• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • About Me
      • resources for a simple blog
    • Work with Me
  • Recipe Index
    • Baby Food
    • Breakfast
    • Brunch
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Lunch
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
  • Disclosures
  • Subscribe
  • The Beginners Guide to Simple Meal Planning

Simple Gray T-Shirt

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Snacks
    • Baby Food
  • About Me
    • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Snacks
      • Baby Food
    • About Me
      • Work with Me
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Dinner

    one pan pasta - tomato basil

    Published: Jul 23, 2019 · Modified: May 20, 2020 by Marni Katz · This post may contain affiliate links

    Sharing is caring!

    152 shares
    • Share
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    One pan pasta with tomato basil sauce is my idea of a great summer (or really anytime) simple dinner.  Everything cooks in the same one pan, you don’t need the oven and you’ll get a homemade meal on the table in under 30 minutes!  What could be better?

    white plate of penne pasta with a red sauce and basil garnish. a small plate of red pepper flakes is in the background with whole basil leaves

    I first came across the idea of one pan pasta when I started making this lemon pasta recipe a few years ago.  And it got me thinking, what other pastas could I make just like this, in one pan.  

    This is the second recipe I came up with once I started playing with this genius way of cooking pasta.  It’s based on the idea that you can cook the pasta right in the sauce. It uses the same method with a different flavor profile.

    “This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link.”

    Why does cooking the pasta in the sauce work?

    As pasta cooks it is naturally absorbing the water from the cooking liquid in order to soften or “cook” the noodles all the way through.  By adding the pasta to a sauce that has a significantly higher water content, the pasta not only absorbs the water as it cooks, but also the flavor of the sauce.  

    bowl of uncooked penne pasta in on a food scale

    Additionally, the pasta gives off some starch through the cooking process, and this starch thickens the sauce making the finished product thicker and creamier than most pasta sauces.

    If you’ve watched cooking shows or read enough cookbooks (or food blogs for that matter) you’ll see that most recipes and all chefs tell you to salt the pasta cooking water.  It’s normally your only chance to give the pasta itself seasoning. The method I’m teaching you in this recipe is the same concept. The more flavor you build along the way, the more flavor your end result will have.

    One of the best parts of this recipe is that you can use any shape pasta that you like. 

    The cooking time might vary a bit and you may need to add additional liquid as you go, but the shape and size of the pasta does not matter. 

    Another simple piece of this recipe is that I recommend using your favorite jarred sauce.   Yep, you heard me right. You can definitely use a homemade sauce, but then this wouldn’t be such a simple dish, would it?

    The last benefit (and why I think the husband likes this so much), is that there is virtually no clean up.  One pan rinsed and put in the dishwasher and you are done! Now, that’s a win in everybody’s book.

    white plate with tomato basil one pan pasta on it. Garnished with shredded cheese and basil

    Tips and tricks:

    • Most pasta is sold in 16 oz boxes, but some shapes are sold in smaller boxes.  This recipe calls for 16 oz of pasta, so please just check to make sure your box is the right size, or add some pasta to get to the right amount.
    • Depending on how al dente you like your pasta, you made need to add a bit more water towards the end of the cooking time.  Just do it slowly. I found that for even better flavor, adding more pasta sauce will do the trick as well.
    • Want to add cheese to this dish?  You can do so at the end. Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella over the top, put a lid on it for a minute, with the heat off. It will get melty and delicious.  Alternatively, you can sprinkle Parmesan over the top right before serving.
    • Want to add meatballs to the dish?  I would cook them separately and add them on top only once the pasta is done cooking.

