One Pot Pasta from the Pantry

Quick Meals from the Pantry

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For many people, their first thought when planning a quick meal will be to reach for the pasta, and what a good thought that is. Pasta might be sneered at by the ‘low carbs’, ‘keto diet’ brigade, but it’s been part of the much vaunted ‘Mediterranean diet’ for hundreds of years.

pasta_napolitanaIf you do any work at all, be it physical or mental, you need the carbohydrates pasta provides to fuel that activity. Pasta is high in fibre and low in fat, so, depending on what you cook it with, can be the basis of a low-fat, high-fibre meal. Pasta also contains essential nutrients such as B vitamins, iron and magnesium. And, best of all, pasta is not only quick and easy to cook, it’s also eminently versatile and can be combined with practically any other ingredient you can think of.

The recipes in this entry make use of an innovation in cooking pasta dishes: the one pot pasta method. Traditionally, we would make the sauce, then boil and drain the pasta, and then stir the sauce into the pasta. The one pot pasta method turns this on its head. In this method we make the sauce, then add a little water, bring the sauce to the boil, stir in pasta and simmer until the pasta is cooked. (You’ll find other methods online, but this method works for me.)

Most of the following recipes are based on traditional pasta dishes, but use the one pot method. As the sauce cooks with the pasta, these recipes are not only quick and easy, they use much less water and need less washing up. All the recipes require only Pantry Essential ingredients, so can be made on a moment’s notice.

As for the pasta, you can use any type of pasta you like. I’ve given the measurements in cups for use with short pasta such as penne or spirals, but if you prefer long pasta, such as spaghetti or linguini, and so need to weigh it, 1 cup of pasta weighs 100gm.

If these recipes are not quick enough for you, you can try the entry Quick Pasta from the Pantry.

If you prefer rice, you could try the entry One Pot Rice Dishes from the Pantry.

There are many recipes on this website that include pasta. To find them just enter ‘pasta’ or ‘macaroni’ in Search.

 

Recipes:

Pasta alla Gricia

Pasta Alfredo

Pasta Napolitana

Pasta all’Amatriciana

Pasta with Red Lentil Bolognaise

Macaroni with Red Lentils

Pasta Primavera

Creamy Pasta with Peas and Bacon

Pasta with Beans and Spinach

Pasta with Mushroom Bolognaise

Pasta with Spicy Broccoli

Pasta with Creamy Broccoli

Creamy Bacon and Spinach Pasta

Pasta with Creamy Chicken

Pasta with Tuna Sauce

 

Pasta alla Gricia

  • ¾ cup pasta
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 2 tbsp. (plus) shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Pepper (preferably cracked)
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté bacon in melted butter with a generous amount of pepper
  2. Add 1¼ cups boiling water and return to the boil
  3. Add pasta and simmer for 12–15 minutes, adding a little water, if required, until the pasta is cooked
  4. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese is completely melted
  5. Sprinkle with addition Parmesan cheese to serve (optional)

 

Pasta Alfredo

  • ½ cup pasta
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • Garlic, parsley and pepper
  • ½ cup low-fat milk
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion in butter with garlic and pepper
  2. Add bacon and sauté
  3. Add ¼ cup water with milk
  4. Bring to the boil and add pasta
  5. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 12 – 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked
  6. Stir in Parmesan cheese
  7. Sprinkle with parsley

Variations:

  • substitute 2–3 sliced mushrooms for the bacon
  • substitute 1/3 cup cooked chicken for the bacon

 

Pasta Napolitana

  • ½ cup pasta
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup red capsicum, mushrooms and/or carrot, chopped
  • Garlic, chilli or paprika, basil and pepper
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Liquidise diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste (optional)
  2. In a small saucepan, sauté onions with spices
  3. Add chopped vegetables and sauté
  4. Add diced tomatoes with tomato paste and basil and heat through
  5. Add ¼ cup water, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  6. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 12 – 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked
  7. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

 

Pasta all’Amatriciana

  • ½ cup pasta
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • Chilli and garlic paste
  • Basil and pepper
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Liquidise diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste (optional)
  2. In a small saucepan, sauté onions with generous amounts of garlic and chilli paste
  3. Add diced bacon and sauté
  4. Add diced tomatoes with tomato paste, basil and pepper and heat through
  5. Add ¼ cup water, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  6. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 12 – 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked
  7. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variation: substitute a few slices of shredded hot salami for the bacon and omit or reduce the chilli.

