I am here to tell you about a recipe for pasta that you cook in one pan. One pan, people! Dried noodles, sauce ingredients, water—they all get thrown into a big pan and boiled for less than 10 minutes. You end up with a totally delicious dinner, and a party trick.
I know this recipe is making the rounds. I would even bet that it is blowing up in Pinterest (is it?). I imagine that anyone who saw this in Martha Stewart Living this month knew they needed to try it. It is such a simple idea that I am surprised we haven’t all been doing this the whole time.
I like the recipe because it allows you to get dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes. It is also fun for the cook. That first time you make it you wonder if it will all come together. Is this even possible? Then, the noodles begin to soften, the liquid reduces into a creamy sauce, and you know you’ve got a winner. The real brilliance of the recipe is that by cooking the noodles with the sauce, they absorb so much more flavor than a pot of salted water could ever provide.
Salt is your friend in this dish, don’t skimp! You need a big skillet, big enough for the linguine to lie flat across the bottom.
One-Pan Pasta (adapted slightly from Martha Stewart Living) The editors of MSL discovered the recipe while traveling in Puglia, so we have Italy to thank for another great pasta recipe!
- 12 ounces linguine
- 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
- 1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2- 3/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 2 sprigs basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
- 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 1/2 cups water
- Lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and water in a large straight-sided skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide among 4 bowls, and garnish with basil. Serve with oil and Parmesan.
***[5/12/2014] Hi folks, I had to close the comments on this post. While most comments were friendly or useful, I was getting too many people telling me/us that: a) this recipe was an insult to Italian culture (which is both insane and stinks of a sort of cultural superiority that I abhor) b) that recipes like this were for stupid, lazy people (which is also insane and classist). Anyway, as is often the case, a few assholes ruin the internet for everyone. And I’m just tired of moderating these comments. Thanks to everyone who contributed something useful!
hanna says:
June 18th, 2013 at 12:37 pm
[quietly pinning this]
Tim says:
June 18th, 2013 at 12:40 pm
LOL
Dan from Platter Talk says:
June 18th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Too Cool! I am all over this idea, and as usual, your photography is beautiful. Great post!
stacey snacks says:
June 18th, 2013 at 1:10 pm
Ok, this is weird, but I will try anything once! Your photos have me sold!
Andrea says:
June 18th, 2013 at 1:18 pm
You got me at “one pan.” I tried this, delicious. Perfect for crazy-busy days. Thanks!
Jacky says:
June 18th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
OK, I need to try this pronto! I have not seen this until now.
Sasha says:
June 18th, 2013 at 2:26 pm
One pan?! I’m sold.
sarainamerica says:
June 18th, 2013 at 2:48 pm
Agreed. I made it when Amelia posted it and we’ve had it 3 times since then!
Casie says:
June 18th, 2013 at 3:16 pm
Looking soooo good, delicious.I will definitely try this, easy and fresh
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says:
June 18th, 2013 at 3:36 pm
This is absolutely amazing!! What a fabulous idea!!
PK says:
June 18th, 2013 at 3:46 pm
I LOVE this recipe!! Tried it the minute I saw it in Martha Stewart and am officially obsessed! Try it. NOW!!! You won’t regret it.
Hannah says:
June 18th, 2013 at 4:22 pm
What? How? What is this dark magic!? Gotta try this! :)
kickpleat says:
June 18th, 2013 at 4:43 pm
I made this a couple weeks ago & couldn’t believe how easy it was. Perfect easy eating!!
CR says:
June 18th, 2013 at 6:35 pm
As the folks @Food52 would say – “Genius Recipe”. I’ll be making it shortly. Have you heard of this one of Nigella’s? http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/linguine-with-lemon-garlic-and-thyme-mushrooms-24 Another fresh take on pasta-in-a-flash – I love it. And the poor thing needs all the support she can get right now. Team Nigella!!!
Isobel says:
June 18th, 2013 at 7:38 pm
This is so exciting!
Laura says:
June 18th, 2013 at 8:30 pm
perfect summer recipe! trying this for my boyfriend’s family (meat and potato eaters) this weekend!
mia says:
June 18th, 2013 at 10:02 pm
This makes me sad I didn’t see this earlier…the sad salad we had for dinner woulf never have happened.
Also, makes me wonder where I put this month’s issue of Martha?
Sheila says:
June 18th, 2013 at 10:06 pm
YEESSS!!! I saw you posted this on Instagram and was crossing my fingers and prayed to all the higher beings in the world for you to post this. Thank you!
Elizabeth Mars says:
June 19th, 2013 at 12:34 am
I must not be reading enough blogs because this is the first time I’ve come across this. Looks like a great, easy summer time meal I’ll have to remember it for when the weather gets warmer down here in Australia.