    📖 Recipe

    white plate of penna pasta with a red sauce and basil garnish. a small plate of red pepper flakes is in the background

    one pan pasta - tomato basil

    Marni Katz
    a simple one pan pasta dish that can be on the table in less than 30 minutes.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course pasta
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 493 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 16 oz. dried pasta typically one box
    • 26 oz. jar of pasta sauce any kind will work
    • 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
    • 26 oz. water just refill pasta jar sauce
    • 3 cubes frozen basil or 3 teaspoons chopped fresh
    • 1 cube frozen garlic or 1 clove minced well
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • pepper to taste
    • chili flakes to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Place all ingredients into a large straight sided saute pan
    • Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low boil.
    • Stir every few minutes to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.
    • Once liquid is absorbed and pasta is cooked through, turn off the heat (the exact time will depend on the pasta shape, refer to the box for a guideline).
    • The pasta is now ready to serve.  

    Notes

    Optional - if you want to melt cheese over the top, sprinkle cheese on pasta while still in pan, and then cover with a lid for 2 minutes.  The heat from the pasta will melt the cheese nicely.
    If you want to add in a vegetable, you can add it in with the other ingredients and it will cook along with the pasta.  In the pictures, I used 2 cups frozen broccoli.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 493kcalCarbohydrates: 101gProtein: 19gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1831mgPotassium: 1215mgFiber: 8gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 1356IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword easy pasta recipe, One pan pasta, tomato pasta
    Tried this recipe?Let me know what you think!

    Looking for other great pasta dishes? Check these out, I think you'll like them!

    • Shallot, Snap Pea, Goat Cheese Pasta
    • One Pan Pasta - Lemon and Garlic
    • One Pan Pasta - Fettuccine Alfredo

    Want to make this one pan pasta now? Are you missing some ingredients? Amazon Now can get them to you in a few hours, Instacart can get them to you today. Or add them to your Peapod grocery list and don't be stuck with out them again!

    More recipes you may enjoy

    • spinach and feta omelette stacked on a plate
      Simple Spinach Feta Omelette (10 Minute Breakfast)
    • avocado puree in a glass bowl with a spoon
      Avocado Puree (Homemade Baby Food)
    • Avocado toast with flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper on a white plate
      Dunkin Donuts Avocado Toast (Copycat Recipe)
    • three ingredient garlic butter sauce in a mason jar with cloves of garlic
      Simple Garlic Butter Sauce

    About Marni Katz

    Marni Katz is the recipe developer, photographer and writer behind Simple Gray T-Shirt. She wants to help people keep things simple in the kitchen. With simple recipes, easy menu ideas and plenty of tips and tricks along the way, she wants getting a meal on the table to be as simple as putting on your favorite gray tee!
    "I want to inspire you to get back in the kitchen and do this, because you can!"

    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.

    Primary Sidebar

    marni sitting on a counter eating

    Hi, I'm Marni! I'm so glad you are here. I'm all about keeping things simple for you as you figure out what to feed your family each day. You'll find simple recipes, with easy to find ingredients and simple directions!

    More about me →

    Cozy Winter Recipes

    • curried vegetable soup in a white bowl garnished with a lime and peanuts
      Curried Vegetable Soup with Root Vegetables
    • french toast piled on a plate with a syrup container in the background
      Easy Sourdough French Toast
    • chocolate bark for valentines day with m&ms and oreo cookies
      Simple Valentine's Day Chocolate Bark
    • 2 potato bourekas side by side, one is cut into slices
      Simple Puff Pastry Potato Bourekas

    Most Popular Recipes

    • bowl of pink sauce pasta
      Pink Sauce Pasta
    • chocolate coffee chunk cookies on a cooling rack and small plate
      Coffee Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookie
    • all bran muffin featured image
      One Bowl All Bran Muffins
    • everything bagel seasoning over roasted veggies and a fried egg in a white bowl
      Everything Bagel Seasoning Roasted Veggie Bowl

    Want your own simple gray t-shirt? This is my favorite!

    Moosejaw Women's Floral Critter Vintage Flowy SS Tee - XS - Heather Grey

    As featured in

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Disclaimers

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    As seen in...

    Want simple recipes direct to your inbox?

    Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Stay in touch

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • About

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through links on the blog.

    Copyright © 2023 Simple Gray T-Shirt