Marin Mama Cooks

Tasty foods for families

one-pan pasta

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DSC_0027Isn’t this above picture just beautiful and doesn’t it make you want to try a batch of this pasta tonight?  I mean look at all of those fresh ingredients and all that color. I saw a photo similar to this in the most recent edition of Martha Stewart living and it looked so cool and challenging to me. I mean a one-pan pasta, who had ever heard of that (not me)? I seriously wondered how it was all going to work, and I have to say that I was a bit skeptical. I will also admit that the first time I made this pasta up, it didn’t turn out so great, as the pasta was overcooked. I was under the assumption that ALL of the water had to evaporate, so I cooked the pasta way too long and it was a bit over-done. We all really loved the flavors in this pasta though, so I vowed to try it again. Well, the second time around proved to be the charm. The pasta came out perfectly al dente and it created this thick creamy sauce that coated every strand of pasta.

This is the perfect weeknight throw together at the last minute sort of pasta. Literally, you throw all of the ingredients into one pan and cook away. Can it get any simpler than that?  I don’t think so. This pasta is fresh, healthy, full of flavor and a great meatless Monday pasta to add to your recipe box. It’s got the family seal approval in our house. There’s a bit of a kick in the pasta due to the red pepper flakes, so if you’re super sensitive to spicy things, then you might want to cut the 1/2 teaspoon down to a 1/4 teaspoon.  Eli could handle the spice though, so that should tell you something. Ok, let’s do what the Italians do and make up this one-pan pasta.

DSC_0119

one-pan pasta:

recipe from Martha Stewart Living
serves 4

  • 12 ounces linguine – I just used 3/4 of a 16-ounce box – I would also suggest using regular old linguine, not angel hair or quinoa pasta, as they have shorter cooking times.
  • 12 ounces, which is about 3/4 of a pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and halved
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 sprigs basil, plus some extra torn leaves for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin-olive oil
  • 4 1/2 cups water
  • freshly shredded parmesan cheese for topping the pasta

DSC_0020Ok, first things first!  Let’s prep our ingredients.  Peel and thinly slice your red onion.

DSC_0011Peel and thinly slice your garlic cloves. Sorry about the blurred picture, but you get what to do here.

DSC_0012Wash and halve your cherry tomatoes.

DSC_0023Get out a large straight-sided skillet pan and put in your pasta, tomatoes, red onion, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, basil sprigs, olive oil and pour the in the 4 1/2 cups water. Pretty easy right?  You’re truly throwing everything into the pan at the same time.  Love it!

DSC_0033Turn up the heat to high and bring the water to a boil.

DSC_0059Let the water come to a full boil.  You will see bubbles on the side of the pan at first, but wait until you see bubbles all over the pan.  There you go!

DSC_0063Once your water comes to a full boil, set your timer to 9 minutes.  Stand by the stove and using tongs, lift and move the pasta around every so often so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Check your pasta around 7 minutes to see where its at, as some pastas cook up quicker than others and you don’t want gummy pasta!  

Note:  If you’re using a whole-wheat or quinoa pasta, you may want to check their cooking times and adjust the cooking time accordingly.  I have not used either of those pastas so I can’t tell you how this recipe works with those types of pastas.

DSC_0068 DSC_0076You will notice that most of the water is evaporating and getting thicker, and everything is starting to cook down like the tomatoes and the onions.

DSC_0084Test the pasta at 9 minutes and it should be al dente!  Turn off the heat and give the pasta a few quick tosses. There will be some liquid at the bottom of the pan, but don’t fret, the liquid will thicken up and turn into a sauce.  Doesn’t that pasta look fantastic?

DSC_0091Serve up the pasta in large bowls and top with some shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. The basil leaves really add that extra punch of flavor, so be sure to top everyone’s pasta with a few leaves. Pair this pasta with a nice green salad or some garlic bread.