Kiyo says:
June 19th, 2013 at 12:45 am
Tim this looks absolutely delicious. I have all the ingredients and will make this tomorrow for dinner. With a sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano it will be the bomb! Oh Martha!
Caroline Shields says:
June 19th, 2013 at 6:20 am
Love this recipe!! Everyone needs it in their back pocket!
J.W. Hamner says:
June 19th, 2013 at 7:26 am
This looks very clever… I’ve made “one pan pastas” before but they have been cream based, never a fresh summer style pasta. Definitely will try this.
Victoria says:
June 19th, 2013 at 7:54 am
thanks for trying this! We read it in Martha and wondered.
joana says:
June 19th, 2013 at 8:34 am
This looks revolutionary. Any ideas for other things that would work if thrown in (no mushrooms for me thanks)? Red pepper? Peas? Tinned tomatoes to make it thicker? Courgettes?
just me says:
June 19th, 2013 at 8:38 am
Do you think plain old spaghetti would work in place of linguine?
ItalianGirlCooks says:
June 19th, 2013 at 10:12 am
Hmmmm…..have to say I’m skeptical, never heard of it – and coming from an all-Italian family I am picky about pasta. Perhaps this is for novice-Italian cooks, although maybe not. I’ll have to see. You weren’t kidding about devoting your posts to unusual and unique recipes!
Mira says:
June 19th, 2013 at 10:29 am
What a gorgeously creative photo!
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says:
June 19th, 2013 at 10:38 am
I simply have to try this. If it works as you say, I will love you for sharing this!
Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine) says:
June 19th, 2013 at 10:55 am
What a gorgeous pot of pasta! I love the one bowl idea, very helpful since my kitchen is forever messy.
Lauren @ Girls Gone Food says:
June 19th, 2013 at 11:07 am
My first thought when I saw this…I must Pin it!!
sara says:
June 19th, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Wow, such a cool recipe! I love this!
renata says:
June 19th, 2013 at 12:30 pm
wow , I am truly impressed . This is just a perfect way of preparing fast and tasty dinner . Thank you for sharing the recipe .
Lulubit says:
June 19th, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Yes, It’s all over Pinterest, but no one writes a text like you. So, I’m sharing again! :)
Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence says:
June 19th, 2013 at 2:27 pm
The foodie in me is definitely intrigued. The Italian in me is a bit apprehensive. I’ll give anything a try once though. Thanks for sharing!
Tim says:
June 19th, 2013 at 2:30 pm
Ha! You guys are funny. I am surprised by the skepticism over this one. To clarify, this is an Italian technique that the editors at MSL picked up in Puglia. So, there is that. Also, it is an unusual method (at least to me), but how could these ingredients lead to anything bad?!
“just me”- I haven’t tried, but I would imagine you could do this with any pasta shape. You may just need to adjust cooking time. I think it would be best with long, thin noodles.
joana- i would make it as written first and then play around. i can’t imagine any of those additions being better than the original recipe. See what you think!
Italian Girl- I am not a novice Italian cook! It is good!
Katie says:
June 19th, 2013 at 3:53 pm
This changes everything. Will have to try later in the week.
Oh, and, Octavian and I finally got around to watching The Killing. Just finished the first season last night. I love her sweaters (too) and that she advises Jack to get something healthy from the vending machine like corn chips!
Tim says:
June 19th, 2013 at 5:29 pm
Katie! So glad you are watching The Killing! Season 3 started recently and I am all obsessed with Linden again. Still want to cook for her. ; )
Meg says:
June 19th, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Okay…I was skeptical. Wrong! This was so good. I used maybe a 1/2 cup more water – really nice weeknight meal. Perfect for a family of four with lunch leftovers! Many, many thanks!
Tim says:
June 19th, 2013 at 9:14 pm
Yay, Meg! Glad you’re a believer!
amelia says:
June 20th, 2013 at 8:07 am
If MS keeps coming out with gems like this, I’ll never let my subscription lapse!! Never!
Louise says:
June 20th, 2013 at 9:47 am
I loved your first photo. I don’t follow Martha as she’s usually busy stenciling her driveway. This is new to me too, and I must try it asap as you wouldn’t lead us astray.
Erikka says:
June 20th, 2013 at 12:07 pm
This looks like it would make rice noodles (which I substitute for the way more delicious but gluten filled pasta) taste delicious! And it’s something I will for sure try out because anything that takes longer than 20 minutes to make is not getting made at casa Yancy.
