Spicy One Pot Pasta is brimming with tomatoes, mushrooms and basil. It all cooks together and is ready in 20 minutes! Satisfying, hearty easy comfort food. Regular or gluten-free pasta.
If you love pasta but are tired of preparing the pasta and sauce separately, you’ll love this recipe!
Or if you love a satisfying dinner recipe ready in less than 30 minutes this recipe if for you.
All the ingredients cook together for a delicious meal and easy clean up.
What is One Pot Pasta?
It’s really a dream-come-true meal. Rather than boiling pasta in a separate pot and making a sauce to combine the two in the end, this dish is all cooked together!
ALL the ingredients go into a pot at the same time, cook together and come out a creamy, flavor-packed delicious pasta recipe!
It’s an easy no-fuss recipe. It’s easy to change up too.
For this version we use fresh tomatoes, basil and mushrooms!
It can be made with either regular spaghetti or gluten-free spaghetti too!
Recipe Ingredients + Notes
Spaghetti pasta. Use either regular or gluten-free brown rice spaghetti. Use a 12-ounce package. More details for the gluten-free version below.
Tomatoes. Use fresh tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes or regular tomatoes can be used.
Red onion. Choose a small size. It will be peeled and sliced.
Garlic cloves. These will be diced.
Cremini mushrooms. Cleaned and sliced. More on cleaning mushrooms in the Pro Tips section below.
Basil. Use fresh basil. You’ll need 6-8 large leaves for the pasta dish and more for garnish if desired.
Red Pepper Flakes. These perk up the pasta’s flavor just a touch.
Salt and pepper. We prefer kosher salt which is a less salty flavored salt. And freshly ground black pepper if possible.
Olive oil. Goes right in the pot!
Chicken broth. Instead of water we love low sodium chicken broth or chicken stock to add some extra flavor. Water can be substituted if desired.
Chardonnay wine. We add a 1/2 cup to deepen the flavor of the broth. More broth or water can be swapped in if desired.
One Pot Pasta using gluten-free pasta
What gluten-free pasta to use?
All gluten-free pastas are different. They use different blends of grains or singular grains.
Therefore they behave differently when cooked. Some fall apart. Some don’t taste great.
For this recipe we recommend brown rice gluten-free spaghetti. It maintains its shape when cooked and has a great texture very similar to traditional wheat pasta. The flavor is very good too.
After years of experimenting we find Tinkyada brand pastas in all shapes to work great. They are sturdy and flavorful. We used Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti we used for making the gluten-free version of this pasta.
Note the pasta comes in 12-ounce and 16-ounce packages. For this recipe use 12-ounces.
Cooking time will be longer
Regular pasta will cook in about 10 minutes but gluten-free pasta will take closer to 12-15 depending on the pasta used. For Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti it took 12-15 minutes.
Test the noodles for softness. All the liquid should be absorbed and the pasta al denta.
NOTE: any pasta will take longer to cook at altitude than it does at sea level.
The pasta will be starchier
Gluten-free pasta tends to be starchier than traditional wheat pasta. In this one pot pasta recipe it will serve to make the mixture creamier as shown in the photos.
How to Make it – Step-by-Step
STEP 1. Bring the ingredients to a boil
Add all ingredients to a stock pot or Dutch oven.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir to combine the ingredients and keep the pasta submerged. Cook 3 minutes.
STEP 2. Simmer
Lower heat to medium. Partial cover the pan and stir often to combine the ingredients.
Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente.
This will be aproximately 10-12 minutes for regular pasta and around 15 minutes for the gluten-free pasta recommended.
How to know the pasta is done?
The pasta will be done when it has softened and cooked to an ‘al dente’ texture. Also the liquid will be fully absorbed and the ingredients cooked.
Watching and taste testing is the best way to confirm it’s ready.
As a guide, if using regular spaghetti it should take around 10 minutes. For gluten-free spaghetti it will take around 12-15 minutes (more details on that below).
Pro Tips
How to clean mushrooms
To clean off any dirt or debris from mushrooms they should not be run under water. This makes them soft and mushy.
Instead dampen a paper towel (wet it and ring it out) and gently brush off any debris.
A mushroom brush can also be used. It gently brushes off any dirt. It is different than a vegetable brush which has stiff bristles.
Background of this recipe
When this recipe was originally published in 2015 it was a popular concept on Pinterest.
I did some sleuthing and learned that Martha Stewart is apparently the source of the easy peasy pasta recipe.
After watching a video on her site and studying some similar recipes I began experimenting on my own, adding ingredients I love and finding a method that also works with gluten-free pasta.