DSC_0119I thought I would share with you a photo that one of my readers, Leslie Trenta sent me of the one-pan pasta she made. She added some peppers and a vidalia onion, as that is what she had on hand, so feel free to add what you have lying around in your kitchen.  If you feel inclined, email me your pics or comment below with your adaptions to the recipe. It’s always fun to see how other people adapt a recipe!

lesliepasta

5 from 1 reviews
one-pan pasta
 
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Ingredients
  • 12 ounces linguine - I just used ¾ of a 16-ounce box. I would also suggest using regular old linguine, not angel hair or quinoa pasta, as they have shorter cooking times.
  • 12 ounces, which is about ¾ of a pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and halved
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 sprigs basil, plus some extra torn leaves for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin-olive oil
  • 4½ cups water
  • freshly shredded parmesan cheese for topping the pasta
Instructions
  1. Ok, first things first! Let's prep our ingredients. Peel and thinly slice your red onion.
  2. Peel and thinly slice your garlic cloves.
  3. Wash and halve your cherry tomatoes.
  4. Get out a large straight-sided skillet pan and put in your pasta, tomatoes, red onion, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, basil sprigs, olive oil and pour the in the 4½ cups water. Pretty easy right? You're truly throwing everything into the pan at the same time. Love it!
  5. Turn up the heat to high and bring the water to a boil.
  6. Let the water come to a full boil. You will see bubbles on the side of the pan at first, but wait until you see bubbles all over the pan.
  7. Once your water comes to a full boil, set your timer to 9 minutes. Note: If you're using a whole-wheat or quinoa pasta, you may want to check their cooking times and adjust the cooking time accordingly. I have not used either of those pastas so I can't tell you how this recipe works with those types of pastas.
  8. Stand by the stove and using tongs, lift and move the pasta around every so often so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Check your pasta around 7 minutes to see where its at, as some pastas cook up quicker than others and you don't want gummy pasta.
  9. You will notice that most of the water is evaporating and getting thicker, and everything is starting to cook down like the tomatoes and the onions.
  10. Test the pasta at 9 minutes and it should be al dente!
  11. Turn off the heat and give the pasta a few quick tosses. There will be some liquid at the bottom of the pan, but don't fret, the liquid will thicken up and turn into a sauce.
  12. Serve up the pasta in large bowls and top with some Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. The basil leaves really add that extra punch of flavor, so be sure to top everyone's pasta with a few leaves.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: serves 4
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Comments

  2. Another winner, Miss Jackie!! YUM!!! I was so intrigued by how easy this looked — and it was THAT easy! Rather than cherry tomatoes, I just used a few smallish tomatoes from my CSA that I cut up. I also had some large scallions that I used in lieu of red onion. And I only had spaghetti, so used that. I was worried because it looked like quite a bit of onion, but it cooks down and blends in so well I think I could have used even more and not noticed (I did use just about 2 cups). My husband was fascinated that there were no eggs or cream or anything in the “sauce.” He suggested adding some white beans next time to give it some protein (men and their protein, sheesh!). Anyway it was delish — even my non-vegetable-eating vegetarian daughter gobbled it up, so yay! I love your blog so much. THANK YOU!!! Cheers!

    Reply

    • Hi Kyla! So happy to hear that this recipe was a success and super easy for you as well! Yaay! It’s always awesome when the family approves and loves a new recipe. I had a fail the other night on a new recipe, and that’s no fun!:( Oh well, I’m still going to keep trying though, and luckily my kids are troopers and willing to try new things! I do like the addition of white beans, good call by your hubby! I love hearing that you love the blog, makes my day girl! xoxo, Jacquelyn

      Reply

  5. It’s good, but so much better made with broth for the liquid. I use one cup of vegetable stock and chicken stock for the rest. Very full of flavor!

    Reply

  6. You are awesome!! I’ve probably been sitting here for an hour looking through your recipes. Definitely inspiring to make some new things! I’m going to have to try this and the kale salad for sure. Your kids have no idea how lucky they are to have you! 🙂

    Reply

  7. Made this tonight with a few weeks. I added fresh parsley, mushroom and a few sundried tomotoes. I add grated Parmesan just before the liquid evaporated to thicken it a bit. Then topped it off with fresh cubed mozzarella. I’m still licking my chops. I will be making this at least once a week with whatever ingredients I have in the refrigerator. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    Reply

  8. Jackie – I recently tried this recipe, as tweaked by Deb from the smitten kitchen, and she uses farro in place of the pasta. It is incredible! I added some crumbled sausage at the end and it’s just so good. So if you want to try another take on this recipe, definitely check it out with farro. Actually, the reason I made her recipe was because I had extra farro from making one of your recipes (the farro with roasted sweet potato salad – delicious).