Rachel says:
June 20th, 2013 at 5:24 pm
I saw this recipe in the magazine too but have yet to try it! I am glad you had success with it so now I should get on the ball with putting it together!
Camilla @ Something Is Done says:
June 20th, 2013 at 5:52 pm
Wow, you just boil everything?! Does the onion get fully softened? I’m definitely intrigued…will have to try it just to see if it works =).
Christine says:
June 21st, 2013 at 8:30 pm
This is so amazing! I’d seen it somewhere else a week or so ago and was tempted but that’s as far as it went. Your photos make it look so delish that I can’t wait to try it, I have everything on hand! I agree, can’t believe we haven’t been making it like this all along!
Kim Lennert says:
June 22nd, 2013 at 6:48 am
Making tonight!
AP says:
June 22nd, 2013 at 9:04 am
@ItalianGirlCooks – there’s actually a famous Alain Ducasse recipe that he claims to have learned from Ligurian olive oil makers that works exactly the same way – it’s in the canon, just lesser known. Sort of a mix of risotto technique and pasta cooking. Try it!
Ms. Morgan Leigh says:
June 22nd, 2013 at 9:35 am
We made this with spaghetti by only using 3.5 cups of water!
Hannes Uys says:
June 22nd, 2013 at 10:38 am
Oh man this surely looks divine! Simple and organic.
Julie says:
June 22nd, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Just made this and it was AMAZING! I was skeptical at first but everything came together like magic. :)
Meeps says:
June 23rd, 2013 at 1:05 pm
This recipe tasted great. Would definitely resort to it again and again. However, when I do it again I would opt to leaving out the basil from the boiling stage and just adding it when ready to eat. Personally, I don’t like the sight of cooked basil and I feel the taste disappears after all that boiling.
Levynite says:
June 23rd, 2013 at 1:26 pm
I did not have any fresh herbs. Dried herbs worked just fine. I would probably add some stock as it doesn’t seem to have enough umami for me. Still, this can be filed under healthy fast food.
Dena says:
June 23rd, 2013 at 5:55 pm
YUM>
Katherine says:
June 23rd, 2013 at 8:39 pm
I love this recipe but would advise against using Ezekiel 4:9 noodles, they started to disintegrate before the sauce could thicken. Other than that I love this and the way all the flavored come together! Thank you for sharing!
Batya says:
June 23rd, 2013 at 11:40 pm
If it’s good enough for the editors of MSL in Puglia…and it’s good enough for you, I will try this one! (I’ve also pinned it! Are you really not on Pinterest? It’s terrific. It helps me keep all my recipe in order…and waste time :)
Samantha Samonte says:
June 24th, 2013 at 7:01 am
LOVE THISSSSSS! NEED THIS IN MY LIFE! =D THANK YOU.
lola says:
June 24th, 2013 at 7:52 am
i found the flavor to be delicious but it was a little gummy.. perhaps i did too much stirring? i don’t know, it left a thick sort of gummy film all over the pasta/sauce
Tim says:
June 24th, 2013 at 8:20 am
lola- hmmm. perhaps it cooked for too long? maybe try a little less water next time?
Katherine- Who knew there were bible-based noodles? maybe try it next time with heathen noodles? ; )
Glad so many of you are trying this one! Thanks for checking in!
Ryan says:
June 24th, 2013 at 10:01 am
Delicious..
http://instagram.com/p/a8A1dNoKzI/
Tim says:
June 24th, 2013 at 11:27 am
Nice work, Ryan! Looks good.
Carolyn says:
June 24th, 2013 at 4:24 pm
This was so, so good– and honestly better than most the pasta I ate in Italy last month. Thank you for sharing this!
Louise says:
June 25th, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Nice party trick, and it has a very high Goodness to Work (GTW) ratio. I used Campari tomatoes, organic DeCecco Penne, and heated vegetable stock. I read Alain Ducasse’s NYT article from 3/13/2002 for Olive Mill Pasta, and sauteed the onion but then added everything else, except basil, per Martha Stewart. It was ready by the time I made a salad (from my garden) and set the table. Another good recipe for when my garden tomatoes start ripening.
Elle says:
June 25th, 2013 at 1:45 pm
I absolutely love this blog…great find for the emerging cook!
Laura says:
June 25th, 2013 at 8:45 pm
I tried this meal for dinner last night, it was excellent…I have to admit I was a bit scared, but it didn’t disappoint! Definitely adding it to my list of ‘simple and delicious weeknight meals’
nancy says:
June 26th, 2013 at 7:29 am
Read this yesterday and went right home to try it. I was skepitcal and had leftovers for a ‘fall back’. No need – it was perfect and delicious!!! Thank you – it’s great.
