It's one of our most popular recipes and for good reason. This is our original one-pot pasta recipe, inspired by a dish one of our food editors ate in Puglia, Italy. All the ingredients cook together in a straight-sided skillet, you don’t even need to boil water first—and it's on the table in just 20 minutes.

One-Pan Pasta

linguine

onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

garlic,

red-pepper flakes

basil, plus torn leaves

extra-virgin olive oil,

salt and pepper

water

Parmesan cheese,

Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons 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.

This dish was so good - so easy - and SO DELICIOUS.  The whole house smelled amazing!
I had fresh pasta, not dried - &amp; partially dry basil, not fresh ....  so my version was a little "juicier" - but the taste was great -  I missed the color vibrancy of the fresh green basil- but hey - it was a Tuesday night !!!
This was exactly as Martha billed it - I cannot wait to do it again without the week-day "hacks" ....   but I love that the dish stood up to my pantry limitations!!!

This recipe is great, but do not be a fool like me and substitute regular pasta for  gluten free pasta with this dish. It turned my fresh ingredients into a starchy, sloppy nightmare. If you need to use gluten free pasta, cook the pasta separately (with about 5 times more water), drain, and then set aside whilst the other ingredients cook for the sauce. Add in a few splashes of the pasta water to the sauce so that it isn't dry. Mix to serve, and it works a treat.

We just cooked this for a family of 5 to induce our new 6qt saute pan. The texture is unusual for pasta, with just the right amount of water left over from the cooking ... unusual but we absolutely loved it. Particularly great with a generous amount of good parmesan. With three teenagers I would say multiply the recipe by 2.5.

I've made this several times with fresh tomatoes as well as with a can of diced tomatoes. Sauté the onions first for richer flavor.
QUESTION: can this be made in a slow cooker? What changes would need to be made and for how long would it cook? I hope someone can help me with this...

Made this last night. Very fast, very easy. Tasted like the red pepper flakes. Not great, and barely good.

UNBELIEVABLY good and simple.  Yes- this is the one pasta recipe that everyone should have in their recipe collection!!

Love how easy it all comes together. Next time, I will sautee the onions and garlic first.

I have made this numerous times and the only difference is I add shrimp or kielbasa.  Thanks!

I added a small cubed eggplant from the garden and some stuffed green olives, too. Next time I'd reserve some of the water to add at the end; mine was too broth-y. But delicious.

I've made this several times and I love it. Easy, takes just a few minutes to gather the ingredients and make it. My family loves it.

Very tasty and easy. I like heat, but the red pepper was almost too much for me, so I'll cut back next time. I prefer capellini, so I boiled the sauce for 4 minutes and added the pasta for the last 5. I added veg and garlic Better Than Bouillon per other reviews. Found I needed to add a little water once done cooking so pasta didn't stick together. Will make this again trying other veggies like eggplant, squash, or mushroom. Great easy dinner!

I’ve made this recipe many times.  It always turns out great!  The quality of pasta does make a difference, but it’s still great no matter what.

The red pepper was fine when used fresh but if you have leftovers depending on how long they are kept the pepper tends to permeate and dominate the flavor.  I recommend avoid using red pepper in  this otherwise excellent recipe.  Plum tomatoes are an excellent substitute and it also works with canned tomatoes, adjust for liquid.  Zucchini is an excellent addition and cooks nicely in the nine minutes.  I have used Bok Choi, spinach and broccoli as additions.  I have also used dried basil and oregano.  This recipe is so versatile, quick and easy, it can be a main course or a side dish.  I usually use linguini but I guess any pasta may be suitable with minor adjustment to cooking time.

I thought the red pepper made it too spicy and other than that is was pretty bland.  I will try it again with chicken stock instead of water.

I love this recipe! I substitute chicken broth for water and add diced zucchini and it’s my go to for a fast easy dinner or lunch.