    Reply

    • Hi Emily! It’s always good to hear from you girl 🙂 I’m so going to try this with farro, yum! I’m assuming you added some already cooked crumbled sausage. So going to make this next week for the kiddos. Thanks for your suggestion girl! xoxo, Jackie

      Reply

  9. substitute the water with veg broth, flavor is much better. I also used large can of chopped tomatoes with basil. much better flavor

    Reply

    • Thanks so much for your recommendations! It’s always nice to hear what other people end up trying 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

      Reply

  10. I have been doing the same with tomato based pasta too. I prepare the tomato base, before fully cooked, I add water and dry pasta and let the pasta cook in the sauce. Experiment to get quantities right. One pan, full dinner!

    Reply

  11. I’ve made this a few times now and we love it. It is so crazy simple and absolutely delicious and filling. we omit the red pepper flakes because we have younger kiddos that don’t like spice, but we sprinkle it on our own plates once everyone is served. thanks for this recipe!

    Reply

  12. Howdy! I simply want to give you a big thumbs up for your excellent information you’ve got here on this post. I will be coming back to your website for more soon.

    Reply

  13. This was great! I cooked the onions and garlic a little in the olive oil first and then added chopped tomatoes and water. Towards the end, I added some pesto I had made since I didn’t have any fresh basil. Was amazed at how good it was for such a quick meal. What a time saver. I think it would be great topped with some cooked shrimp. This will be a go to dish from now on!

    Reply

    • Hi Susie! I’m so happy to hear that you loved this pasta. I don’t think the basil really makes a difference, and I always just take it out at the end becuase it’s all cooked down, so the pesto proabably addded a nice flavor. I love how you satueed the onions and garlic first, I’m sure your pasta was bursting wth flavor! xoxo, Jackie

      Reply

  14. This will save a lot of time in the kitchen during the clean up! Usually I go through three different pans when making a pasta meal so I’m happy to try this more efficient recipe.
    Do you know if a dutch oven could be used to accomplish this meal? Unfortunately I don’t have the pan recommended in the recipe and I want to cook this tonight.

    Reply

  15. Just stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest and can’t wait to add to our dinner menu this week! Any recommendation on how much wine to use? My assumption is to use more than the water it is replacing since it will burn off faster? Have you tried it with wine yet? Thanks for the kitchen inspiration!

    Reply

    • Hi Carla! I think you could either do 2 cups wine and 2 1/2 cups water or maybe just add 1/2 cup wine and reduce the water by 1/2 cup. You could also do half wine and half chicken broth and forgo the water. There are so many different ways to try this. I haven’t tried wine yet, but I’m sure it would add some great flavor to the pasta. If you find that the liquid is getting too low and the pasta is not yet finished, then just add a touch more of water. Let me know what you decide to do. I really haven’t experimented past the original recipe so I think I need to try a few other variations. xoxo, Jackie

      Reply

      • Just wanted to follow up on my original comment. Used half wine and half chicken broth and it was AMAZING!!! Thanks for introducing me to my new favorite dinner. Can’t wait to try other variations!

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        • Hi Carla! Thanks for reporting back and letting me know how the wine and broth combination worked out! I’m glad it was a winner. I think I need to try that next time as I’m sure it added a bit more flavor. I want to try other variations as well, especially since cherry tomatoes are at the end of their season. I will report back when I do as well. Have a great day! xoxo, Jackie

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  17. Good recipe added a little pesto and some shredded left over roasted chicken at the end. Turned out super great.Next time will try with cooked sausage or meatballs.

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    • Hi Mary-Catherine. To be honest, I’ve never tried to double to recipe so I’m not sure. I’m assuming if you used a large enough pan that could hold everything, then I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. Just test the pasta at 9 minutes to see where it’s at, it could take a bit longer to cook or it could just take the same amount of time. If you do double it, please report back and let me know if it worked. 🙂

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    • Awesome Joseph! I’m so glad that the pasta worked for you with Angel hair. Wow, pasta must cook a lot slower there because Angel hair usually cooks up for me in under 3 minutes. 🙂

      Reply

  21. A friend of mine shared a link to this on Facebook, and the picture looked so pretty that I just had to stop by! I really think this is an awesome idea. I am Italian, and have never heard of preparing it this way, but I’ll definitely give it a try. I like finding easy meals for those busy days. People really seem to like this dish…now I’m craving pasta!