The Kitchen Edition says:
June 26th, 2013 at 1:36 pm
Ha! I did this for last night’s dinner and it turned out great. I was true to form, however, and added a jar of watered down spaghetti sauce in place of the 4 1/2 cups of broth as I did not have any on hand. Thanks for sharing an easy peasy lemony squeezy dinner recipe!
Tim says:
June 26th, 2013 at 4:04 pm
Kitchen Edition- What broth? There is no broth in this recipe….
Scoot says:
June 26th, 2013 at 11:32 pm
This was wonderful.
Any tips for additions to change this from a one-pan pasta to a one-pan meal by adding some kind of protein? Is there a time in the cooking process where an egg could be cracked in, or maybe raw shrimp added, or frankly any other meat/animal product?
Thanks!
meta p says:
June 27th, 2013 at 8:42 am
Made it, ate it, and am still daydreaming about last night’s dinner here at my work desk… *big sigh*
My husband is rooting for more dinner items, since if I read about them in Flipboard on the bus on my way home, I have picked up the ingredients and am putting them together by the time he gets home. (I who typically only bake, otherwise.)
Thanks for the recipe!
Victoria in CT says:
June 28th, 2013 at 9:19 am
You don’t have to have a really large pan – just break the linguine in half
Jeanine says:
June 28th, 2013 at 1:44 pm
Made it yesterday. Loved it. Just finished eating the cold leftovers! Even better! An insanely easy, packed with flavour, dish. Thanks!
Donna says:
June 29th, 2013 at 10:51 am
This was beyond terrific for so many reasons: fast, easy, delicious, pretty, and quick clean-up. Can’t imagine going back to the “other” way again. My 88-year mother ate two bowls and can’t wait to have leftovers tonight. And thank you, Tim, for weeding out the best of the best recipes for us so that we don’t have to! This pasta goes in the KEEPERS category along with the Gnudi recipe, the Creamy Tomato Soup recipe and the Malted Buttermilk Biscuit recipe. Next attempt: Blackberry, Honey and Yogurt Pops.
Ben says:
June 29th, 2013 at 2:17 pm
Absolutely brilliant.
Tim says:
June 29th, 2013 at 6:58 pm
Glad you like it, Dr. Wiles!
Hamed says:
June 30th, 2013 at 11:15 am
I didn’t believe it first, neither my friends! But that was awesome! Loved that recipe.
Catherine says:
June 30th, 2013 at 11:16 am
Made this last night. My husband and I looooved it. I checked my pasta after a few minutes, and it was cooked when there was still a fair amount of water left so I stopped cooking so it wouldn’t overcook. The water left combined with the ingredients made a most delicious sauce. A definite keeper. Can’t wait till my garden cherry tomatoes come in so I can use them/
Amy says:
June 30th, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Okay, I admit, I’m curious. I’m going to have to give it a go x
elizabeth says:
June 30th, 2013 at 6:46 pm
I’ll admit: I was very, very skeptical of this recipe, but your endorsement plus the knowledge that it came from Martha Stewart’s kitchens (i.e. it was likely/hopefully tested extensively prior to publishing) has me curious.
asliceontheway says:
July 1st, 2013 at 3:57 pm
Nice! Can’t wait to try it. It can be revised in so many ways!
Hayley says:
July 1st, 2013 at 6:48 pm
I’m embarrassingly excited to try this over the weekend. YUM!
Liana says:
July 2nd, 2013 at 4:21 am
Ooooh this looks delish!!! I’m only worried about the onions & garlic still being raw when everything else is ready? Or am I just being silly? Will try it soon soon!
Tim says:
July 2nd, 2013 at 6:23 am
Liana- You’re being silly. ; )
SSK says:
July 2nd, 2013 at 3:36 pm
I saw this recipe mentioned in the comments to a post at The Wednesday Chef this morning. I googled and found the original plus others, including yours.
I had everything on hand except the basil, so I made it for lunch. While I realize it changed the taste a bit, I substituted a big handful of spinach just for color in the dish and sprinkled it with flat-leaf parsley to serve.
About five minutes in to the boiling I was very skeptical that the water was going to cook down enough to make it saucy rather than soupy, but it did.
Both my daughter, who like spicier food than I do, and I thought it was a little too hot, so I’ll cut back on the amount of crushed red pepper next time. Other than that it was delicious. I see this being added to my repertoire of quick pantry meals.
I do think I’ll try it with some marinara or crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce added instead of cherry or grape tomatoes. I think it would be good without the tomatoes, too — kind of like spaghetti aglio e olio.