I have made this several times now.  As there are
I have made this several times now but half the ingredients. It still makes plenty for this over 65 household of two.  My husband claims to dislike spaghetti but devours this.  Today I baked premade pork meatballs to serve alongside.  It’s easy to Amp up the vegetables by adding spinach.  Quick way to get a meal on the table with a minimal mess.

Flat. This recipe needs something "more" to give it flavor, it's pretty bland as written. Maybe I'll add some anchovy paste next time.

Has become a quick go to meal. I'm always surprised at how easy it is to make and how tasty it is.

Delicious and quick. I use vegetable broth in place of the water and cut out the red pepper flakes.

This is a great, quick dinner. I've made it before but tonight used chicken stock as another reviewer suggested--a good tip. I think the key to success is to use a boil robust enough to cook down the liquid without turning the pasta to mush. Turning the pasta regularly is important. I crisp up a few slices of prosciutto in the pan, then remove them before adding the other ingredients. When serving, I crumble the crispy prosciutto over the pasta along with the parmesan and the basil.

This is one of the worst recipes I have ever tried. I was leery of making anything with uncooked pasta and I was right. It's a starchy, nauseating mess and a waste of good food.

This was a great recipe to use some of our fresh garden vegetables! I added some chopped fresh spinach to the recipe at the end as well which added color and nutrition. Even my meat loving husband liked it and stated it had a lot of flavor. I will make this again!

I love this recipe! I use chicken stock in place of the water and more tomatoes. Tonight I’ve added fresh ginger!

I lightly sautéed the onions before adding everything else to the pan. Since we have a lot of ripe tomatoes in the garden right now I used chopped heirloom tomatoes rather than cherry tomatoes, and I used about double the amount the recipe called for. We loved it. I was planning to serve the leftovers for lunch but our visiting nephew ate the remainder for breakfast today! I've also made it strictly according to the recipe and it is very good but we like it a bit more this way. Either way, it's easy and very satisfying.

This was such an easy &amp; delicious dish! I'm not usually a big fresh-tomato fan, but I've been trying to expand my culinary horizons. I used Better Than Bouillon vegetable base in the water to pump up the flavor (and avoid needing to add additional salt and pepper at the end), but other than that, I followed the recipe as listed. I used the absolute cheapest pasta I could get, as I'm on a budget, and it still turned out phenomenal. The flavors are well-balanced (with just a little bit of spice from the red pepper flakes). I'll absolutely be making this again!

I made it exactly as it said and it was great!! A new family favorite!

I've been making this recipe (as written) for several years. I use Whole Foods organic linguine and it is always so good. Perfect to whip up for dinner guests. I can see why lower quality pasta might not work as well. Highly recommended.

I was surprised by how simple this dish was! It ends up being very tasty and with a lot of flavor because of the garlic and basil.I think I might have added some more basil than the original recipe. Amazing for those nights when you don't feel like cooking or don't have much time.

I have been an aficionado of this one-pot pasta dish for a couple of years.  A truly good-tasting and good-looking for-company dinner.  Makes it look like you know what you are doing.  I serve it in a really big shallow bowl.  So pretty and inviting. I DO increase the pasta to a whole pound, and the other ingredients appropriately.  Often I add shrimp after the pot is done, with a cover on the pot, OFF the heat for a few minutes until the shrimp cook with just the residual heat form the already-done meal.   So good

I am an 11 year old boy living in Singapore, I was surprised about the simplicity of this dish. Its really easy and it was big on flavour. I added some prawns, capsicum and mushrooms. I astonished my family. Even my mom did not know that pasta can be cooked like that. Thank you for sharing such and amazing recipe. Hope you have more coming my way!

                                       Ethan Ong, Singapore

We've been wanting to make this for several weeks, and finally did it last night for our weekly "mid-afternoon Sunday supper". Having read many of the comments, I was worried about the texture and starchiness. So we bought the best pasta we could find in the gourmet section of our local supermarket (we live in Oaxaca, Mexico). I THINK HIGH QUALITY PASTA IS THE SECRET TO THIS RECIPE. IT WAS FANTASTIC! It doesn't call for many ingredients (but all of the ingredients need to be top-notch quality) and comes together so quickly. Although we made it exactly as written, we spent the dinner fantasizing about variations we'd like to try.