The original method delivers start to finish in 10 minutes however gluten-free pasta cooks on average one third longer than wheat based pasta.
My goal was to devise a method to make my recipe within a reasonable time frame making it an appealing alternative to cooking pasta and a sauce separately in the traditional method.
Changes to the original recipe
The original recipe boiled and stirred the pasta and other ingredients constantly.
In my experimenting I found bringing the pasta to a boil, placing a lid partially over the pot and allowing it to simmer until the pasta was done worked better for me.
I also used low sodium chicken stock and some wine in the place of water. We changed the ingredients too.
Storing Leftovers
This pasta is best eaten freshly made especially if using gluten-free pasta.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
- Tik Tok Baked Feta Pasta
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio recipe
- Lemony Ricotta and Spinach Pasta
- Easy Baked Ziti Recipe
- Pasta e Fagioli in the Instant Pot
Originally published: November 10, 2015
Jennifer says
This has seriously become my new favorite pasta recipe! The flavor is wonderful! LOVED it!
Lindsay says
I’ve never tried making one pot pasta, but you make it so simple. It’s so creamy too.
maryanne says
I’ve never heard of one pot pasta, but I love the concept. This recipe is delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Sisley White says
I love a one pot dish and this is great esepcially as I love the spicy!
Courtney says
I love a good one pot dish! This pasta was excellent! Easy to make, full of fresh flavour and best part – only one dish to clean!
Wanda says
I love quick easy meals for busy activity nights. This is delicious!
Beth says
Yummy! This pasta is amazing and so delicious! My family and I love love loved it! I’ll definitely remake this pasta again! So yummy and very tasty!
Julia says
I loved a bit of spice and the fact that everything is cooked at once! I am sure it will become a regular!
Audrey says
This was so good. 10/10 would made again. I made a few changes (used sherry instead of Chardonnay, added a yellow pepper, 8 oz mushrooms, added apiralized zucchini about halfway through, and added cooked shrimp right at the end as per my husbands request). It made so much, so it was great to have a couple days worth of leftovers for lunches. Seriously one our my favorite things that I’ve ever made! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Toni Dash says
I’m delighted to hear your experience Audrey and your changes to make it something you’d love! I love the simplicity of this recipe too and the wonderful flavors that are the end result! Thank you for taking the time to leave your comment.
plasterer bristol says
Sounds yummy. Thanks for posting this.
Simon
Crystal says
I didn’t think it’d be a big deal at first, but after a few days of a broken dishwasher I’m refusing to cook anything that takes multiple pots & pans. This pasta is perfect!
Ann Bacciaglia says
I love one pot meals. I will have to get the ingredients i need so i can try this on the weekend. It looks so delicious.
Tracey says
You had me at “one pot” and “spicy”! This is my kind of recipe!
Kiwi says
When I tell you this presenation is everything it is EVERYTHING! Forget it being gluten free I wouldnt care because I am literally drooling looking and this wonderulness!
Susan says
This is an interesting way of doing a one-pot meal, and it sounds very good. I would not use gluten-free pasta (no need), but the cooking time would probably be similar for 4,000 feet altitude.
Chasing Joy says
Thanks for explaining about the different types of gluten free pasta. Great pictures. The food looks so fresh and bright.
Ora Lee Gurr says
This gluten-free meal certainly did turn out beautiful. I like the presentation picture of the raw ingredients because the colors and shapes all harmonize with each other. The kids won’t try mushrooms, but I’ll slip another veggie in there to make up for it.
Marcie W. says
I get 95% of my recipes from Pinterest and consider it one of my go-to resources. I am totally just as addicted as you are and it is mainly because of delicious looking dishes like this one!
Pam says
I love one pot meals! Since this is gluten free everyone in my family could enjoy it!
stefanie says
Beautiful ingredients! I love that this dish is gluten-free, too!
Liz Mays says
Oh yum that looks amazing. I need to try out that gluten free pasta. I’ll have to check out some more recipes on the Silk page.
Catherine S says
This looks yummy. I have been trying different GF pasta to see which one I like the best. I will have to try the brown rice pasta next.
Toni Dash says
There are many that I like the idea of, like quinoa, but I’ve found they just don’t hold up. Brown rice always maintains its structure and tastes ‘normal’.
MJ L says
This looks and sounds delicious! Also looks super easy, I love spicy so I know I would love this!
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
That sounds so delicious! I can’t believe they even have gluten free noodles now. I’d love to give that recipe a try.
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
I love it. I am all for anything spicy like this, so sign me up!