Dustin says:
July 3rd, 2013 at 8:14 pm
I just made this for dinner for my family and we really liked it. It tasted really natural and healthy. What I liked the most is that it didn’t have meat in it. Me and my grandma aren’t vegetarians, but my mom is and it was nice to make something that we could all enjoy. My grandma liked it so much she put it in her recipe book. Thank you!
sara says:
July 3rd, 2013 at 11:05 pm
So glad you’re actually attributing the recipe, unlike any of the pins I’ve seen so far!
Pinning in support of attribution!
Mike says:
July 4th, 2013 at 6:23 am
It’s not a bad start to a dish. I made it last night. Next time I’ll probably double the tomatoes, cut down on the red pepper (for the kiddos), and as soon as the pasta is done toss it over fresh spinach.
Anne says:
July 4th, 2013 at 9:09 pm
Ok….I have to try this, but first, can I just use a one pound box of pasta? How much additional water would I add, maybe 1/2 cup? I have to feed 6 hungry people, 2 are teenaged boys…you get the picture.
Thanks Tim. Love your blog.
Anne
Mike says:
July 5th, 2013 at 9:00 am
Hi, Anne. In this recipe we’ve got 36 oz. of water for 12 oz. of pasta. (For the moment, we’re ignoring the other ingredients, and perhaps to our detriment). That leaves us with about 3 oz. of water per oz. of pasta. Increasing it to 16oz. pasta and keeping the same ratio brings us to 6 cups of water.
Now, I’ve run the calculations in two different ways, and I keep coming somewhere close to 6 cups water. Personally, I would start conservative with 5 cups of water and keep another cup handy. After a few minutes of boiling if you see that most of the water is absorbed and the pasta still isn’t cooked, then add the additional cup.
Also, if I was feeding 6, I’d make it with 2 pints of cherry tomatoes.
Jeffrey C says:
July 5th, 2013 at 11:26 am
Loved it. Felt like a grow-up healthy version of ramen noodles (stop throwing things at me for saying that people).
Felt like in the end though that it was a bit higher on the noodle-veggie ratio and will try to rectify that the next time. That may be due to the fact that I generally make pasta like Bittman: 3 parts veggies to 1 part noodles.
Tim says:
July 5th, 2013 at 12:37 pm
Hey Anne (and everyone else)- Sure! As long as you have a huge skillet, it will be fine. I would only increase the water to 5 cups…I think it will be plenty. You could add a little more of the other stuff, but I don’t think it is necessary.
Also, for the record, I want to disagree (respectfully!) about adding “more” to this. I think the beauty of the recipe is that is is simple, and slight. I don’t think it needs jars of marinara, stock, or other vegetables. It feels very Italian as it. Just some well-flavored noodles. Of course, after your first go feel free to adapt as you like, but maybe try the simple version first.
Tanya says:
July 7th, 2013 at 1:32 am
Would this work for gluten free pasta??? I am not sure … has anyone out there tried it with that?? Let me know asap! :)
kim says:
July 7th, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Made this for dinner and added shrimp……new favorite meal! No more jar spaghetti sauce for this family. Next time green peppers and black olives. Yum!!!!!!
Michelle says:
July 8th, 2013 at 9:30 am
This recipe is amazing! Even as it was cooking, I kept thinking, there’s no way. But, YES way! It was so good, and so easy. Will definitely be making this a LOT! :-)
Fran says:
July 8th, 2013 at 10:45 am
I made this for my in-laws and they loved it!!!!!
2 thumbs up here
Rebecca says:
July 9th, 2013 at 1:30 pm
I’m with Scoot because my husband, Scott, and football-playing son feel they need meat with their meal. Could I add some frozen meatballs? Or should I make them separately, which kinda defeats the one-pot ideal? Thanks, it’s a great idea, though.
Laura says:
July 9th, 2013 at 3:14 pm
wasn’t planning on this tonight – BUT I AM NOW!!!
Daisy says:
July 9th, 2013 at 4:06 pm
Added a splash of heavy cream…thickened it up and made it a bit more creamy – loved it.
Tim says:
July 9th, 2013 at 4:46 pm
Thanks for all of the updates, everyone. Glad to hear most of you are enjoying this.
Rebecca- You certainly could cook some meat separately and serve this as a side. I’m not sure how to incorporate it into the dish itself, seems tricky.
Tanya- I havent tried with gluten free noodles, hopefully someone else has and will let you know!
Lisa says:
July 10th, 2013 at 6:10 pm
This was delicious! I was a little worried about half way through that the water wasn’t going to cook all of the way down but it did. It was nice and creamy but still had a freshness with the tomatoes and basil. I was tempted to use less salt but the dish really needs the 2 tsp. that is called for. This recipe gets a 10 in my book…fast, healthy, one pot and tasty!