This was a fantastic dish, the sauce came out silky and smooth. I  added extra basil, garlic, and finished it with freshly grated Parm. I'm not sure what all the hubbub is about this particular dish?? I'm an Italian girl, raised on fresh authentic Italian food, and I would highly recommend this. Lot of bright vibrant flavors.

This is good.  I saute theonion and garlic and add the water, and bring it to a boil before adding pasta.  And for those saying an Italian would NEVER do this look up pasta risottata.

I make this recipe at least twice a month. I make it exactly as written and its a hit every single time. My pasta has never turned out badly (slimy gluey etc) as others have commented. If you do what she says, you will have a wonderful result. Don't buy low quality pasta. Bon appetit.

I thought this dish was really easy to make and fast.  I followed the 2 other reviewers advice and cooked the pasta separately for about 7 minutes, drained almost all of the water, and then added it to my already cooking tomatoes, garlic and onions.   I really enjoyed this dish.

Great recipe! Similar to old family recipe that is much loved; with few changes passed down from my mother of Dutch Irish decent. We use tortillas instead of pasta, and add seasoned browned ground beef. We also use cilantro instead of basil. Some times it takes 2 pans. We also substitute queso fresco for the Parmesan. We roll it all up in the tortilla and its great. My mother called it a burrito. I think it is latin for: if you have a recipe to share get your own website.

Eeks! This is suspiciously close to a recipe I've been making for over a year now:  http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/05/italian-wonderpot/

This recipe has too much garlic for any italian to bear! I made my own version. I just put in oil, onion and (less) garlic over low heat until the onion is quite soft and trasparent, add the tomatoes, sauté them for just a half a min, than pour in all the other ingredients with boiling water to cover, and add more until pasta is al dente. I turn off the fire, add more oil and parmesan cheese. It's kind of a crossover between Martha's recipe and an italian one called "pasta risottata". Very good!

Horrid. Starch from pasta permeates sauce and makes it slimy. Cook pasta separately. Drain. Add to sauce. Yes, two pots but SO much better!! Don't be so lazy!

Great concept, horrid outcome. The starch from the pasta has to go somewhere. It goes into the 'sauce', giving it a nasty, viscous quality which completely ruins the dish. Cook pasta al debate in rapidly boiling, salted water. Drain and add to sauce ingredients. How hard is that, really? Do not fall for this short-cut. It results in an inedible plate of pasta. Sadly.

I absolutely LOVE this dish for several reasons. The kids could make it on their own. The colors are beautiful in the finished dish. The taste is amazingly fresh and vibrant. I substituted one cup of Chardonnay for a cup of water and added mushrooms. It really is a very versatile dish that was extremely quick and easy.

NEEDS SOMETHING? 

I Added a can of artichoke hearts (quarted) and a handful of capers but methinks this needs a bacon or ham to zip it to the next level. I will say that the nine minutes ( I used 8) was pretty spot on in terms of the pasta being al dente........  So I think a half cup of  a flavorful meat, diced in small bits could make a difference

Actually  this recipe came from Italy and  is absolutely delicious. My family loves it. Thanks so much for sharing !

The only way one can love this starchy tasting result I assume is growing up somewhere where mothers purchase spaghetti dinners for their kids in cans. Won't you just learn how to cook!

I saw this recipe months ago and have been making one pan pasta whenever I'm feeling lazy after work and I was surprised when I came back and saw all the negative comments. I do make a few changes; I sauté my veggies first, add warm water and tomato paste, and add my pasta at first boil. From there, just use your judgment to make sure the pasta isn't overcooked. Any additional water usually evaporates and leaves a nice thick sauce after you take it off the burner. Give it a another chance! :)

Despite the negative comments made, I made this and absolutely love it! You have to make the dish exactly how she does or it will not turn out!

