is fully submerged in the liquid. Using tongs makes it easier to separate the strands.
The sauce will continue to thicken as the pasta sits and absorbs more liquid. If it still seems thin, let it simmer for another minute or two while stirring frequently. Remember that this One Pan Pasta recipe should have a light sauce, not a thick Alfredo-style consistency.
Comments
One of my favorite pasta dishes to make! I do think it would be better to add the spinach toward the end though because it gets quite wilty and mushy and sad looking if you put it in the beginning with everything else
I’m so glad this is one of your favorite pasta dishes! If the spinach is getting too mushy, you can definitely add it toward the end. Thanks for sharing!
Winner winner!! Soooo easy, and hubby shovelled it down (not the best imagery but you get the point).
I made one alteration/addition to assuage the carnivore and pan fried some bacon bits to add in the final step.
Thank you:)
Love it! I’m so glad the recipe was a winner for you both!
Love this recipe! I’ve made it a few times and wanted to let you know it is one of my favorite easy dinners! Thank you so much.
Aww, so happy you love it!! Thank you, Francine!
My family loves this recipe. I top it off with some seafood cooked in garlic butter.
Love that! Yay, so glad it’s a hit with your family!! Thank you!
Amazing!
Yay, so happy you liked it! Thanks!
This looks amazing! Can this recipe be doubled? Would it change the cooking time or liquid amount?
Yes, as long as your pan is big enough! You will need to double all of the ingredients, including the amount of water, and doubling it may slightly increase cooking time, but not by much. Hope that helps!
What if you use gluten free speghetti noodles? Would the water be the same?
Yes, you can use the same amount of water.
Adore this! I used to make this in college for a quick and delicious meal. Nearly 10 years later I’m revisiting it and it’s as delicious as I remember. I sub out the water for chicken broth and I render pancetta on the side to top off the pasta with!
Aww, thank you!! So glad you love it!
Was really stuck for an idea for supper, this looks fab and am going to try it. Looks super easy. Huge thanks. xxx
Yay, can’t wait to hear what you think!
How will it turn out if you make the dish the night before for dinner the next night.
Hi there! Leftovers last 4-5 days in the fridge so making the night before should be fine. This recipe is so quick though, I highly recommend making it the day of for best results. Hope you enjoy!!
Delicious! I used 2 cups boiling water, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and 1/2 cup cream. We loved it and will definitely be making this again.
Yum! Your substitutions sound so good! So happy you loved the recipe, Liz. Thank you!!
This turned out delicious. I added 1 Tbsp of butter with the olive oil and sautéed the veggies just a bit before adding the water. I also added some chicken broth base, additional spices, and rotisserie chicken. At the end I added a splash of cream and let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken a bit. I am recovering from foot surgery and have been looking for easy one pot dishes I can cook from my scooter. This one I was able to cook and my whole family enjoyed, thank you!
Aww, so happy you were able to make this recipe from your scooter! That’s amazing. Love the tweaks you made! Thanks so much, Laura! Hope your recovery goes smoothly!!
This was really good! I did add some garlic powder and onion powder to add a bit more flavor. Also I had to add cornstarch because my sauce was a bit too watery but the cornstarch helped. I will definitely make this again!
Love your tweaks, so happy you liked the recipe!! Thank you!
This was delicious. It was a spur of the moment meal. My husband loved it. I used gluten free pasta, so I added more liquid. After reading the comments, I also added capers and sliced zucchini along with the spinach, onion and garlic. Since I had made meatballs, I wanted more sauce, so I didn’t cook it down as much. Also, I didn’t have enough fresh tomatoes, so I used a can of diced, adding the liquid to the water. I will make this again!
Love your adaptations, Elaine! So happy you and your husband loved the recipe. Thank you so much!!
I eat “plant based” with little oil. I changed up the recipe a bit. I chose to add only 1Tbsp. olive oil. I added capers, which I feel is a must and next time more basil, spinach and throw in mushrooms. That’s the beauty of this recipe…you can add what you like. Lots of other good ingredients in the comments. This is an amazing fresh recipe.