Christina says:
July 10th, 2013 at 9:28 pm
This seems like an awesome recipe! I definitely will be making this but I was wondering if anyone thinks I could substitute fresh garlic cloves with garlic powder.
Rebecca says:
July 11th, 2013 at 9:01 am
So last night I browned some fresh Italian sausage, then added all the ingredients in the same pan and cooked as directed. It was fantastic! I will never make it any other way again.
Lydia says:
July 11th, 2013 at 9:17 pm
Will you make one-pot meals a regular occurence?! Pretty please… this is amazing.
JSPereira says:
July 12th, 2013 at 10:41 am
I make pasta all the time at home, my husband lived in Naples for a year, so was very skeptical about this recipe! I made it last night and was awesome! Thanks from Portugal!
Nelson says:
July 13th, 2013 at 6:13 am
Tried this a while ago and got addicted!!
It is simple and delicious! Serves great as weekday dinner!
Thanks for sharing!
Natasha says:
July 13th, 2013 at 7:58 am
Tried this last night and it was DELICIOUS. SO easy and everything tastes so fresh. It’s a MUST HAVE recipe!
Janine says:
July 13th, 2013 at 3:12 pm
LOVE LOVE LOVE. I added spinach and panchetta and it was spot-on.
Sarah says:
July 13th, 2013 at 4:37 pm
I just tried this with gluten-free pasta (Bionaturae brand organic spaghetti). The sauce turned out very creamy; I added more water as needed to keep it from sticking to the pan.
Doug says:
July 14th, 2013 at 4:14 pm
That photo really sold me. Plus, the idea of a one pot dinner sounds perfect for busy people. I’m making it tonight.
Liz says:
July 15th, 2013 at 4:57 pm
Made this the other night for my girl and it was delicious! What would you think to replacing the water with veggie or mushroom stock?
Tim says:
July 15th, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Hey Liz- Glad you liked it. I wouldn’t be in interested in using stock, I like it as is. But feel free to give it a try and let us know what you think…
Ola says:
July 18th, 2013 at 4:44 am
Hey, I’ve just made that and it was soooo delicious! My mum didin’t like it but I absolutely love it! <3
sara @ Mfruit says:
July 22nd, 2013 at 12:42 pm
I’ll have to try this soon! Anytime I make pasta, I end up with 5 pots & pans in the sink.
Tammee says:
July 22nd, 2013 at 11:03 pm
Thanks for posting this!! As per Louise’s comment, I also looked up the Alan Ducasse recipe to see if I could get any inspiration since I was out of onions! Omitted said onion, but threw the sliced garlic in first with some butter and followed the rest of your recipe to a tee.
Still delicious without the onion! Could not believe how well it turned out for such easy steps. I served it with an italian sausage from Bi-rite Market on the side and dinner was made!
Renee says:
July 25th, 2013 at 8:45 am
I made this the other day and although it tasted fine, it ended up being very rich. I’m not sure what I did wrong; I followed the instructions exactly but mine ended up being real starchy and the noodles clumped together. It didn’t look anything like yours :(
susan says:
July 26th, 2013 at 6:55 pm
Made it with whole wheat noodles and added some kale – it was absolutely amazing… will become a regular part of the rotation.
Thanks!
Yvette says:
July 28th, 2013 at 1:21 am
Yes! it works, AMAZING!!! Just make sure you constantly stir the pasta or it will stick to the bottom of your pan as it thickens. Love it, will make it over and over.
Kat says:
July 28th, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Just made this and my Italian genetics are drinking wine and dancing for joy! Yummy squared, and easy to the 10th power! My family adores it as well, which is great and all, but if they didn’t, I’d make it for just me, and wolf it all down in one sitting. In fact, it’s a shame I have to share…..
Dorie says:
July 30th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Gluten free pasta (Tinkyada brand is the best) works well but it is a bit stickier. Love this recipe
Laura says:
July 31st, 2013 at 3:39 pm
I was sad when I realised I’d left my cherry tomatoes at work and couldn’t follow the recipe to the letter as planned. Happy accident: I used a tin of chopped tomatoes and adjusted the water, and wow! With the tinned tomatoes it tastes just like cannelloni. As I used gluten free pasta too it really has the texture of that dish. Amazing. I really can’t wait to try the proper recipe as you posted it. Thanks!
Aricka says:
August 12th, 2013 at 11:57 am
Making this on Wednesday (again). This was delicious and easy. I LOVE to cook, but some nights I don’t have a ton of time. Plus I love how fun, beautiful, and fresh this is… before and after!
