One Pot Pasta Dinner

A one pot pasta dinner – just dump everything in one pot and 10 minutes later, dinner!
Have you seen those One Pot Pasta Dinner recipes on the internet? I mostly see them passed around on Facebook. There are lots of different variations and I always wondered whether they really worked because, really, it sorta seems a little too good to be true doesn’t it?

I mean can you really just dump all your ingredients in a pot, bring it to a boil, and 10 minutes later have a pasta dinner all ready to serve?
Well, I was having trouble believing it would work so I decided to experiment. If you’ve ever wondered about those recipes, think of it as a public service from me to you. You’re welcome.
I really did dump everything into one big pot and cooked it for about 10 minutes or until almost all the water was absorbed. Here’s what I decided – 1) the onion still tasted just the tiniest bit raw – maybe that’s because I normally saute the onion in olive oil for my pasta sauce – and 2) the finished dish had a starchy mouthfeel. I’m sure the starchiness is a result of not having an opportunity to drain off the pasta cooking water. It’s all still right there in the pot.
Having said that, however, it wasn’t too bad! It would definitely work for a night when I’m just too tired to think about what else to cook or when I’m in a huge rush to get dinner on the table. It definitely won’t take the place of my usual freshly made tomato sauce, though :-)
If you want to give this one-pot method a try, here’s my recipe. There are also quite a few more linked at the bottom of the post. Let me know what you think!
How to Make One Pot Pasta Dinner

Put all ingredients except the olives and about 1/4 of the fresh basil in a large pot. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated.

Near the end of cooking, stir in the olives and the remaining basil. Continue cooking just until the olives are heated through.
Taste and adjust for salt if needed. Serve topped with Parmesan.
🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like
- Summertime Pasta Salad
- Pasta Arrabiata
- Easy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
- Pasta with Sausage and Leeks
- Creamy Shrimp and Pasta
- Pasta Puttanesca
- Pork Chops and Pasta
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
I’d LOVE to know what you thought!
Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked it!
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One Pot Pasta Dinner
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta spaghetti, linguini, penne, fusilli
- 15 ounces canned whole Roma tomatoes with their juice
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 10 large basil leaves julienned
- 32 ounces vegetable broth
- ½ cup water or white wine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup Kalamata olives pitted, chopped
- Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Put all ingredients except the olives and about 1/4 of the fresh basil in a large pot.
- Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
- Near the end of cooking, stir in the olives and the remaining basil. Continue cooking just until the olives are heated through.
- Taste and adjust for salt if needed.
- Serve topped with Parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I’m all for one pot everything! Love this.
Ummm. LOVE THIS!! Definitely want to give this a try.