Thanks.
Your tweaks sound so good, Irene! Love the changes you made, thank you for sharing!!
This is my go-to recipe. I really don’t care for pasta. BUT since I add more tomatoes, and spinach and onions ,etc… it comes out just right for me. I also use chicken broth in place of half the water and it give it some extra flavor.
Love your tweaks, Pat! Chicken broth sounds so good, I will have to try that next time!
Excellent! Made this for dinner at our airbnb. Delicious, satisfying and classy meal!
So happy you enjoyed it!
If you double the recipe, reduce the water. I used the full 8 cups of water and it was quite soupy (still yummy). I would start with 6 cups of water next time and add a bit more if needed. My fam said it tasted like ramen (in a good way!)
Thanks for letting me know!
This was so good! I added zucchini, but next time I’ll add it later, as I like a firm bites of zucchini. I also added chicken bouillon to the boiling water, which made a more savory sauce.
Pasta/Italian food purists criticize one pot pastas
But you cant beat this for an amazing, flavorable quick meal!
So glad you liked it! Love the chicken bouillon idea!
EXCELLENT!
Thanks so much!
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I cooked our homegrown shiitake mushrooms, onions, and garlic first, then followed with the remaining ingredients. I’m ever so grateful to now have a new dish for my quick fix meals!
Yum! You’re so welcome!
I guess I should have read the recipe and THEN hit the times 2 button to make this for my family. Because you didn’t add Water to the ingredients list, it didn’t double. So, this ruined the dinner and that sucks.
I am so sorry! This is an older recipe of mine, and the doubling feature got added a few years ago. Sometimes it messes with old recipes like this that I did not have the water listed as an ingredient. I have updated the ingredients to include the water to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Thank you for taking the time to point this out!
This turned out sooo delicious!!! I didn’t let the chicken stock evaporate all the way, and with the stock it was so good! Kind of like pho or soup, but not as liquidy. Just a little bit of liquid. It was so yummy! My family really enjoyed it (I am 14 oldest of 7, and made dinner tonight), definitely will make again soon!! Thank you, Yumna!!
Thank you so much! That’s perfect. I hope you all continue to enjoy! You’re welcome!!
Thank you! Have a blessed rest of the week!
I love everything about this recipe. I can’t wait to try my hand at it!
That makes me so happy to hear! Yay!
Yummy!!!
Thank you!
I’ve eaten in Italy many times, and this recipe is good as an Italian restaurant dish.
We followed it completely and were amazed how simple and delicious it turned out.
Thank you!
Wow, thank you so much!
Brilliant!!! So yummy and easy!! Thank you, so much Yumna. All members of our family loved it!!
Thank you so much! That makes me so happy to hear!!
This is a great recipe! I ended up having quite a bit of water left over by the time the pasta was done so I will reduce it by 1 cup next time. I seasoned really heavily and added a bunch of parmesan at the end. Delicious and so easy!
Thank you so much! Let me know how it goes next time you try it that way!
Could I use a spaghetti sauce instead of the cherries. I need it a little sweeter.
I think that should work!
Who think this is faster, is wrong.
The time it takes to cut all those veggies, it’s the time it takes for water to come to a boil – if not longer. So, if you start heating water in a pot, and cook the sauce in another pot, time wise, the only difference from the recipe suggested on this blog is none.
Only one pot extra to wash. But a lot more flavour in the end 😉
Love this recipe. It is so easy to make and it tastes like it took hours to make. My family enjoyed this recipe ❤️
Thank you! That’s the beauty of it!!
Delicious!! I used veg broth and added goat cheese…yum!
That sounds lovely! Yum!!
I really enjoyed this recipe, I followed it, but replaced the water with vegetable broth and did not use any cheese. I was surprised at just how tasty it was. Fresh ingredients really make all the difference.
