'I'm Never Making Pasta Another Way Again After Trying Martha Stewart's One-Pan Pasta Recipe'
I think most people will agree, recipes that don’t require dirtying a lot of dishes, aka one-pot meals, come in handy during the busy work week. Big on flavor yet requiring minimal prep and clean-up, these all-in-one dinners allow you more time to spend with family and less time in the kitchen.
Luckily there are quite a few options when it comes to one-pan meals, including my new favorite from the ultimate homemaking guru. Martha Stewart’s One-Pan Pasta, which made headlines in 2013, is a must-try for pasta lovers like myself! It’s seriously delicious and simple enough to make whenever a pasta craving hits.
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Related: 13 Incredible One-Pot Pasta Recipes
What makes this dish unique?
To create this tasty pasta, Stewart uses a rather interesting cooking method; one that I’ll admit I was initially skeptical about. In fact, scouring the internet there appears to be quite a few critics of this method. However, now that I have tried it for myself, I can honestly say it is super easy and absolutely makes sense!
Contrary to how pasta is typically cooked, boiled in its own separate pot, Stewart’s recipe combines all the ingredients, including the dry pasta, in one pot and allows everything to simmer together until done. Although it sounds odd, it is actually quite ingenious.
Cooking the pasta this way allows the following two things to happen:
The noodles become infused with the flavors of basil, onion and tomatoes.
The final dish is a plate of flavor-infused pasta, made silky smooth from the starch given off as the pasta cooks.
How to successfully cook Martha Stewart's One-Pan Pasta
The key to a successful one-pan dinner is, you guessed it, the pan. For this recipe, it is imperative to use a pot that has enough surface area to accommodate the water, pasta and other ingredients, without overcrowding and one that ensures the correct amount of water is absorbed by the pasta in the allotted cooking time. I used a 14-inch Hestan Chef Pan and it was the perfect size.
Speaking of time and water, depending on the brand of pasta, it can take more or less of each to reach the desired final texture. I suggest planning accordingly and reserving some water to be added toward the end of cooking, as needed. Note: it is ok and actually preferred to have a minimal amount of water still in the pot when the pasta is finished cooking. This excess water will be absorbed by the noodles in the time it takes to pass the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Oh and by the way, Do NOT skip this step! Adding this Italian cheese not only provides additional flavor but also creates an even creamier sauce.
Theresa Greco
One additional tip is to be sure and top each serving with a healthy pour of the best quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil you can find. I used Bono Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Related: 28 Best Martha Stewart Recipes
One-pan pasta variations to try
Once you master the original recipe you will want to use this method repeatedly. Some ideas for switching up recipes are:
Use a different shape of pasta; however don't forget to adjust the water, pot size and cooking time.
Instead of water, you could use broth and/or a mixture of white wine and broth.
Adding chopped greens, such as spinach or kale, towards the end of the cooking time is also a great idea.
If you want some protein adding rotisserie chicken before serving works well.
Substituting a shallot for the onion will give the final dish a milder taste.
Switch olive oil brands for a dramatic change in taste.
Ingredients for Martha Stewart's One-Pan Pasta
Theresa Greco
To make this hyped-up pasta you'll need linguine (I used Rao's Homemade Linguine Pasta), cherry or grape tomatoes, an onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper, water and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Theresa Greco
Related: Best Pasta Dinner Ideas
How to Make Martha Stewart's One-Pan Pasta
As you can see by TikToker @chloeeschueler's tutorial, this one-pot pasta is so easy to make:
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How to serve Martha Stewart's One-Pan Pasta
This delicious pasta is perfection on its own, but if you are looking for a little something extra I suggest including a simple tossed green salad. This pasta pairs well with a southern Italian red such as the Donnachiara Taurasi Aglianico.