How to Make One-Pot Pasta

Learn how to make a simple, flavorful weeknight meal using fresh ingredients, whole grain pasta, and one simple one-pot pasta formula.

Pasta that’s cooked in the same pot as veggies, protein, and seasonings is a winner dinner IMO. My one-post pasta formula is literally the easiest pasta cooking technique you might ever witness in your lifetime; almost easier than boiling and buttering noodles. Once you have the basic one-pot pasta formula down, you can mix and match all sorts of ingredients to make a recipe to your liking. Just add everything to the pot, bring to a boil, stir continusouly, and cook for about 10 minutes. That’s. It. Oh and if you are a cheese fan like I am, serve with some grated Parmesan cheese.

I was initially skeptical of one-pot pasta recipes because honestly, the concept seemed to good to be true. You don’t have to drain the pasta. And the meat and veggies cook in the same pot as the pasta simultaneously!!! So when my friend emailed me some one-pot pasta variations from Food52 I had to give it a try. And guess what?! I’ve been making one-pot pasta ever since! So here’s my simple formula to get you started with the one-pot pasta concept:

Before you try your hand at making a one-pot pasta dish, here are a few things I’ve learned by mixing and matching with this formula:

The olive oil is KEY. The pasta tends to stick together, so the olive oil helps to prevent that. Keep stirring though just in case the pasta decides to be sticky!
Linguine is a good spaghetti substitute. Penne and small shells work too!
Water can be swapped out with chicken or vegetable broth. Add a little milk or cream for flavor too!
Since my formula makes about 6 servings, you can half the recipe for a smaller crowd or enjoy the leftovers if you make as-is.
A Dutch oven or large stockpot works best for making one-pot pasta.
From everything I’ve read online, you do not have to cook the meat or protein ahead of time, but I do just because I want to make sure it’s cooked thoroughly. You might think the meat dries out once you cook it with the pasta and veggies, but since it’s submersed in liquid, it doesn’t! It stays very moist.
I’ve experimented with different proteins such as sausage, chicken breast, and ground beef— and love them all!

Learn the basics of cooking a healthy one-pot pasta recipe! Share on X

Are you ready for a recipe?! Well besides the hundreds you can Google online, I’m sharing my favorite one-post pasta recipe, Chicken Florentine Pasta, over on my friend Kristina’s blog, Love & Zest. Kristina recently had a baby boy, Parker, and I created this one-pot pasta recipe with her in mind. Because ALL moms deserve a healthy, hearty meal with minimal cleanup. Those doing the dishes [Dad?!] will thank me!