I’m so glad you still enjoyed it! Thank you!
This was soooo very flavorful and fresh. I used chicken broth. I also added sliced baby portebello mushrooms. Best pasta ever!
I love that! Thank you so much!
I made this for dinner tonight to rave reviews. I used chicken broth rather than plain water, a whole onion I sliced and sautéed in olive oil first, sliced zucchini, cherry tomatoes and spinach. It was outstanding! Thank you for this awesome recipe.
I love those steps you changed or made! So happy to hear it!
My friend made this for our family as I was going through chemotherapy treatments. We fell in love with it and continue to make it on a regular basis. Thank you for your FANTASTIC recipes and help in educating people how to practically and easily eat more healthy-ish.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! Hope you’re doing well, Meme!
Love this recipe. One pot easy and so delicious. You can not go wrong with any of her recipes Easy and not overwhelming. She is genuine
Aww you’re the sweetest! Thank you!!
Love this idea but have made it twice and there’s a gelatin-like goo at the end which is less than ideal. Flavor is good. Any idea why the goo?
I think it’s the starchiness from the pasta. You can consider using chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water and adding more olive oil so that it goes away.
Thanks for the reply and the suggestion!
I added 1 tbl. of balsamic vinegar. Good!
Great idea!
This was so delicious, I will most definitely be making this again! My children loved it
Thank you, Elaine! I’m so glad to hear that you all loved it!
It was great! I used ramen noodles because I did not have any spaghetti, and I had to use the spinach and the tomatoes, and this recipe was perfect! It was very convenient to make on a week night.
Yay, so happy to hear that. Thanks so much!!
I was hoping this recipe would be as tasty as other commenters described, but I was unfortunately disappointed with the recipe unmodified. I found it to be quite bland despite adding extra onions, garlic, parm and fresh ground black pepper. About half-way through eating my partner suggested it needed some acid grilled chicken. As a vegetarian the chicken suggestion was disregarded, but with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice it was quite tasty. We’d rate as 3/5 as written, but a much improved 4.5/5 if you can add some extra umami or acid!
Thanks for your feedback! I totally understand that it could use extra seasoning. For me with the garlic, onion and fresh basil, it was simple and satisfying. But some umami or acid would be great for sure!
I am a pasta lover and tried so many different recipes but it was my first time doing the one pan version. I’ve already made this recipe several times, it is honestly one of the most delicious pastas I ever made. I pre-grill the onions and also add grilled mushrooms. My husband and I both love it
I love that you pre cook the onions and mushrooms before adding in! So glad you liked this one pan version!
I was wondering, if chicken broth could be used instead of water. And if I was to ad sausage would I scramble it and then add everything else, or do I need to drain whatever grease builds in the bottom of the pan.
Yes, you can definitely use chicken broth instead of water. And if you were to add sausage, I recommend cooking it first and then adding everything else. With the grease from the sausage, it really comes down to personally preference. I recommend leaving a little to help flavor the dish but you can also drain it out completely.
The pasta was so tasty and quick, I added chicken and bacon to mine, and I definitely will be adding this recipe to my meal prep menu!
Love that you tried it and added extra protein to it. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Can you add Roma tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes?
Absolutely!
Thank you for sharing such amazing recipe during this lockdown ! This pasta turned out so delicious! A fan all the way from India ?
Aww thank you!
Holy cow – I’m a believer! Tried this tonight with my family (including picky teens) and they all dipped for seconds. I doubled the recipe (big eaters in my household) and had very little left over. I added some mini mozzarella pearls and they got ooey-gooey yummy when it was served. One pot is nothing short of magical. Found a winner here!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that!! It’s such a convenient way of making pasta and the flavor possibilities are endless! Thank you!