This is absolutely disgusting, everything was mushy and flavorless. It's not like making pasta is a chore so it's not like this is some sort of amazing time saving dish. Just make pasta like you normally would and spend a little extra time making a decent dish instead of a disgusting dish.

I made this!  It was gross and did NOT turn out as pictured! It was just a waste of hard earned money!

I tried this recipe last night. I cooked it just until the water boiled down enough to form a sauce, but the pasta came out mushy. I don't believe you can properly cook pasta by putting it in cold water, and considering you have to cut up a bunch of fresh ingredients for this recipe anyway, using an extra pot to cook the pasta in isn't exactly a big deal.

I found this recipe while surfing on Facebook. In fact this recipe is quickly gaining a lot of views by Italians who are laughing at it simply because NO ITALIAN WOULD NEVER EVER COOK DIRECTLY IN THE POT !!! The reason why has already been explained other comments,  nevertheless I liked to share my personal disappointment for such a LOW GRADE of MISINFORMATION ! 
Sorry Mrs. Stewart, but you failed on the very basics of the Italian kitchen! And if you cannot even decently cook some pasta, then...

I thought it was delicious with all the right flavors. I was worried about gloppiness using gluten free pasta but I boiled gluten free penne al dente ahead of time, sautéed the ingredients a few minutes before pasta finished and then stirred in the pasta at the end. Only used half the amount of red pepper and had a perfectly spicy kick without being overpowering. Will make regularly!

This is great! Don't forget the Parmesan at the end. It makes the dish so creamy.

This is so delicious. Very flavorful! I add a couple more garlic cloves and cook a bit longer than it says.

I made this last night and it was awesome.  I didn't have fresh tomatoes from the garden so I used Dei Fratelli diced tomatoes.  I also brought all items to a boil except the pasta and then added the pasta and cooked till done.  Next time I'm going to add shrimp in the last 3 minutes or so.

Remember, the REAL pasta is made by not enriched durum wheat flour and water ONLY (if the wheat comes from Chernobyl neighbor you will be luminescent night time), linguine and not linguini and, for end, in Italy we don´t know who the damned Alfredo is. And now my recipe: it  takes 9 minutes too,  cook the ingredients in a straight-sided skillet and at the same time boil the linguine in a separated pot for 8 minutes, drain the pasta and add to the ingredients and cook for a minute more, done.

Yet another Martha favourite of mine.  Quick easy, nutritious and delicious.  Thank you.

stop torturing the poor pasta, go to mc donalds instead

I thought this was decent. I don't know what is a better word than decent. It was quite delicious for the simplicity of putting it together, and the ingredients involved. My family thought it was decent, a bit on the average side - not as excited about it as I was. They didn't like the onions as much as I did. I'll have to review the comments to find pointers for enhancing the flavors but SO EASY for a homemade weeknight dinner.

This recipe is so easy to make and so so yummy.

Have made this several times. It's a go-to Meat-Free Monday dish in our house. We love it! Instead of water, I use 4 cups of veggie broth and 1/2 cup of Marsala wine. Sometimes, I'll mix in a dollop or two of ricotta cheese for extra creaminess. Mmmmmmm!!!!!!

This is a lovely recipe - the combined flavours of garlic. basil &amp; chilli are wonderful. I served it with a side salad - relish &amp; filling.

I tried this last night and was excited about it, but ended up being very disappointed. I think because you don't drain any water/only add enough to cook it through, the starchy cooking water just makes the sauce like paste. And if I tried to thin it out, it wouldn't have had enough flavor. Anyhow, long story short, I wouldn't recommend it. Too bad, because it sounded like a good idea.

Overall, I love this recipe! I really didn't expect for it to have as much flavor as it did. But like many others, it was a bit spicy so next time I may scale back on the red pepper flakes and garlic. I definitely want to try it with other veggies as well such as broccoli and/or spinach. But if you're looking for a simple meal with easy prep and cook time---this is definitely a winner!

I made this but changed it up a little.. I used everything in recipe but used 4 1/2 cups of clam juice instead of water and added 4 cans of chopped clams..When I make it next time I think I will add some shrimp.. It was the best....tasted soooo good!!!!

