• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • italian
    • How To
    • entertaining
  • about
  • Shop
    • Amazon Prime Day
  • Contact
  • Josie + Nina
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
Josie + Nina

Josie + Nina

Cozy comfort food with a touch of Italian old school cool

  • a white bowl with ravioli and tomato sauce and a white fork
    Easy Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onion

    Perfect with gnocchi, a filled pasta like ravioli or a classic spaghetti, Easy Tomato Sauce…

  • meatball sandwich on a roll with a black and white gingham napkin, silverware and a bowl of parmesan on a dark background
    Homemade Italian Meatballs

    Authentic, homemade Italian meatballs that are tender, easy to make and don't take all day…

  • blue plate with fettucine alfredo and basil sprinkled on the plate with a spoon of parmesan, a bowl of cheese and blue polka dot salt and pepper shakers
    Butter and Cream Sauce

    An easy authentic Alfredo sauce, this Butter & Cream Sauce uses light cream and can…

  • two bowls of pasta with tomato sauce and bowl of meatballs and cheese
    Homemade Italian Red Sauce

    The LBD of tomato sauce. This homemade Italian red sauce is so versatile and classic.…

  • sheet pan of baked focaccia with tomatoes in it and a bowl of salt and piece of focaccia on a black and white plate
    Italian Focaccia Recipe

    Homemade focaccia is easy and so rewarding with this one bowl sheet pan recipe. With…

Home » Recipe » Italian » One Pan Pasta with Tomatoes and Garlic

One Pan Pasta with Tomatoes and Garlic

Comfort Food, Italian January 23, 2021 · Updated: January 29, 2021 · 2 Comments

  • Facebook
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Pinterest pin with text easy fast dinner and one pan pasta recipe and a skillet of pasta with cooked tomatoes and parmesan cheese

Cook pasta right in the sauce —all in one pan. This One Pan Pasta Recipe solves the problem of what to put on pasta when you have no sauce. Cook the pasta in a sauce of fresh tomatoes, a little onion and sliced garlic for an easy weeknight dinner. You’ll be eating in under thirty minutes! Inspired by Martha Stewart.

cast iron skillet with rigatoni, tomatoes, parmesan cheese on a dark background

A while back —so far back it was pre-Pinterest or smart phones —I came across a one pot pasta recipe from the Queen, Martha Stewart (I know she’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but you can’t deny she knows her stuff). I shoved said recipe into a big accordion file where it sat but never quite left my mind. The idea of pasta cooked in sauce was something I always wanted to try but was contrary to everything I learned from the real Josie and Nina. It took a whole house move to resurrect this idea and now that I’ve done it, I just had to share my version of One Pan Pasta.

Cook pasta right in the sauce

You are smart. You know why this sounds like a good idea. But let’s be honest…boiling water and making pasta is easy, right? Perfect example is this Lemon and Garlic Bucatini. So why should we want to make pasta without sauce?

  • Big Flavor. You will not believe how easy much flavor pasta absorbs when cooked right in the sauce. And this sauce is just built from tomato, onion, garlic and thyme. It doesn’t get more flavorful than that!
  • Authentic. When I say authentic, I don’t mean that’s how my grandmas would have done it but I mean that it doesn’t involve opening a jar of sauce and dumping it on pasta and calling that dinner. And it’s clean eating meaning you know the ingredients in the sauce because you put them there.
  • Time. While making pasta isn’t a big time sucker, making the sauce can be. So cooking your pasta right in the sauce saves time. And equipment. Speaking of which…
  • Easy clean-up. One pan, one utensil. Easy clean-up. You’ll be on the couch, pasta bowl in hand, watching the next episode of Bridgerton in no time.
cast iron skillet filled with raw rigatoni, white onion, heads of garlic, fresh thyme and grape tomatoes and a small skillet of broth

What kind of pan do I need?

Any wide skillet with high sides and a lid will work but the key here is higher sides to accomodate for all the liquid needed to cook the pasta. Here are some options:

  • Lodge Large Cast Iron Skillet. This is what I’m using.
  • All Clad Essentials Pan. One of my all time favs.
  • The Always Pan by One Place. Has a huge cult following.
  • Rachael Ray Create Delicious Hard Anodized Deep Skillet

Speaking of cooking the pasta, let’s get down to shapes and sizes.

Best type of pasta for a one pot recipe

If I recall (and I purposely didn’t consult Martha’s recipe because I wanted to just manifest her 😉), Martha used a spaghetti noodle. I used rigatoni because I really like al dente pasta (which means to the tooth) and thought it had a better chance of staying that way while absorbing all the great flavors. Other ones to try:

  • shells
  • cavatappi – my favorite is this one by DeCecco.
  • fusilli
  • cast iron skillet with onions and garlic being sauteed
    1
  • cast iron skillet with cooked tomatoes, onions and garlic and a wooden spatula
    2

Cook pasta in the sauce

Assemble all of your ingredients and let’s make some pasta.

  • Saute onions over low heat for about five minutes adding garlic at the end (1).
  • Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until they burst (2).
  • chicken stock and wine being poured into cast iron skillet filled with raw pasta and tomatoes
    3
  • cast iron skillet filled with uncooked rigatoni, chicken broth and grape tomatoes
    4
  • Top with pasta (3) and enough chicken broth to cover the pasta (4). Put a lid on the whole thing and cook for about 15-20 minutes until the pasta is al dente and has absorbed most of the liquid. Add some butter right at the end to bring it all together.