    Reply

    • Hi Christine! I’m so glad you stopped by. I’ve never cooked pasta this way before either, but it’s super simple and really is a time saver for those crazy nights! I hope you enjoy it! xoxo, Jackie

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      • I just put this on the menu for this week! I can’t wait to make it. Funny thing is I thought I would need to buy a bunch of ingredients, but all I actually need is red onion since I have everything else. I am so glad you used cherry tomatoes…my garden is full of them : )

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  23. Tried this tonight for dinner and it is a winner! I followed your instructions to the letter, including using a shallow pan. Definitely a keeper! Thanks for trouble-shooting for the rest of us!

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    • Hi June! Yaay! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this pasta and the recipe was easy for you to follow. That’s what I’m here for, to troubleshoot the recipes and make them easier for the next person. xoxo, Jackie 🙂

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  24. I made this last night and loved it – except that it was way too salty! Next time I’ll use only 1/2 teaspoon of salt at the most.

    Reply

    • Hi Leslie! I was at jury duty all day and just saw your email. Your photos rock and I’m totally going to post one of them. It’s always helpful for readers to see other readers versions of a dish. I’m so glad you loved the pasta! xoxo, Jackie

      Reply

  27. I absolutely adore this dish, so quick and easy to make, I have made this a few times, but tonight decided to try whole grain pasta and add in some crimini mushrooms, Cook time had to be adjusted only slightly for the different pasta, and was still very very yummy. Thanks so much as this meal made its way into our weekly menu!

    Reply

    • Hi Jennifer! I’m so happy to hear that you love this pasta and it has become a weekly menu staple. I also love that you used the whole grain pasta. Whole grain pasta is next on my to-make list. 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

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  28. I made this pasta last night and it was devine! I tossed it with a bit of crumbled pancetta and parm/reggiano just before i set it on the table to serve, there was nothing left over! (A rare thing in my home) thanks for the great recipe 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Renee! Yaay! I’m so happy that you made this pasta and loved it. I also love your additions of the crumbled pancetta, I think I have to try that next time! My kids would gobble it up. 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

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  29. we adapted this recipe recently, using red & yellow peppers in lieu of the tomatoes. tomatoes aren’t available yet in our CSA & we try to use only seasonal ingredients when possible.
    the method was super simple and easy, but the end result did turn out gummy and we think it’s because the dish lacked the tomatoes. we’re not deterred and we will attempt this again when tomatoes finally appear at our local farmer’s stall.

    Reply

    • Hi Lan! I think you we’re probably ok with using the peppers in lieu of the tomatoes. I think that maybe your pasta was just done a bit earlier and cooked too long. Some types/brands of pastas have different cooking times, so maybe yours was cooked too long. The first time I made this recipe, I cooked the pasta too long and it was gummy, so the next time I made sure to test the pasta along the way. I hope you have better success next time 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

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  30. Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try! Plus, the recipe is super aesthetic and linguine are my fav pasta. Thanks for your really helpful instructions in photos!

    Reply

    • Hi Louise! Thanks for your sweet comment! I hope you enjoy the pasta! Please report back and let me know how it turned out 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

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  31. Hi Jackie,
    I just made this last night for dinner. I used the thin Spaghetti noodles and worked just fine. The pasta was al dente and had such great flavor. Since the recommended cooking time for the pasta was 6 minutes, I let the pan boil without the pasta for the first 5 minutes and then added the pasta. I cooked for about 7 minutes after that and turned out great!
    Have a great 4th !!!!

    Reply

    • Hi Reiko! Thanks so much for the information on making this with spaghetti. Your feedback and comment is so helpful for other readers to see and for myself! I’m so glad that everything turned out wonderful for you with this recipe! Thanks again for your comment! Have a great 4th 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

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  32. I just made this tonight and it was amazing!! So easy to chop a few things and throw it all in the pot to cook. It came out even better than I thought it would – the sauce was creamy and delicious. Thanks for a great, easy weeknight recipe – I’ll be making this often!