Kimberly says:
August 14th, 2013 at 10:29 pm
I love this recipe so much! I’ve made it 3 times since you posted it and it’s just amazing. Easy, doesn’t take up too much time, and most importantly, it’s absolutely delicious. My picky-eater husband loves it to and has asked me to make it for dinner… again. So thanks for sharing this one!~ :D
chris says:
August 26th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
This method works well for me, though i had fewer ingredients (onion, broccoli/calabrese)to go with the pasta. I used a volume of water about 1 1/2 times the measured volume of pasta, which produced a nice thick sauce, enhanced with pesto stirred in near the end. I also poached an egg in a silicone poaching ‘bowl’ in the 4 minutes before it was done. It made a tasty meal and I think uses less electricity than doing the meal in 2 pans… also less washing-up! Thank you for this. I like the rest of your blog too, thanks.
Kevin says:
September 1st, 2013 at 4:32 pm
Thank for posting this recipe Tim! Add me to the list of people who experienced the following sequence of events:
1. Felt scepticism about recipe
2. Looked at all the people who experienced success
3. Tested the recipe
4. Loved the recipe and posted a note of gratitude
Izzy D says:
September 7th, 2013 at 11:28 am
Literally just made this and it looks SO good! Pretty much exactly like the photo!! :D Its really yummy as well, thanks!
Katerina says:
September 8th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
I just finished making this! We added broccoli and chicken breast (cooked separately and added at the end). I love it, but the family thinks that onions are still too crunchy for them, so next time I may start them first before adding the rest.
Erica says:
September 9th, 2013 at 6:11 pm
I was just going to opt with some ramen noodles for dinner, but when I stumbled upon this recipe, I COULDN’T resist.
I was skeptical at first and gathered the ingredients with great reluctance, but it didn’t disappoint me at all! I loved every single part of it.
I personally added a little bit of tomato sauce and some pre-cooked chicken from another night’s meal.
It was great! Thanks for posting!
carol c. says:
September 11th, 2013 at 12:38 am
thanks for the recipe! i have made it 3 times and loved it. i love how fresh it tastes. i didn’t add anything. i like it as-is. (okay, maybe a little extra garlic!) and i love the onions. i was skeptical about putting in a whole onion the first time. but if you slice them nice and thin, they just blend in with the long pasta, and they add a nice texture. however, as you might expect, this dish is only as good as your tomatoes. i think mine were too acidic 2 out of the 3 times i made it…especially this last time. anyway, when my tomatoes are good and ripe (and sweet, not acidic!), i will make it again. good for leftovers too…
carol c. says:
September 11th, 2013 at 12:43 am
oh, i meant to ask: would adding a little sugar have helped in cutting the acidity??
Lynn says:
September 11th, 2013 at 1:14 pm
Made it last night, came out perfect! What a win!
Tim says:
September 11th, 2013 at 5:05 pm
Hi Carol,
Thanks for checking in. Sugar might help, and is worth a try. I am generally not a huge fan of adding sugar to tomatoes, though I know a lot of people do this. I feel like I can always taste the lie. I think your plan to hold out for sweet tomatoes is a good one.
Charlie says:
September 16th, 2013 at 5:33 am
Well aware that I’m late to the table on this post. Saw this on Martha Stewart but did you happen to see Deb’s spin on this recipe at Smitten Kitchen? She uses farro instead of the pasta & it needs to cook just ten minutes longer. The farro version has become a staple this summer. The flavors of all the ingredients play so well together and the farro has just a bit of chew to make a really satisfying meal. Thanks for getting this post out there! Awesome dish!
Susan says:
September 16th, 2013 at 6:43 am
I saw this one pot dish in the beginning of the summer and loved it! I added thin sliced zucchini to the dish for added veggies. The recipe that I have calls for a can of diced tomatoes so I used a can of organic fire roasted tomatoes and added extra tomatoes from my garden. I also added extra cheese. So yummy!
Danielle says:
September 16th, 2013 at 9:09 am
I guess I’m late to the party because I haven’t seen or heard of this recipe before now. Nevertheless, I can’t wait to try it! Based on the number of reposts and comments, it’s bound to be a winner!
Giusy says:
September 16th, 2013 at 9:50 am
I’m italian, and this is simply shameful. This is not how we make pasta.
Tim says:
September 16th, 2013 at 11:38 am
Whoa, Giusy! You’re taking this very seriously. The recipe is Italian, the editors of the magazine discovered it while traveling in Puglia. So, apparently this is (at least sometimes) how Italians make pasta. Buon appetito!