Not sure what all the raving is about.  I found this recipe to be quite bland and I will not be making this one again.  It was very easy to prepare; however, easy doesn't necessarily equate to wonderful in my kitchen.  Two thumbs down.

This is the 2nd time I have made it with whatever I have on the shelf. It is excellent, great taste, easy to make and always comes out great. Yes this would be great for a date nite.. I put some fresh mozzarella in the pan to melt and its sooooo good! Thanks Martha!!!

This is not how you cook pasta: as an Italian citizen, I feel offended.

I downloaded this book in my kindle the day it was released. I read it, bookmarked recipes, and promptly forgot all about it.  This is the first recipe I've made and it's a good start.  First and foremost, it's super easy. It's literally a one-pot meal.   I love tomato and basil, and often turn to pasta for fast food at home.  I did use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and I think it adds another dimension of flavor.  It's a keeper!

I so wanted to like this cook, forgot her name, but every recipe one of her recipes that I tried tasted like you know what, so sorry. This one looks forgettable too.

DON'T USE GLUTEN FREE PASTA!! I made this for my family a couple nights ago and it did not work! The gluten free pasta turned into a gummy-like flavorless ball. I think it would be yummy otherwise, but don't make the same mistake as I did.

Turned out great! Just remember to add more water if you use an entire box of pasta.  Definitely a keeper recipe, especially now that my daughter is vegetarian.  You can read my review at www.frugalfunlife.com.

So easy to make, my 13-year-old son made it for dinner all by himself!

I liked it!  It was very creamy as others have said and I think the cheese is overkill because it's creamy without it and so I would prefer to eliminate the dairy and extra calories.  I just wonder how to add shrimp. Should they be fried separately with garlic and added at the end?  Or I suppose cooked shrimp could be thrown in at the end to get some of the flavor of the dish.  I want to try it with broccoli and also with frozen green peas. Feel like it needs something besides basil.

Don't be alarmed by how it looks when it's done. Lots of flavor and minimal  effort. It's going in the keeper  binder.

This dish was a delicious surprise! The starch from the pasta made for a creamy consistency. I'm glad I tried this and will make again.

I make this recipe all the time but made some changes without realizing I did as I did it from memory!  I didn't have fresh tomatoes so I added 1 -15oz can of tomatoes, 3 cups of water, 1 chicken or vegetable bouillon cube and the juice of a lemon.    I skip the onions.  I use thin spaghetti  and break it in half.  Put all the ingredients in the pot with the spaghetti last.  Bring to a boil, then turn to low put on the lid and cook for 9 minutes.  Never had a failure.

Delicious and as easy as stated. Visiting my daughter in her tiny studio apt in Paris....only has two burners (no oven) and thought it would be a good time to try it out.  I was surprised how much flavor was released without precooking the garlic or onion.....used as a side to braised pork chops and it was as good as it was visually appealing. I will make again for company!!

I saw this on the Martha Stewart cooking show and I loved the idea of a fresh tomato sauce. I have never been able to make a decent sauce, but this was easy and it tastes amazing! I am gluten free and I tried to make it a 1 pot cooking dish, but it didn't work out. I guess the gluten free pasta starches caused it to be SUPER thick and gooey. I have to cook the pasta separate, but that's ok. It's still easy enough and it tastes good.

Loved this at first sight!  Made it that night and have made it several times since.  Delicious, easy, fast and healthy!  What  more could you ask for?

Wonderful recipe! I've made it multiple times and is a family favorite. Lighter, fresher and more filling than just a plain jarred pasta sauce.

I followed the recipe exactly and thought it was a little spicy.  Overall I liked it a lot and will make it again.  Next time I'll use less of the crushed red pepper, or shake a little on when serving.

I don't understand the negative reviews and results from this extremely simple and satisfying one pot meal. I can only think that people didn't not buy the best, freshest ingredients possible and did not time the recipe properly. I followed the recipe exactly and ended up with a very delicious and fresh tasting pasta dish in 20 minutes. It's important to check the pasta a minute or two before the time is up to check for doneness. I will definitely make this again. A real keeper!

