One Pan Pasta

Yumna Jawad

5 from 578 votes

One pan pasta is an easy family friendly meal you can whip up quickly on weeknights. It's a no-fuss meal using only one cookware and any vegetables you like

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When I first discovered you can make one pan pasta without boiling pasta first, I was elated (to say the least)! And since then I’ve made variations of one pan pasta with different sauces and different ingredients. I’ve even adopted this method when making mac n’ cheese for the kids!

One pan pasta is an easy family friendly meal for weeknights - all made in one pan
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What is one pan pasta?

I believe this recipe originated from Martha Stewart back in 2013, and since then, there have been endless adaptations of one pan pasta recipes, also called one pot pasta. Essentially the idea 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.

Ingredients to make the recipe: spaghetti, tomatoes, spinach, basil, onions, garlic and crushed red pepper

I know this is not the authentic way to cook pasta. And when I recently shared this idea on my Instagram account, there was a lot of skepticism and negative remarks mentioning how wrong this technique is and how the result is starchy pasta. But for me, this is a quicker cooking method that results in tender pasta that soaks up all the flavors you’re cooking with. And that’s the kind of fail-proof weeknight meal that makes me feel good!

How do you make one pan pasta?

Start by placing all the ingredients together in a large pan, skillet or pot. You want to make sure that the linguine fits in the pan. Then cover the ingredients with boiling water. You can eyeball the amount of water you use. Or I found that 1 cup per 2 ounces results in the perfect sauce ratio.

Step one of the recipe: Add boiling water

Now you’ll want to bring the mixture to a boil since the boiling water gets cooler when it mixes with the ingredients already in the pan.

Step two of the recipe: bring mixture to a boil

Then you can lower the heat and allow the pasta to cook and absorb the water. The important step now is to constantly stir the pasta with the ingredients. You can use a large slotted spoon, fork or tongs to do this. This step helps to ensure that no pasta gets stuck to the bottom of the pan or to each other.

Step three of the recipe: start stirring the pasta with the ingredients to incorporate everything together

Within 10 minutes, it will go from that to this. What happened to all that water? The noodles absorb all the water, creating a starchy binder. So essentially, the sauce clings better to the noodles without the separation of sauce and noodles in the pan.

What the pasta looks like after about 10 minutes - the sauce is thickening

When you notice that the linguine has absorbed 80-90% of the liquid, that’s when you can add the parmesan cheese. You can leave out the parmesan cheese if you prefer to keep it vegan.

Adding parmesan cheese to the pasta recipe once it's finished

And just like that, one pan pasta makes your weeknight dinner dreams a reality – minimum cleanup, but maximum taste! I mean, it’s truly a game changer. I even have my kids stand by the stove and stir, while I prepare a salad or some chicken to go along with the meal.

Tips for making one pan pasta

  • Salt the pasta before adding the boiling water. It’s important to season the pasta with salt, crushed red pepper and any other seasoning before adding the liquid. This will allow the linguine to really absorb the full flavor while it’s cooking. And you’ll end up using less salt this way compared to salting the dish after you finish cooking it.
  • Stir pasta constantly while cooking. It’s not a completely hands-off recipe unfortunately, since you’ll need to do some stirring while the pasta cooks with the liquid and vegetables. But hey, it’s 10 minutes or less.
  • Vary the liquid used. This is definitely an infinitely customizable one pot pasta recipe. One of the easiest ways to vary it is by using vegetable or chicken broth instead of water. It intensifies the flavor of the pasta.
  • 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. For example, mushrooms will absorb liquid, while tomatoes or zucchini will release liquid. If the sauce is drying up before the pasta is fully cooked, add more water or broth to the pan.
One pan pasta recipe made with spaghetti, tomatoes, spinach, basil, onions and garlic

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best pasta to use for one pan pasta?

You can use any kind of pasta. I don’t think you can really go wrong the type of pasta you use, but note that cooking time will vary based on the type you use. Linguine, spaghetti, fettuccine and angel hair are vary popular in one pan pasta recipes. But short pasta shapes likes elbow macaroni, rotini or bow-tie work well too!

Can I use gluten-free pasta?

Yes, this recipe works with gluten-free pasta. However, because gluten-free pasta cooks differently than regular pasta, you’ll need to adjust accordingly. Gluten free pasta tends to be more starchy than regular pasta, and tends to grow more than regular pasta. I recommend adding an extra half cup of water if you’re using 8 ounces of pasta. Or you can use less pasta depending on the serving suggestion for 4 people of the given brand you’re using.

