One Pot Pasta

20 min.
If you have been looking for a quick and tasty pasta dish, this easy one pot pasta recipe may be just the thing! Made all in one go, the pasta is infused with all the wonderful flavors of the creamy and tangy tomato sauce in which it is cooked. Made with white beans and sun-dried tomatoes, this cheesy dish makes for a hearty meal lightened by the addition of fresh basil leaves and lemon zest.

Ingredients

One pot pasta:

Garnish:

Instructions

Tip

1- One of the best tips for cooking pasta is to bring the water to a boil before adding your pasta of choice. This prevents its exterior from becoming mushy before the interior has time to soften. So, in this recipe, this entails letting the salted water, cream, and diced tomatoes begin to boil before adding the penne and sun-dried tomatoes to the pot.

2- The best way to test if the pasta is al dente is to take a bite. It should have a bit of a bite but still be tender enough to chew.

Questions about one pot pasta

With our creamy one pot pasta recipe, making a hearty dish with plenty of flavors is both quick and easy. To learn more about the dish, read our answers to the most frequently asked questions about one pot pasta below.
What is one pot pasta?

One pot pasta is a dish where the pasta is cooked directly in a sauce with, for example, tomatoes. As such, it is cooked in just one pot rather than two. This makes it an easy meal for busy times when you do not want to spend a lot of time cooking and cleaning. A one pot pasta dish may be made with different types of pasta like penne, fusilli, or macaroni and your favorite selection of vegetables and meat.

How to make one pot pasta?

The best one pot pasta does not require you to spend a long time in the kitchen to make a tasty dish. Cook all ingredients except for the white beans and cooking cream for approx. 10 minutes, then add beans and cooking cream for the final minutes of cooking and season to taste. To brighten the hearty, creamy one pot pasta, top it with plenty of grated parmesan cheese, and serve it with fresh basil leaves and lemon zest.

How much water for one pot pasta?

To make our tomato basil one pot pasta, you need just 3 cups vegetable stock and 1 cup cooking cream. The reason you need so little water, or, in this case, vegetable stock, is that the pasta is not just cooked in water but rather in a sauce made from combining stock, cream, and diced tomatoes, which contain quite a lot of liquid. The liquid ratio should ideally be around 1:2. Cooking the penne directly in the sauce infuses it with a lot of flavors and cuts down your cleaning time. If it seems too liquid, grated parmesan cheese may be added to thicken and enrich the sauce.

Can you freeze one pot pasta?

Freeze this simple one pot pasta to enjoy the leftovers later. Allow the pasta dish to cool before transferring it to one or more airtight containers and popping them in your freezer. For a quicker reheat, thaw it overnight in the fridge before heating it slowly on the stovetop. Reheating the dish at low heat helps preserve its flavor and prevent it from splitting. You can also reheat it in the oven.

Other recipes you will love

Cheesy and creamy one pot pasta

A creamy pasta dish does not need to be heavy to be delicious. Though this one pot pasta recipe calls for cooking cream as well as cheese, it has a lot of bright and vibrant flavors owing to lovely ingredients like two kinds of tomatoes, savory vegetable broth, and sun-dried tomatoes. Fresh basil leaves and lemon zest also help this one pot pasta toe the line between indulgence and opulence.

Do you love all things Italian? Then have a look at our recipes for Easy spaghetti Bolognese and cacio e pepe. Like this recipe, they are quick to make and delicious to eat, taking you straight to a restaurant in Italy.

Make and serve dinner in just one pot

A one pot dinner is a great way to cook easy and tasty meals. Because the entire dish is prepared in the same pot, you do not have to keep an eye on a packed stovetop, something that may make the sometimes-daunting prospect of cooking after a long day at work a lot easier to manage. You also spend less time cleaning afterwards because everything is made in just that one pot!

In case you are on the lookout for more easy and quick dinner recipes, we suggest checking out our easy chilli con carne recipe.

Chewy sun-dried tomatoes and mild white beans

Sun-dried tomatoes have a sweet-tart flavor that is more intense than what you get from fresh tomatoes. Our choice of sun-dried tomatoes, thus, adds flavor as well as a delightfully chewy texture to this one pot pasta.

The meaty white beans also add texture. They are mild tasting with earthy and nutty undertones that add depth to the dish. They also make it perfect as a dinner or hearty leftover lunch in the following days. White beans are ideal in casserole-like dishes like this because they hold their shape well so you can enjoy tender and still firm beans.

Enjoy an easy one pot pasta with tomato sauce

The creamy tomato sauce ties this one pot dish together. You can never go wrong with tomato sauce, and this is flavored with a savory vegetable broth and flavorful sun-dried tomatoes. The sweet and tangy flavors of the diced tomatoes are rounded out by the cooking cream which gives the dish a wonderfully round mouthfeel. The nutty undertones of the garlic give the sauce depth and richness that is complemented by the freshly grated parmesan cheese, tangy lemon, and fresh basil leaves on top.

Add your own touch

Find inspiration in a true one pot lemon pasta and add lemon zest as well as freshly squeezed lemon juice directly into the creamy sauce. The vibrant citrus flavors will brighten the dish considerably and the slight tartness will mirror that of the tangy tomato sauce.

Another option is to add more heat to this spicy one pot pasta by adding 1 tsp chilli flakes. You can also add finely chopped, fresh chilli pepper or spices like smoky cayenne pepper and Cajun seasoning to tickle your tastebuds. A spicier version could also be made with a spicy surprise like chorizo sausage.

world of pasta

Your key to creamy pasta

Fall in love with pasta all over again, as you serve your loved ones creamy dishes made richer with Puck—and your special touch. Our inspiring recipes, general guidelines, and detailed articles will set you on the path to culinary creativity. With Puck’s entire range of cooking creams and sauces that meet your high standards, you’ll love putting your personal spin on pasta.

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