I LOVE how easy this recipe is! Chop, slice, dunk, boil, season and you're ready to go. Plus it's got a really fresh taste to it... so yummy. It was so good and easy we had it two days in a row :) Oh and because it's such a simple recipe, you can add on stuff to customize it.

Made this last night. It was delicious!!
I also used whole grain pasta. I also used a shallot instead of the onion as I had that at home and swapped the last 1/2 cup of water for 1/2 cup of white wine.
Cooking doesn't get easier than that, and fast and very tasty!
I'll be making this over and over again.

I have tried this using whole grain pasta, and it was great. The pasta is more robust, so held up better without turning mushy or gummy, yet was softer than whole wheat pasta usually is when just cooked alone. It also adds a bit more protein and fiber. I would recommend it. Great recipe--I love easy food!

Genius recipe!
I adapted this to a cup of barley. Was a wonderfully divine &amp; sophisticated barley risotto with little effort.

If the recipe came out "gummy", you cooked it too long… aldente!  And play with your spices to adjust to your liking.  This is great with all the "fresh" flavors - garlic, basil, EVO, tomato…. and a little heat.  And yes, shrimp are a nice addition.

while it was fun to try cooking a one-pot pasta i can't say it was anything all that tasty. i used fresh ingredients and followed the recipe exactly. if i do try making it again i'd halve the amount of pepper flakes, maybe half the amount of olive oil–or even eliminate it–and add some protein like shrimp. this is just too many carbs for a main dish to be considered healthy. i have a one-pan pasta recipe from an old magazine i've made several times and i'll go back to that one as it is fantastic.

Love it....I added capers and sliced klamata olives and no salt.  Make sure you follow the steps, pasta goes first, then etc.   You can also add some prawns or shrimp, and the red pepper flakes really made a difference, I added more on my plate.

I made this last night and it was good!  No flavor overpowered another, I could taste all of the great fresh ingredients &amp; I still picked up on the spiciness of the red pepper flakes.  I think this would have tasted GREAT if I had paid more attention to the measurements.  I didn't have a way to measure the amount of pasta I put in &amp; I think that might be contributing to the "gumminess" others mentioned because I overcooked the pasta while waiting for the remaining water to evaporate/cook away.

We LOVE this recipe!  I don't know how people are rating it low, if you follow the directions it's as easy as easy can be, and the leftovers are delish!  Even my small children enjoy it.  I use a scant 1/2 tsp of the red pepper flakes and it's not too spicy.

I did not like this. The flavor was not great, just spicy, and I found that once it started cooling down it got gummy. The leftovers were practically inedible... Perhaps, as others have mentioned, my ingredients were not up to par. But I will not be trying this again--it just isn't worth it!

Made it for dinner tonight without the pepper flakes. It was quick, easy and pretty good. My husband says he could eat it every-other day and be happy. Next time I may add sliced zucchini half-way through the cooking and/or a can of cannellini beans or chickpeas. I don't know why some people had it come out gummy, perhaps they cooked it too long…?

Made it for tonight's dinner but didn't use the pepper flakes. Quick &amp; easy meal. May add sliced zucchini mid-way through cooking next time or even a can of beans. It may not be a gourmet meal but it's certainly good if you are in a hurry or don't want to hang around the kitchen for hours. Hubby said I could make it every other day and he'd be happy.

It's one-pan pasta,not boil pasta in one pot and veggies in another. The first time was a little off for me as well but I tweaked it slightly and very delicious ever since. It's one of my favorite go to dishes in a time crunch. My 4 year old twins love to help prepare and eat! Thanks to my wife and you for awesome recipe. Look forward to other dishes.

This tasty one-pot pasta dinner couldn't be easier to make—all of your ingredients cook in one large-sided skillet. 

one-pan pasta

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total: 20 minutes

Author : Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Instructions

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