This One Pot Pasta is the best easy meal idea – simple pasta with basil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella – made in one pot in under 20 minutes. 
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One Pot Pasta Guide
Easy weeknight meals can be a huge challenge for busy families and in our family one pot meals are dinners I fall back on at least once a week! Let this One Pot Pasta recipe serve as your guide for creating delicious one pot pasta dishes for your family in under 30 minutes any night of the week!
One of my favourite things about this simple pasta recipe recipe is how easy it is to customize. We love it just like this, with the classic Caprese flavours, but you can make it with whatever protein and veggies your heart desires! Try a variation with chicken and broccoli and penne pasta, or one with rotini, tomatoes, goat cheese, and spinach. Or you could try it Tex-Mex-style, Italian-style, or even Pizza-style (yes, you read that correctly!).
Ingredients for One Pot Pasta
- olive oil
- garlic
- red onion (optional)
- dried chili flakes
- fresh cherry tomatoes
- white wine
- vegetable stock
- pasta
- fresh basil leaves
- fresh mozzarella
- salt and pepper
How to Make One Pot Pasta
- Caramelize the garlic and onion. Soften the onions, garlic, and chili flakes until they’re fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan. Add the wine and scrape up any caramelized bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Add the pasta and liquid. The pasta cooks right in the pan so toss it right on in with the liquid.
- Cover and cook. Let the stovetop do the work!
- Add the cherry tomatoes, but wait until about halfway through the cooking process so they keep their shape.
- Add the mozzarella and basil last. Fresh basil browns if you cook it too much, so toss it in with the mozzarella and cover the pot just until the cheese melts.
- Serve! Sprinkle with some freshly cracked pepper and more chili flakes (optional).
Pro Tips for Making One Pot Pasta
- Choose high quality pasta – starch is important! I love Barilla brand because it has just the right amount of starch for one pot pasta recipes. Starch helps create a silky smooth sauce as the pasta cooks and releases the starch into the sauce.
- Use the correct amount of liquid. Follow the recipe exactly for the correct ratio of liquids to pasta. If you’re substituting some of the stock for a can of diced tomatoes, use a 1:1 substitution but then add an extra 1/2 can of liquid.
- Stir regularly, but keep the lid on as much as possible. Cook with the lid on, but it’s ok to remove it for a minute to stir every once in awhile. Stirring is important to prevent the pasta from clumping up or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Cook over medium low heat. Using a lower to medium heat will also prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot or burning, and it’ll keep the liquid moving and hot enough to cook the pasta through.
- Add veggies at the correct time. If you’re using hardy veggies like carrots, for example, leave them in the pot while the pasta cooks. For more delicate veggies like bell peppers, for example, feel free to remove them from the pot before you add the pasta and liquid so they don’t get too soggy. Just add them back in after the pasta is done, before tossing and serving.
- Add the protein at the correct time. If you’re using chicken, cook the chicken first, remove it from the pan while the pasta cooks, and add it back in before serving. The same goes for beef, pork or seafood. The only exception to this is ground meats (like in this One Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, for example).
Looking for more easy pasta recipes? You’ll LOVE this Easy One Pot Pasta Primavera or this One Pot Creamy Chicken Enchilada Pasta!
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I hope you love this easy pasta recipe as much as we do! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite easy meal for a busy weeknight? I’d love to know!
KITCHEN PRODUCTS I RECOMMEND:
Other weeknight meal ideas
Looking for other easy weeknight meal recipes? You’ll LOVE these!
- Easy Pasta Primavera
- Creamy Enchilada One Pot Pasta
- Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
- Skillet French Onion Stuffed Chicken
- Skillet Pesto Caprese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Chicken Breasts with White Wine Mushroom Sauce
QUICK & EASY WEEKNIGHT MEALS
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Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this delicious recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
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One Pot Pasta
Recipe: Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 pound linguine noodles
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella torn into chunks by hand
- cracked black pepper (to taste)
Recipe: Instructions
- Heat a large, deep skillet or pot over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil, and once the olive oil is hot add the garlic, onion and chili flakes, turning the heat to medium low.
- Saute until the onions are soft and the mixture is fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan with the wine until it cooks off.
- Add the stock and the pasta and stir to make sure the pasta is submerged in the stock.
- Cover the pan and let cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring once during this time.
- After 5 minutes, add the cherry tomatoes and stir well to combine.
- Cover the pan again and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring once during this time.
- Uncover the pan and toss well. Tear the fresh mozzarella, placing it over the top of the pasta. Sprinkle the fresh basil over the pasta as well.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the lid. Let sit for about one minute for the mozzarella to melt.
- Before serving, sprinkle with some additional chili flakes (optional) and/or some freshly cracked black pepper.
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE WINE. THERE ARE MANY VARIETIES OF WINE. I AM THINKING THAT YOU MOST LIKELY USE A DRY WINE. AM I CORRECT OR COULD IT BE A SEMI SWEET,THIS INGREDIENT WILL EITHER MAKE OR BREAK THE END RESULT. I WILL RATE IT AFTERI HAVE MADE IT.
For best results, we suggested that you choose a dry and floral white wine like Soave or Sauvignon Blanc because it will highlight the freshness and flavour of the vegetables. Let us know how it turns out!
This dish had great flavour and texture. I had to keep myself from eating the whole pot!
Do you have this recipe One Pot Pasta using an instant pot?
Unfortunately we don’t have one yet but thanks for your suggestion, we’ll add it to the testing list!