    Reply

    • Yaay Kristin! So glad you gave this a try and loved it 🙂 Isn’t it great to have one of those easy weeknight pastas? I loved the flavors as well, and was surprised that the sauce was so creamy! I wasn’t expecting that when I first made it! Thanks for stopping by and commenting 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

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  33. Looks like a remarkably easy, one pot meal. Definitely will try this. But…I can tell you as a longggg time cook that cooking with fresh Basil really doesn’t help much. You must either use dried basil or just add the basil at the end of the dish as you say to garnish with. Using fresh oregano and a bit of thyme will make this dish up very well. Fresh basil is just not really a good use in a recipe that must be cooked, it works at the end.

    Reply

    • Hi Carol! Hope you give this recipe a try, it’s really nice to have one of those meals that you can just throw together to cook in one pot! Thanks for your input on the basil! I use fresh basil leaves in my heirloom tomato soup just to add some flavor and it really makes a difference in that soup. I also think it adds some flavor to this pasta as well, but thats my opinion. I of course take the basil leaves out of the soup before I puree it and we don’t eat the soggy leaves in this pasta either. We just throw them in for the cooking process. I agree with you that fresh basil tastes best when added at the end to top a pasta! I love it! Great idea about the thyme and oregano! I will give that a try sometime! 🙂

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      • Ahh, I’ve been wondering about the basil. This clarifies. I look forward to trying this recipe. I agree with an earlier comment that it’s not traditionally Italian, but fast, simple, fresh — what’s not to like? 🙂

        I will also share with my children; the younger one is still at university, and the older is just out on his own so they both appreciate quick and inexpensive ideas.

        I’m a first-time visitor to your site and look forward to trying your recipes, starting with this one! Great job on a very appealing blog!

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  34. Definately want to try this. Do you think that it would work with Spaghetti as well? I usaually get Trader Joe’s organic spaghetti and I find that it takes a few miutes longer to cook.

    Reply

    • Hi Cathy! I haven’t tried it with spaghetti noodles yet, but I’m sure it will be fine. Maybe just check your noodles at 7 or 8 minutes? You want your noodles to be al dente, not mushy 🙂 Let me know how it works with the spaghetti noodles!

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      • I finally made this last night-It was delicious! Funny thing is when I went to make it I realized that I didn’t have any onions or basil- lol! So I used some onion powder and some dried parsley. I used the spaghetti and it was great. It did need an extra minute of cooking time (but again, the organic spag. from TJ’s seems to take a bit longer to cook- at least for me), but it was really tasty and lite. We all had a late heavy lunch so this was really perfect and hit the spot. Between this and the limeade- 2 home runs! Thanks Jackie! XO

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        • Hi Kathy! Yaay, glad you made the one-pan pasta. SO funny that Trader Joe’s spaghetti takes longer, but at least you had an idea before you started the pasta. Good for me to know if I pick some up. I love that you improvised with other pantry ingredients. That’s what cooking is all about and it shows the sign of a true cook, so pat yourself on the back! Yaay, for 2 home run recipes! xoxo, Jackie 🙂

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  35. This recipe was quite scrumptious! My kids are still scarfing down their pasta as I type this!

    We can’t eat gluten, so I used Tinkyada brown rice fettucini. The result was a bit “gluey” due to the pasta type, but it was still delicious. Thanks for this easy recipe! 🙂

    Diane

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    • Hi Diane! Glad to hear that the kiddos are scarfing down the pasta! That’s always a happy thing to hear as a mom! 🙂

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  36. I get Living mag. and wondered if the recipe was as delish as it looks beautiful. Since so many people have raved about it on your site, I’m making it. My family is italian and we all appreciate recipes that are “easy and delish”. That’s my motto. It’s all about using quality ingredients. I like your site Jackie. Thanks to you and your readers for sharing.

    Reply

    • Hi Daurie! Yes, the recipe is as delish as looks in the magazine, so please try it. It’s really a great weeknight recipe. I go by the same motto as you, cooking should be easy and taste good. I believe if you use fresh whole ingredients, then you will always have a dish that turns out great. Thanks for stopping by Daurie. I can’t wait to hear what you (and your family) think of the pasta when you make it! Thanks for your sweet comment as well 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

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  37. Hello Marin Mama,

    First off, I LOVE your blog– including your health-conscious, delicious recipes, stunning photos, and candid commentary/story telling! I think I initially stumbled upon your blog via tastespotting or tastologie.com. So happy I did.