Nari says:
September 18th, 2013 at 8:11 am
tried this last night using some minor alterations and it was delicious :)
Mary Anne says:
September 18th, 2013 at 9:52 am
Hi Tim, SO glad I checked back into the comments section of this post. Ha. Not only did I make this (didn’t add anything extra, btw!) and it was fantastic, but I am living in Florence now and went out to a fabulous and traditional restaurant the other night, where I had pasta that I am 99% sure was cooked using this method. I could just tell–the noodles had absorbed so much flavor from the rest of the dish. Believe it, Giusy!
Lucy says:
September 19th, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Just made this for dinner. My mother and brother loves it! Whenever my mom makes any pasta dish, she uses her ‘secret sauce’ so I thought I’d give it a try with this one. It works too. Haha! So glad I found this on tumblr. [:
hayat says:
September 21st, 2013 at 1:29 pm
This is actually the best thing for a lazy student like myself. Absolutely delicious!
Claire Zulkey says:
October 3rd, 2013 at 6:53 pm
I made this tonight because I’m going on a super long run tomorrow and wanted something simple and carby. I’m just mad I didn’t make this sooner! It’s really good and not just easy (and also, thank you, inexpensive and simple to prep.) Whee!
koinohana says:
October 15th, 2013 at 5:31 pm
Tried this recipe with angel hair pasta and it came out delicious!
Karine says:
October 17th, 2013 at 5:08 am
I will definitely try this recipe this week-end. Such a simple idea – looks delicious!
Kristina says:
October 18th, 2013 at 6:34 pm
This is very good ans simple! I added shrimp for extra zing.
Anna says:
October 25th, 2013 at 4:13 pm
Tim! Didn’t have time to read all the comments above, so not sure if someone already wrote this, but I made this dish (again, for like the tenth time) today but substituted two of the cups of water for chicken broth. Even tastier!!!! Just though I’d write it here in case anyone was looking for a way to mix things up.
Tim says:
October 25th, 2013 at 5:16 pm
Thanks for letting us know, Anna! Will try!
Angeli says:
November 28th, 2013 at 3:27 am
Tried this recipe when I was home from the Uni and it was sure hit! My mom,dad, sister and friends loved it! Can’t wait to make another batch soon.
Kaula says:
December 5th, 2013 at 9:06 pm
Made this for dinner tonight and loved it! I also added shrimp and used heirloom tomoatoes. Absolutely delicious! Next time however I’ll skip the red pepper – it was spicier than I would have liked. Thanks for the great recipe!
Drew says:
December 12th, 2013 at 5:59 pm
I made this for my family tonight and it was so easy and fantastic! I’m 17, and making it was super easy. The only thing was that it was a little spicy and it needed something so next time I’ll have to make some chicken or something with it. But it was super uber good and easy.
Thank you so much for sharing!!
Em says:
December 17th, 2013 at 4:59 am
I can’t get cherry tomatos, could I just use regular ones instead? Obviously, they’d need more chopping but would it still be ok?
Blee says:
December 23rd, 2013 at 8:05 pm
It’s great to see so many people loving this dish. I’m intrigued but cannot eat raw or undercooked onions or garlic. Does this cook them to where someone such as I won’t be bothered by them?
Db says:
February 11th, 2014 at 8:31 pm
Made this as written the first time, delicious. The second time I replaced some of the water with chicken broth and added arugula at the end! Yummy!
Lauren says:
February 14th, 2014 at 3:12 am
I tried this recipe last night. Both me and my boyfriend were hovering, thinking “Is this actually going to work?”. It did, and it was amazing! So simple and completely delicious.
Sarah says:
February 23rd, 2014 at 6:44 pm
Tried it with gluten-free corn flour pasta… I would not recommend it, the starch in the pasta made the sauce very (ironically) glutinous and sticky. The taste was wonderful though! Will definitely have to try with regular pasta. :)
Dita says:
April 29th, 2014 at 11:40 am
OMG! Just made this and love it. So full of flavor….! I especially enjoy the creaminess of the sauce, which you usually only find in risottos. Thanks for sharing this and greetings from Germany :)
Cassie @Kent Heartstrings says:
May 8th, 2014 at 7:34 pm
We LOVE this recipe! Our family eats this almost once a week! Great find, thanks for sharing!!
JennG says:
May 11th, 2014 at 5:30 pm
Would this recipe work doubled? It looks fabulous, but we have a large family.
JennG says:
May 11th, 2014 at 9:12 pm
Also, this sounds a lot like a dish we often got when we lived in Italy, but it usually had asparagus tips in it as well. If I wanted to add something like that, would I have to add a bit of water, too–is the liquid figured that precisely for this?
Ellen says:
May 12th, 2014 at 1:27 pm
I’ve been looking for one pot meals for our camping trip next weekend and this fits the bill. Thanks, I can’t wait to try it.