FAQ’s

What if I don’t have fresh thyme?

You can use dried but use just 1 teaspoon. Or use basil instead. Or leave the herbs out all together.

Can I leave out the wine?

Absolutely! For a little acidity, add a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice.

Can I use canned tomatoes?

Sure thing! Mutti makes a canned cherry tomato that would work great here. While I haven’t used a whole canned tomatoes for this recipe, I think they’d work as well.

pat of butter on pan of rigatoni and tomatoes in a cast iron skillet

Make Ahead, Storing, Freezing

Make ahead / reheating

Best made before serving but I get that when the craving hits, it hits. 

  • Make the dish earlier in the day without the parmesan.
  • Right before serving, put the pasta in the pan on the stove.
  • Add a little broth to loosen things up and heat. 
  • Top with parmesan cheese.

Storing

In an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Freezing

This dish is best enjoyed and made all in the same day.

cast iron skillet with rigatoni, tomatoes, parmesan cheese on a dark background
5 from 1 vote

One Pan Pasta with Tomatoes and Garlic

Print Recipe
Cook pasta right in the sauce all in one pan. You'll never eat jarred pasta sauce again!
Prep Time:5 mins
Cook Time:30 mins
Total Time:35 mins
Servings 4

Equipment

  • covered skillet with high sides

Ingredients
 

  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups grape tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
  • ½ cup dry white wine, like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
  • 4 cups dry rigatoni pasta, can use fusilli or cavatappi
  • 3 cups chicken broth, or more (see note below)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • fresh grated parmesan cheese
  • crushed red pepper, optional
  • fresh basil, optional

Instructions

  • With heat to medium high, heat a 4 qt. (or 12") skillet with a tight fitting lid and high sides I use either this Lodge Cast Iron Skillet or the All Clad Essentials Pan.
  • Add olive oil and after a minute add chopped onion. Saute for 5 minutes until lightly golden. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds until you can smell it. You don't want it to brown or burn.
  • Add tomatoes to skillet along with ½ teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until blistered and the tomatoes pop, about 10 minutes.
  • Pour in the wine and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the uncooked pasta to the pan. Pour over the chicken broth using more if needed to cover the pasta. Add the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ¾ teaspoon of pepper.
  • Sprinkle over the chopped thyme. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
  • Simmer for 15-20 minutes stirring periodically. Check after 10 minutes to see how the pasta is cooking and absorbing the sauce.
    You'll want almost all of the liquid to be absorbed. Remove the lid if needed for the last few minutes.
  • Add the butter and stir until thickened. See note below if you need the sauce a little thicker.
  • Sprinkle over fresh parmesan and basil/crushed red pepper (if using).

Notes

To make the recipe vegetarian. Substitute vegetable or mushroom stock.
If you end up with two much liquid. The broth to pasta ration is roughly 1:1 but keep an eye as it cooks. If there appears to be too much sauce, remove a 1/2 cup liquid and mix in a small bowl with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch until all the lumps are removed. Pour back into pot and stir until thickened.
Pasta substitutions. I prefer a thicker noodle. If using something smaller and daintier (i.e. elbow macaroni, cook for less time).
Wine substitutes. Use a couple of squeezes of fresh lemon right before serving. 
Canned tomatoes. If you don’t have fresh grape tomatoes, these canned cherry tomatoes from Mutti would work.
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Did you make this recipe? Tag @josieandnina or tag #josieandnina!

Disclosure: Disclaimer: I am an Amazon Associate and/or affiliate for other brands which means I earn some coffee money from qualifying purchases that in no way affects the price you pay

Get your guide to a well-stocked pantry here!

Previous Post: « Honey Sriracha Salmon Salad
Next Post: Pepper Jack Cheese Dip »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Kathryn says

    January 24, 2021 at 10:59 PM

    5 stars
    Pasta in one pot? SIGN ME UP! So delicious!

    Reply
    • Lori Murphy says

      January 25, 2021 at 7:24 AM

      Right? So easy and I literally can’t stop eating it! 🤗

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome! Josie + Nina was named in honor of my two Italian grandmothers who made putting food on the table look easy every day. Feeding a party of one or a house party, empty nesters or a full bus - my recipes come with some hand-holding and the direction to make them fit your needs.

So happy you're here! Read More

Never Miss a Recipe!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

popular recipes

hand holding a chip with pepper jack cheese dip and a margarita with a lime in the background

Pepper Jack Cheese Dip

stack of brownies on a white pedestal with a fork and plates nearby

Triple Chocolate Brownies

lemon cookies on a cake plate with two cups of coffee, plates and a striped towel and a lemon

Lemon Drop Cookies

close up of two burritos stacked on top of each other with pickled jalapenos on top all on a white plate and some cilantro

Crispy Beef Burritos

in season

black bowl with zucchini noodles and a piece of roasted salmon on top with blackberries

Honey Sriracha Salmon Salad

a white bowl with ravioli and tomato sauce and a white fork

Easy Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onion

baking tray with stuffed portobello mushrooms with a bowl of pine nuts

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Wild Rice and Pancetta

white plate of cut open enchilada and a fork

Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas

Josie + Nina

Footer

Categories

Copyright © 2021 · Thyme Theme by Restored 316