    I just made this one-pan pasta, and I adore it! What amazing flavors from a simply prepared dish! I plan to make this recipe routinely. Small modifications I made out of preference/convenience were: using spaghetti noodles, using the entire 16 oz. package of spaghetti noodles and thereafter adding an additional 1 cup of water, using thai basil because I happen to have it in my fridge, and using a whole bulb of garlic because I will be moving shortly and am all about using every ingredient I have in my kitchen rather than wasting. This recipe is a knock-out! I cannot get over how delicious it is, with the added benefit of being simple and nutritious.

    I have also made your lacinato kale salad recipe and love it! Both recipes are new, routine additions to my diet. Thank you kindly and keep up the great work!! I be reading regularly, and can’t wait to hear about these delicious baked donuts. I have yet to find a winning recipe …

    Best,
    Jackie C. from CA, currently living in and loving the Midwest, but ecstatic to be moving back to CA soon!

    Reply

    • Hey Jackie C! It’s always nice to meet another Jackie. There are not too many of us out there you know 🙂 So funny that you live in the Midwest and are moving back to Cali. I lived in Minneapolis before moving out to Cali as well. We have 2 things in common already!
      Ok, I love that you modified this recipe to include 16oz of pasta. I was going to give that a try one of these nights and figure out the water ratio, but you did that for me, so a BIG thank you to you! More garlic, you’re speaking my language as I add more garlic to every recipe I make but I don’t always tell people that. I adore garlic. Yum!
      I’m so happy you love the lacinato kale salad. That is my FAVE and I eat it 3 or more times a week. I don’t think I will ever get sick of it either.
      SO happy you found my blog and I can’t wait to hear what you make up next. Best of luck on your move. What part of Cali are you moving to, Northern or Southern?
      Ok, I will post the donut recipe soon, I just want to make sure I get the timing right for you all.
      Have a great weekend girl! xoxo, Jackie

      Reply

  38. I made this for dinner tonight – delicious. And I even tried it with whole wheat routini pasta. The cooking time worked out very well. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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    • Awesome Joy! I’m so glad you loved the pasta and that the whole-wheat pasta worked perfectly with the timing as well. That will be great for my readers to know, so thanks!
      xoxo, Jackie

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  39. Hi Jackie, thanks for posting this recipe – I made it the other day after your inspirational post and it was fun to make and easy and delicious! Now I’m waiting for your donut post…Thanks! Sally

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    • Hi Sally! Thanks for letting me know that you made this and that it was a success! The donuts will be posted soon, as I’m still trying to perfect the batter to pan ratio. They taste great, but I want them to be perfect, and maybe they just are the way they are, imperfect looking but good! 🙂

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  40. When I saw this recipe in Living I thought I’d check around to see if anyone reviewed it. I’m glad I found your blog! I appreciated the helpful hints from everyone. I made it last night and was blown away by how easy and delicious it was. This one has a permanent place in my recipe box!

    Reply

    • Hi Stacy! Yaay! I’m glad you made it and loved it. It always helps me to see reviews as well, especially with a dish like this. Did you do anything different or keep it the same? xoxo, Jackie

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      • I stuck to the original recipe because those were the ingredients I had. I am eager to try it your way with the red onions. I believe this recipe would lend itself well to customizing with different herbs and spices, though. What do you think?

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        • Hi there! I chose to use red onions in this recipe because I prefer red onions over yellow ones. I want to experiment with this recipe as well, but haven’t tried yet, but I’m sure there are many variations you can try. I like the wine element that one of my readers tried. Let me know if you come up with something that you like. 🙂

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          • I’ve made this a couple of times now, and so long as you stick to the same ratio of pasta and liquid you can basically add whatever you like – I’ve used asparagus, mushrooms, peppers, and added a splash of cream at the end – all delicious!
            Love your blog!

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            • Hi Fran! Thanks for the comment. I’m sure a lot of readers will be happy to hear that they can add so many other things to the pasta and change it up a bit. I’m totally going to try a few variations soon as well.
              I’m so happy you love the blog 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

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  41. Just tried this a few days ago while on vacation with Martha’s mag in hand. WOW! We loved it — even 12 and 14 year old boys. Best. EVER! We didn’t cook as long and replaced some of the water with wine. You know….for good measure. This is simply a new paradigm in cooking pasta. Will we ever go back?