I have a combination family which includes vegetarians and meat eaters, I have made this recipe both ways. Using different vegetables and sauteing the onions, garlic, and zucchini (for example) really does up the flavor… I also do the same when I use ground chicken when I am not cooking for the vegetarians. I do vary using vegetable stock or chicken stock as well. It’s a dish that my twelve-year-old daughter can make on her own and I’m not worried about her getting entangled with boiling water…
That’s so awesome! I love that your 12-year old can just make this on her own. Thanks for sharing the flavor combination you use!
As a vegan I’m always looking for tasty recipes. I tweaked a few things to add more flavor and keep it vegan.
First I sautéed an onion + garlic for about 5 minutes to soften and release their flavor. Then added to the one pot ingredients. I used 1 box of spaghetti and Instead of water, I used 1 box of vegetable broth and finished with about 1/2 cup vegan mozzarella cheese at the end. It was delicious! thank you!
I love your ideas for the substitutions, especially cooking the onions and garlic first – bet that makes it taste even better!!
I’m a Scottish uni student home for the holidays trying to show off some new culinary skills and this dish was perfect. It was so easy yet fun and everybody loved it!! It was the perfect midday dish for my hungry WFH family. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you!!
Made this today and loved it. So quick and easy. Taste is light which is great. Thank you
I’m glad to hear that. Thank you!
This dish was unbelievably delicious and almost too easy to make! My partner and I made it exactly as written with veggie broth and we wolfed this down vegan style with nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese. This will be a staple for us from now on. Thank you so much for the recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! And thank you so much for taking the time to leave the amazing review!! 🙂
This is awesome! I made the original recipe the other night and it was fantastic! I made it again but I added chicken broth instead of water and included roasted red peppers and a bit of milk with the water. It was great. So quick and so flavorful. I never thought pasta could be this easy without it being starchy. It was not starchy at all and was very good. I’ll remember this quite often. Thank you.
Hi Aaron – So glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and made it a couple times already! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback 🙂
As per the comments, I fried the onion and garlic together first and then added all the ingredients together. It’s a real winner! My meat eater boyfriend loved it too and wants it as part of out regular meals! Absolutely delicious!
That’s perfect! So glad you did that and enjoyed it!
This one pot pasta has become THE meal my fiancé makes me when he knows I’ve had a long day. It’s definitely my comfort food. I’ve never been one to eat a spicy pasta but this one just hits so perfectly!
I cooked this last night and it was easy and quick to cook. It had super good flavours with healthy ingredients and was absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to try some of your other recipies!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing and hope you enjoy the other recipes too 🙂
This pasta is delicious! Even my picky kids enjoyed it. Thank you!
Yay! So glad to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Most one pot pasta recipes are for 4 servings. If I want to make 8 servings, should I use 2 pots to the avoid overcrowding.?
That’s an excellent question and I haven’t tried to double it in a larger pot, but I think it’s safer to use 2 pots as you suggested!
I also doubled the recipe as 8 oz pasta will only feed 2-3 people in my family. I made it all in a dutch oven and sautéed the onion and garlic first to give some color to it. I used veggie broth instead of water for some more flavor.
This very simple recipe is a great starting point for a one dish pasta! I love these types of dishes, so much you can do with them!!
Hi Lisa, thanks so much for the feedback. I appreciate it 🙂
Oh my gosh, thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I made a version of it tonight and not only did it get compliments, my husband also commented on how quickly it came together. It was super helpful for our XCountry night practice but still managed to be yummy and healthy! Fyi; we did corn, kale, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, asparagus, peas, and added a veggie bullion cube for flavor. ??????
Aww I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing and I love all the additions you included in the pasta!
My second time i am deeply in love with this recipe ???
Woohoo! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks for sharing!
My favorite pasta to make especially on lazy days!
So glad to hear that! I feel the same way!
One pan and no fuss meal with basil and cherry tomatoes. Delicious
Thank you!
This dish amazing!!! So glad I found your page! My bf couldn’t stop raving about how delicious it was! ????
So glad to hear that! Thank you Rebeckah!!