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This one-pot pasta is as simple as throwing all of your ingredients into a pan and letting them cook together until the pasta is done. There is no need to boil the pasta first or sauté ingredients beforehand. This is a pasta dump-and-go dish, ready in under 15 minutes, and perfect for busy weeknights!
save this recipe!Pasta is the quintessential easy weeknight dinner, right?
Well, friends, this classic dinner just got even easier. Meet one pan pasta! By cooking everything together in one pan, you’ll:
- Reduce the number of dishes so cleanup is done in a snap.
- Infuse the pasta with all that flavor as it cooks.
- Need just a few ingredients, and most of them are pantry staples!
Reader rating
“I made this for dinner last night and brought the leftovers for work. It was delicious.” —Jennifer
Here’s What You’ll Need
This one-pot pasta recipe is incredibly customizable to whatever you have in your pantry! I’ve got tips on different variations further on in this post, but here are the core ingredients. Jump to the recipe card for the full quantities.
- Pasta: Almost any type of pasta will work here, like penne or spaghetti!
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes: I love the smoky flavor these bring, but you could use a can of diced or crushed tomatoes in a pinch.
- Onion & Garlic: Our flavor makers!
- Spices: Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper season this dish with classic flavors. You can add more dried herbs here to suit your taste (oregano, Italian seasoning, thyme, rosemary, and parsley are all good!).
- Boiling Water: Boil your water in a kettle or in a separate pan to ensure the pasta cooks correctly.
- Parmesan: Parmesan cheese brings an intense savory flavor. Strict vegetarians should look for a certified vegetarian parm.
- Heavy Cream: Just a splash of heavy cream helps to create a dreamy pasta sauce.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach can be added when you stir in the cheese for a little boost of leafy greens!
- Basil: Finish it off with a generous handful of fresh basil leaves!
Can I use gluten-free pasta?
Yes, this one-pot pasta recipe works well with most gluten-free pastas! Gluten-free pasta is often more starchy than traditional pasta, so I recommend adding an extra cup of water to the recipe if going with gluten-free pasta.
How to make One Pot Pasta
This whole dish comes together in under 15 minutes in one pan. This is just an overview. Jump to the recipe card for the full instructions.
- Combine everything in a pot or pan.
- Cook on a gentle simmer until pasta is al dente and water has all been soaked up.
- Serve warm with parmesan, cream, and basil!
What is “Al Dente” anyway?
Al dente is Italian for “to the tooth”, meaning the pasta should still have a little bite to it! Not hard, but also not overcooked – just right! Cooking the pasta to al dente will ensure it won’t break down when you stir in the parmesan, cream, and basil.
Variations
This pasta dish is incredibly versatile. Add whatever you’re craving or have in your pantry! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Add Veggies: Mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and bell pepper all do well in this dish! Add them at the same time as the pasta.
- Cheese It: One of my favorite ways to elevate this dish is to take it a step further, generously topping the finished pot with mozzarella cheese and popping it under the broiler for a few minutes until melty and golden.
- Make It Saucier: If you prefer a super saucy pasta, add a bit of marinara (here’s my reader-favorite homemade marinara!).
Storage Recommendations
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat leftovers in individual portions either in the microwave or on the stove. You may need to add a splash of water to rehydrate the pasta.
Serve It With
- Vegan Garlic Bread can be made while the pasta cooks, so everything is ready at the same time.
- Olive Oil Bread Dip is a super simple Italian pairing idea.
- Parsley Salad is a bright and vibrant salad made with Italian parsley instead of lettuce.
Easy One Pot Pasta (Ready In 15 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta, any type, can sub gluten-free*, 225 g
- 1 15-oz can fire roasted tomatoes, 425 g
- ½ medium onion, yellow or white, diced or cut into strips
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- ½ tsp each salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 cups boiling water, 700 mL
- 2 cups fresh spinach, 2 big handfuls, roughly chopped
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 50 g
- ¼ cup heavy cream, 60 mL
- ¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Combine: Add 8 oz pasta, 1 15-oz can fire roasted tomatoes, ½ medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, ½ tsp each salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and 3 cups boiling water to a pot.
- Cook: Cover and cook at a gentle simmer over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. If you notice pasta is almost cooked and there is still a lot of liquid, remove the lid and continue cooking until pasta is done.
- Serve: Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups fresh spinach, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup heavy cream, and ¼ cup fresh basil. Serve hot!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Sarah, I want to make your One-Pan 15 minute Pasta. We are vegan. What can I substitute for the heavy cream? Would vegan yogurt work? A vegan cheese?
You can often find vegan cream and creamers, that would work well! Otherwise a vegan yogurt could work, just make sure it’s not too tart 🙂
I made this for dinner last night and brought the leftovers for work. It was delicious, but any tips on getting the spinach to not clump together with the cheese?
Make sure it’s remove from the heat then stir vigorously once you’ve added the parm! To be extra safe, you could stir in the spinach then cream, which will cool it off slightly. Then stir in the grated parmesan right before serving 🙂
I’m not usually a recipe commenter, but I’ve made this recipe a bunch of times and can’t believe this one doesn’t have more comments! It’s an extremely useful base recipe, very easy, flexible, and tasty. For better or worse, I’ve never made this recipe exactly as written, but here are some modifications I’ve used which work, just to show how flexible this is:
– Add frozen spinach at the end when cooking off excess liquid instead of fresh spinach
– Used sour cream instead of heavy cream (very good)
– Added field roast sausage, either browning and returning at the end or cooking in the water
– Didn’t need 3 cups of water, more like 2-2.5 cups
– Used 3 cups of water with 12oz of pasta (instead of 8oz)
– Always use Better Than Bouillons to turn water into broths
– Half the parmesan in the pan and use the rest when serving
– I have never added the onion, garlic, or basil lol (the classic Lottie + Doof recipe has shown me how powerful they can be but I don’t keep these on hand often and the recipe is still very good without them)
I feel bad listing all the changes I made to the recipe (over various iterations) but it’s just really flexible! I have no doubt it’s great as written.
I’m so thrilled to hear how flexible the recipe has been for you. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review!