    Reply

    • Hi Amy! I love that you loved this pasta. I can’t wait to try it with other combinations, as well as throwing in a splash of wine. LOVE that addition! You go girl! 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

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  42. I just made this and seriously it’s amazing how simple it was! I never were reviews but I had to with this it was simple delicious and easy to make. Not to mention my house smells great (: thanks for an awesome recipe this will definitely be a staple dish in my house

    Reply

    • Hi Kaitlin! Yaay! I’m so happy that the pasta turned out wonderful for you and that it’s going to be a staple dish in your house! I love hearing comments like yours! xoxo, Jackie

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  43. Thank you Jackie for your job.
    Your posts are smart, and in this case time is the matter.
    I love taking the time to care about recipes, both relaxed or fast.
    Sometimes, a small saucepan can completely change the outcome of my results…
    Greetings from Milano. Hugs.
    Simone 🙂

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  44. Hi Marin,
    I am Italian, I discovered you when a friend of mine posted your website on his wall commenting as “oh mother, how do they cook pasta?” ( Yes i know, it looks like “mamma mia, ma come cucinano la pasta?”… the common place is even right ) So I feel to tell you that first we wait for water boiling. When it’s boiling we put pasta on the pot with (only) water and salt, and then we prepare the rest of “salsa” apart. First cutting onions ( if i use onion i don’t use garlic, and vice versa ) so thin as I can. Then cutting tomatoes and basil.
    Onions have to fry in extra virgin olive oil since they seem gold, before adding in the pan also tomatoes and basil. I can add in the pan ( which is separated from the pot with water boiling and pasta ) a bit of white wine, pepper, and oregano if i like a richer taste. When pasta is almost ready, i turn off the flame and drain it. Now put pasta in the pan with golden onion, tomatoes, and finely chopped basil. They can stir fry together since the overall color says me “please i’m tired to stir fry, eat me”. Here we go, a thin wire of extra virgin oil on the top of my dish, and the dish is now ready to be served. Thank you for reading my post, I could not resist. An hug, Simone.

    Reply

    • Hi Simone! Love to hear from a true Italian. Your method is how we traditionally prepare pastas in our home, but this one-pan recipe is for super busy families that want to prepare an easy and nutritious meal without a lot of dishes! I love your detailed comment, it’s making me crave pasta! Hugs back to you 🙂 xoxo, Jackie

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    • Thanks Pamela! Yes, I love the easy and simplicity of this pasta. The one-pan pasta idea sold me! 🙂

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  46. Hi, Jackie! I was reading the same issue of Martha Stewart on the plane yesterday and it sounded so simplistically delicious that I decided to Google it and see what other variations are out there. And, what do you know, once again you’ve already made it! Great minds think alike 🙂

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    • Hi Kristy! I felt the same way when I first saw the recipe, the photo and the process just made you want to make it up, right? It was challenging me to just give it a try. Glad to hear you felt the same way! xoxo, Jackie 🙂

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  48. So I have to say thank you for this recipe. I found this recipe through pinterest and made it for my roommate and I last night. I’m a novice cook and this recipe was so quick and easy to make, but didn’t taste like it was quick and easy. We felt like we we’re eating a restaurant. I also made your garlic bread and it was so good that we each ate a few more slices than we should have. Thank you Marin mama, you now have two new fans and I can’t wait to try more recipes. You make cooking easy for those of us that are new to the kitchen. Reba and Ann-Marie 🙂

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    • Wow Reba! So glad to hear that one of your first recipes from my blog was a success! When I first started doing step-by-step photos I thought it was a bit much, but I keep hearing more and more positive feedback so I will keep on doing it. Glad you loved the garlic bread as well, that’s one of our faves! Thanks for stopping by Reba and Ann-Marie 🙂 BTW, my college roommate and after college roommate was named Ann-Marie! So cool! xoxo, Jackie

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  49. I was looking for simple recipes for my daughter to make on her own in college and this seems like a winner! Just discovered this blog recently and love it: I’ve already made the baked pasta and the kid-friendly kale salad. Thanks so much for this great site!

