Best One-Pot Pasta

I love a good pasta dinner, but I don’t always love the mess that comes with it. You’ve got your pot for boiling the pasta, your pan for the sauce, maybe another pan if you’re cooking some protein. Before you know it, your sink is overflowing and you’re wondering if the meal was even worth it.

That’s where one-pot pasta comes in. Everything cooks together in a single pot. The pasta, the sauce, the vegetables—it all happens in one place. You just toss everything in, let it simmer, and dinner is ready. The best part? Only one pot to clean at the end.

I started making these when weeknight dinners felt like too much work. Now it’s one of my go-to meals when I want something tasty without spending my evening doing dishes. Trust me, once you try cooking pasta this way, you won’t want to go back.

What Kind of Tomatoes Should I Use?

Fresh tomatoes are the star of this one-pot pasta, and you have some flexibility with what you choose. Roma or plum tomatoes work great because they’re meatier and less watery, which helps create a nice sauce consistency. If it’s summer and you have access to ripe garden tomatoes, those will give you amazing flavor. In the off-season, don’t stress too much about it – just pick tomatoes that feel firm and smell fragrant at the stem end. And if your fresh tomatoes aren’t as flavorful as you’d like, you can always swap in a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes instead, which are picked and canned at peak ripeness.

Options for Substitutions

This one-pot pasta is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Fresh tomatoes: If fresh tomatoes aren’t available, use a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes instead. Just drain off some of the liquid if they seem too watery.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works great here if you want to keep it vegetarian. You can also use water with a bouillon cube dissolved in it.
• Spaghetti: Feel free to use any long pasta like linguine, fettuccine, or angel hair. Just keep in mind that thinner pastas will cook faster, so check for doneness a few minutes earlier.
• Parmesan cheese: Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano make good substitutes. In a pinch, any hard Italian cheese will work, though the flavor will be slightly different.
• Fresh basil and parsley: You can use dried herbs if that’s what you have – just use about 1 teaspoon of dried basil and 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, since dried herbs are more concentrated.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with one-pot pasta is not using enough liquid, which leaves you with undercooked, crunchy noodles – make sure your pasta is fully submerged in the broth and tomato mixture, and keep an extra cup of broth or water nearby to add if things look too dry.

Breaking the spaghetti in half before adding it to the pot helps it fit better and cook more evenly, preventing some strands from sticking out and staying hard.

Another common error is walking away from the stove – you need to stir the pasta every 2-3 minutes to prevent it from clumping together or sticking to the bottom of the pot.

The pasta will continue absorbing liquid even after you turn off the heat, so remove it from the burner when there’s still a little sauce left in the pot, as it will thicken to the perfect consistency as it sits for a few minutes.

What to Serve With One-Pot Pasta?

Since this one-pot pasta is already a complete meal on its own, I like to keep the sides simple and let the pasta shine. A crisp Caesar salad or a basic mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette is perfect for adding some freshness to your plate. Garlic bread is always a crowd-pleaser and gives you something to mop up any extra sauce at the bottom of your bowl. If you want to add some protein, grilled chicken breast or Italian sausage on the side works great, or you could even toss in some cooked shrimp right before serving.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover one-pot pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta will soak up more liquid as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of broth or water when reheating to loosen it up.

Freeze: This pasta freezes pretty well for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Just know that the texture might be a bit softer after thawing since the noodles continue to absorb moisture.

Reheat: Warm it up in a skillet over medium heat with a few tablespoons of water or broth, stirring until heated through. You can also microwave it in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each round and adding a little liquid if needed to bring back that saucy consistency.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 970-1100
• Protein: 30-36 g
• Fat: 25-32 g
• Carbohydrates: 155-170 g

Ingredients

For the pasta:

• 8 oz spaghetti
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 14 oz fresh tomatoes (diced or crushed)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (I use extra virgin)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup onion (diced)
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tbsp Italian basil (fresh preferred)

For the garnish:

• 1 tbsp Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)

Step 1: Sauté Onion and Garlic

• 2 tbsp olive oil (I use extra virgin)
• 1 cup onion (diced)
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)

Heat olive oil in a wide skillet, pan, or pot over medium heat.

Add the diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté for about 3 minutes until they begin to brown and become fragrant.

Step 2: Simmer the Pasta and Sauce

• 14 oz fresh tomatoes (diced or crushed)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tbsp Italian basil (fresh preferred)
• 8 oz spaghetti

Add the diced or crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian basil, and spaghetti to the pan with the sautéed onion and garlic.

Press the spaghetti with a spatula to fully submerge it in the liquid.

If your cookware isn’t wide enough, break the spaghetti in half.

Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 8 minutes until the pasta is al dente.

If the spaghetti is not done, add a bit more chicken broth and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, covered.

I like to occasionally stir the pasta to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Step 3: Finish and Serve

• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• 1 tbsp Italian parsley

Uncover the skillet and add salt.

Turn off the heat, then top the pasta with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Serve the pasta immediately while hot.

Best One-Pot Pasta

Delicious Best One-Pot Pasta recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 6 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 18 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1035 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the pasta:

• 8 oz spaghetti
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 14 oz fresh tomatoes (diced or crushed)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (I use extra virgin)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup onion (diced)
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tbsp Italian basil (fresh preferred)

For the garnish:

• 1 tbsp Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)

Instructions

 

• Heat olive oil in a wide skillet, pan, or pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté for about 3 minutes until they begin to brown and become fragrant.
• Add the diced or crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian basil, and spaghetti to the pan with the sautéed onion and garlic. Press the spaghetti with a spatula to fully submerge it in the liquid. If your cookware isn't wide enough, break the spaghetti in half. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 8 minutes until the pasta is al dente. If the spaghetti is not done, add a bit more chicken broth and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, covered. I like to occasionally stir the pasta to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom.
• Uncover the skillet and add salt. Turn off the heat, then top the pasta with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve the pasta immediately while hot.