One Pot Pasta Recipes Make a Delicious Dinner with Minimal Cleanup
Make these one-pot pasta recipes when you're in need of an easy dinner without a ton of dishes to wash afterwards.
Ready for an easy, hearty, comforting meal? Just pull out one pan and your favorite noodles to make these one pot pasta recipes! We're sharing dinner-ready ideas for classic spaghetti, skillet lasagna, Chinese noodles, and even chicken alfredo soup. Many of these recipes call for just 20 minutes of prep time making them perfect for busy weeknight meals.
One-Pot Spaghetti
Almost like spaghetti and meatballs, this classic one pot pasta recipe combines tender noodles with a comforting meat sauce. Rather than pulling out a skillet to make the sauce while the pasta boils, everything cooks together, which helps the noodles soak up extra tomato flavor. Top with plenty of Parmesan cheese to complete this cozy weeknight recipe.
One-Pot Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is one of the ultimate comfort meals, and when you want comfort, you want easy too. Cook the noodles first, then melt Swiss and American cheeses together in the same pot to make the smooth, velvety sauce. Toasted breadcrumbs (also from the same pot) add a little extra decadence to this one pot meal.
One-Pot Giardiniera-Pepperoni Pasta
Can’t decide between pizza and pasta for dinner? This one pot pasta combines the best of both recipes into one easy meal. Pizza sauce and tomato paste take the place of traditional pasta sauce, and pepperoni, giardiniera, and mozzarella cheese mix-ins make every bite of tender pasta taste like a slice of the best pizza.
Pan Pasta with Sausage
Use one skillet to cook the sausage and red peppers, then cook the pasta with chicken broth to punch up the flavor. Stir in mustard greens at the end (they’ll wilt just like spinach) for an extra serving of veggies. This super simple one pot pasta recipe serves six, so there might even be enough for leftovers the next day.
Chili-Pasta Skillet
BHG / Crystal Hughes
Savor all the flavor of your favorite chili recipe, only add in pasta and make it ready to serve in just 35 minutes. This one pot pasta recipe delivers all of the above. A combo of ground beef and red kidney beans pack this weeknight meal with protein, while Monterey Jack cheese adds a little gooey deliciousness in each bite.
One-Pot Ham and Greens Pasta
20 minutes, seven ingredients, and one pot are all you need for this recipe. Using cooked ham and quick-cooking mustard greens speeds up the process and adds a healthy dose of protein and veggies. Your choice of Asiago or Parmesan adds just the right amount of gooeyness.
Skillet Lasagna
Amazing lasagna doesn’t have to be a multi-pan undertaking. This one pot pasta recipe makes a delicious turkey lasagna in just 30 minutes. The key is using quick-cooking ingredients like ground turkey and egg noodles, and combining it all with pasta sauce, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese.
Spicy Chinese Chicken and Noodles
Spice up one pot pasta recipes with this dish featuring sambal oelek, a hot Asian chili paste, and red chiles. They both bring a little fire to this chicken, noodle, and peanut dish. If it doesn’t bring enough heat for you, triple up on spice and top it off with Sriracha sauce.
Cauliflower-Bacon Shells and Cheese
This one pot pasta recipe is pretty close to mac and cheese, but punched up with a few extra ingredients. Bacon and cauliflower cook in the same pot as the pasta and cheese sauce, and add both richness and a healthy serving of veggies to the meal. If you have a house full of bacon lovers, make a little extra to sprinkle on top at the end.
Fettuccine Alfredo Soup
Fettuccine Alfredo usually takes multiple pans, but when you turn it into a soup, everything cooks together in one pot. Chicken broth makes up the base of the soup, but half-and-half and Parmesan cheese help make it creamy and delicious, just like Alfredo sauce. This one pot chicken pasta recipe is the best way to warm up on a cozy night.
Pesto Penne with Deli-Roasted Chicken
It really doesn’t get any easier than this one pot pasta recipe with pesto and chicken. The only cooking you have to do is boiling the pasta–otherwise, this recipe calls for rotisserie chicken and purchased pesto to keep everything super simple. Just toss it all together, heat, and eat!
Ham and Pea Tortellini
Using leftover ham majorly speeds up the cook time for this one pot pasta recipe. Ready in just 20 minutes, this easy dinner combines peas and arugula with a simple, creamy, cheesy sauce. It’s bright, savory, and rich all at the same time!
Chicken Taco Pasta
If you’re not a huge time crunch to get dinner on the table, this is one of the best one pot chicken pasta recipes to make. It’s ready in about an hour, but only 25 minutes of that is hands-on prep. Plus, it’s hard to beat chicken breast, ziti, and all of your favorite taco toppings combined in one pot to make a spicy, cheesy delicious chicken pasta.
Pressure Cooker Ziti with Italian Chicken Sausage
A pressure cooker is a great way to quickly get dinner on the table, and its multiple functions make it a great option for a one pot pasta recipe. You can saute the chicken sausage, peppers, and tomatoes first, then stir in the pasta and bring it up to pressure. Top off with fresh ingredients like basil to brighten up the flavors.