What type of cookware should I use to make pasta?

This is often referred to as one pot pasta instead of one pan pasta. So really, you can use a pot like a heavy soup pot or a dutch oven (I like this one by Anolon!), or a pan like a non-stick skillet or stainless steel deep pan like I’ve used. My favorite stainless steel deep pan is by All-Clad, and I’ve never experienced any pasta sticking to the bottom of it! Using non-stick may help keep this recipe hassle-free.

Vegetarian one pan pasta served in two large bowls with a side of parmesan cheese

This is one of those easy back-pocket recipes that you can make over and over again with minimum cleanup and maximum taste. All the magic happens in one pan from start to finish. No need to boil noodles ahead of time, no need to strain noodles and no need to tend to a noodle pan and a sauce pan at the same time. It’s ready in less than 20 minutes, endlessly customizable and full of flavor the whole family will love!

More pasta recipes:

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good One Pan Pasta recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

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One pan pasta in a big pot
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One Pan Pasta

One pan pasta is an easy family friendly meal you can whip up quickly on weeknights. It's a no-fuss meal using only one cookware and any vegetables you like
5 from 578 votes
Author Yumna Jawad
Servings 4 servings
Course Entree, Pastas
Calories 367
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces linguine
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced in half
  • 2 ounces baby spinach leaves
  • 1 small onion finely sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves finely sliced
  • A small handful of basil leaves roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ounces parmesan cheese grated (optional)
  • 4 cups water boiling

Instructions

  • In a large deep pan, place the linguine in addition to the cherry tomatoes, spinach, sliced onions, garlic and basil. Drizzle the olive on top and season with crushed red pepper and salt.
  • Pour boiling 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 in nearly evaporated, creating a sauce.
  • Remove the pan from heat and stir in parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy warm.

Equipment

Notes

Recipe: This recipe is adapted form Martha Stewart.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 4-5 days in the fridge.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.
  • To make it gluten-free, you can use any gluten-free pasta of your choice.
  • To make it vegan, just skip the Parmesan cheese, or add in nutritional yeast or a vegan parmesan substitute.
  • To make the sauce more creamy, you can add some milk instead of some of the water. 
  • Feel free to substitute any vegetables you don’t like.
Serving Size: One serving is about 2 ounces of pasta per person.

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 551mg, Potassium: 526mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 2095IU, Vitamin C: 33.7mg, Calcium: 217mg, Iron: 2.1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Entree, Pastas

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Comments

  2. 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!)

    Reply

  3. This was the bomb! 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!

    Reply

  5. 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!

    Reply

  6. I guess I should have read the recipe and THEN clicked 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.

    Reply

    1. 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!

      Reply

  7. 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!!

    Reply

  10. 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!

    Reply

  12. 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!

    Reply

  14. 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 😉

    Reply

  15. Love this recipe. It is so easy to make and it tastes like it took hours to make. My family enjoyed this recipe ❤️

    Reply

  17. 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.

    Reply

  18. This was soooo very flavorful and fresh. I used chicken broth. I also added sliced baby portebello mushrooms. Best pasta ever!

    Reply

  19. 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.

    Reply

  20. 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.

    Reply

  21. 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

    Reply

  22. 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?

    Reply

    1. 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.

      Reply

  24. 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.

    Reply

  25. 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!

    Reply

    1. 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!

      Reply

  26. 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

    Reply

    1. I love that you pre cook the onions and mushrooms before adding in! So glad you liked this one pan version!

      Reply

  27. 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.

    Reply

    1. 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.

      Reply

  28. 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!

    Reply

  30. Thank you for sharing such amazing recipe during this lockdown ! This pasta turned out so delicious! A fan all the way from India ?

    Reply

  31. 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!

    Reply

    1. 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!

      Reply

  32. 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…

    Reply

    1. 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!

      Reply

  33. 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!

    Reply

    1. I love your ideas for the substitutions, especially cooking the onions and garlic first – bet that makes it taste even better!!

      Reply

  34. 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!

    Reply

  36. 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!

    Reply

  37. 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.

    Reply

    1. 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 🙂

      Reply

      1. 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!

        Reply

  38. 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!

    Reply

  39. 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!

    Reply

  41. 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.?

    Reply

    1. 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!

      Reply

    2. 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.

      Reply

  42. 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!!

    Reply

  43. 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. ??????

    Reply

    1. Aww I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing and I love all the additions you included in the pasta!

      Reply

  47. This dish amazing!!! So glad I found your page! My bf couldn’t stop raving about how delicious it was! ????

    Reply