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    • Hi MG! So glad you discovered my blog and that you’ve made two of our favorite recipes! I really should call the kid friendly caesar salad something else since it’s really appealing to adults as well. Yes, this pasta would be easy for someone who is starting out in the kitchen. I keep telling my brother in law that he has to make this. Just tell your daughter that she needs to use regular old linguine, not quinoa pasta or some other thinner pasta, as their cooking times are shorter and she will end up with mushy pasta. Anyway, I can’t wait to hear what you and your daughter make up next! xoxo, Jackie

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  50. OMG! I tried this tonight for my family and it was a hit. I was kind of nervous because its one of those recipes that looks too easy to be good, but it was so easy and so good! It created this amazing thick sauce. Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow night. Thanks for another hit Marin mama. Jenny

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    • Hi Jennifer! So happy to hear that the recipe was a success and a hit with the family! Thanks for letting me know 🙂

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  51. I just tried this recipe using quinoa pasta and it was a BIG fail. 🙁 The linguini turned to mush….I should have stuck to regular pasta instead of trying to go gluten free. Oh well.

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    • Hi Lacie. Quinoa pasta cooks up much quicker than traditional pasta so you would definitely have to shorten the cooking time. With recipes such as this, I would stick to the regular old carb pasta! I thought about trying quinoa pasta, but wasn’t sure how it would turn out due to the shorter cooking time. Try it next time with regular old pasta if you can! 🙂

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    • You can use other pasta. I used angel hair. I just started all the other ingredients first and cooked for about 9 minutes. Then, I added the angel hair for 3 more minutes. That gave the vegies and sauce time to ruminate without overcooking the pasta. Adjust accordingly, by the recommended time on the pasta package. For fettuccini, just add a little more water if you need to cook an extra minute or two.

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      • Awesome! Thanks for the tip on using angel hair pasta. I love angel hair and I bet it would be amazing in this dish! 🙂

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  52. Ah YEAH!!!!!! yes that picture if beautiful, yes that pasta is amazing, yes you are a brilliant, amazing photographer and yes i am once again inspired and I think I need to make that pasta pronto tomorrow night! Yes yes Yes to all the above- you rock! So glad its summer. Need to send you this recipe I just found for the most amazing coffee popsicles! i bet you would love them

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    • Thanks sweetie. I’m so enjoying summer thus far. The kids and I are having so much fun! It’s so nice to have a break from the hustle and bustle and all the running around that the school year brings! Send me those coffee pops, sounds delish! xoxo, Jackie

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  53. This sounds amazing – what a cool idea to cook all the ingredients together! I wonder where Martha got it from… anyway I just stumbled onto your website and love your recipes! I will be back for sure! 🙂 Anna

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    • Hi Anna. She says that she got it from a tiny restaurant in the Puglia region of Italy. So glad you found my blog and I hope that you find some recipes to try! 🙂

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    • I thought you might give it a try 🙂 It’s right up your alley and the perfect weeknight meal. Let me know what you think girlie! xoxo, Jackie

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  56. That looks so good! I love food that is colorful and pretty like this. You always take such inviting pictures, makes me want to dive in. Yum!
    Hope you have a great day! It’s another gorgeous day here and going to walk with a couple friends this morning before starting into work. Today are both our kids last day of school, hooray! I made Jake take a picture on the front porch for it. AND yes, as he walked down the driveway headed to school, I got all teary eyed. I’m a sap! 🙂 xoxo, Sharon

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    • Oh girl! We can be saps together. I can only imagine how you must be feeling, like a bunch of different emotions going on all at once, from outright happiness, pride and then a bit of sadness. Glad you got a photo of Jake, you will love looking at that photo in the years to come and I’m sure when he’s off at his first week of college, you will be staring at that photo all day. 🙂
      I’m actually elated that the kids are done! I can’t wait to sleep in tomorrow and then make them up a bunch of donuts for breakfast. Eli’s school is being all remodeled so I got a photo of him in front of the wall that he got to draw all over. The kids really loved that! Have a great day girlfriend 😉

      Reply

Trackbacks

  6. […] This is a well-loved classic one pot recipe from Martha Stewart Living that’s been adapted time and time again by time-strapped individuals like you and I. It has all the goodness of a flavourful pasta, but is also super simple. All you need are tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil and some parmesan cheese to top it all off. Get recipe here. […]

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