 

Pasta with Red Lentil Bolognaise

  • ½ cup pasta
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. red lentils
  • ¼ cup carrot, grated
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic, chilli or paprika, basil and pepper
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Liquidise diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste (optional)
  2. In a small saucepan, sauté onions with garlic and spices
  3. Add diced tomatoes with tomato paste and basil and bring to the boil
  4. Add grated carrot and lentils and simmer for 5 minutes
  5. Add ¼ cup water, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  6. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 12 – 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked
  7. Stir in Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Macaroni with Red Lentils

  • ½ cup small macaroni or elbows
  • 2 tbsp. red lentils
  • ½ cup finely sliced mushrooms and capsicum, and grated carrot
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • Garlic, pepper, parsley and oregano
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with spices
  2. Add vegetables and sauté
  3. Add tomato paste and heat through
  4. Add ¾ cup water with herbs
  5. Bring to the boil, stir in lentils and simmer for 5 minutes
  6. Add macaroni and simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring often and adding more water if required
  7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

 

Pasta Primavera

  • ½ cup pasta
  • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (or see below)
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Pepper, basil and parsley
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté mixed vegetables with pepper until heated through
  2. Add ¾ cup water with stock powder and herbs, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  3. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 12–15 minutes
  4. Stir in lemon juice
  5. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variation: suitable for asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, celery, frozen peas, green beans and zucchini

 

Creamy Pasta with Peas and Bacon

  • ½ cup pasta
  • 1/3 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
  • Pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion in melted butter with pepper
  2. Add bacon and sauté
  3. Add ¾ cup boiling water with stock powder and parsley and bring to the boil
  4. Add pasta and simmer for 5 minutes
  5. Add peas with lemon juice, return to the boil and simmer for a further 8–10 minutes, adding a little water if required
  6. Remove from the heat and stir in yoghurt and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

 

Pasta with Beans and Spinach

  • ½ cup pasta
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 portions frozen spinach, thawed ( or 1 cup spinach leaves, chopped)
  • 1 x 125gm can four bean mix or chickpeas, drained
  • Chilli or paprika, garlic, pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with spices
  2. Add beans and sauté until heated through
  3. Add ¾ cup water with parsley, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  4. Simmer for 8 – 10 minutes
  5. Add spinach and stir through pasta
  6. Continue to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required until pasta is cooked (12–15 minutes in all)
  7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

 

Pasta with Mushroom Bolognaise

  • ½ cup pasta
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 3–5 mushrooms, chopped
  • Garlic, chilli or paprika, basil and pepper
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Liquidise diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste (optional)
  2. In a small saucepan, sauté onions with garlic and spices
  3. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté to heat through
  4. Add tomatoes with basil and soy sauce and heat through
  5. Add ¼ cup water, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  6. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 12 – 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked
  7. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

 

Pasta with Spicy Broccoli

  • 1 cup frozen broccoli florets
  • ½ cup pasta
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon (optional)
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic and chilli paste (or paprika)
  • Parsley

 

  1. In a small saucepan, heat garlic and chilli paste (or paprika) in olive oil
  2. Add bacon and sauté (optional)
  3. Add broccoli and sauté to heat through
  4. Add ¾ cup water, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  5. Bring to the boil and simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if required
  6. Sprinkle with parsley and stir through

 

Pasta with Creamy Broccoli

  • ½ cup frozen broccoli florets
  • ½ cup pasta
  • ½ cup low-fat milk
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Dried onion, garlic granules, parsley and oregano

 

  1. In a small saucepan, bring milk to the boil with ¼ cup water
  2. Add herbs and spices
  3. Stir in broccoli and pasta
  4. Simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring often and adding more water if required
  5. Stir in Parmesan cheese

Variation: substitute frozen cauliflower for some or all of the broccoli

 

Creamy Bacon and Spinach Pasta

  • ½ cup pasta
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • 2 portions frozen spinach, thawed (or 1 cup spinach leaves, chopped)
  • ½ cup low-fat milk
  • Garlic, dried onion, pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan, melt butter with garlic, onion and pepper
  2. Add bacon and sauté
  3. Add ¼ cup water and milk and bring to the boil
  4. Add pasta with parsley
  5. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 10 minutes
  6. Stir in spinach
  7. Continue simmering until pasta is cooked (12–15 minutes in all)
  8. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variation: substitute 2–3 sliced mushrooms for the bacon

 

Pasta with Creamy Chicken

  • ½ cup pasta
  • 1 x 85gm can shredded chicken in water
  • 2–3 mushrooms, chopped
  • ½ cup low-fat milk
  • 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Garlic, dried onion, pepper and oregano
  • Butter or margarine

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté mushrooms in butter with garlic, dried onion and pepper
  2. Add ¼ cup water with milk and oregano
  3. Bring to the boil and add pasta
  4. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 10 minutes
  5. Stir in shredded chicken with Parmesan cheese
  6. Continue to simmer until pasta is cooked (12 – 15 minutes in all)

 

Pasta with Tuna Sauce

  • ½ cup pasta
  • 1 x 95gm can tuna in oil
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • Garlic, chilli or paprika, pepper and basil
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

  1. Liquidise diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste (optional)
  2. Drain oil from tuna into a small saucepan and sauté onion with spices
  3. Add diced tomatoes with tomato paste and basil and heat through
  4. Add ¼ cup water, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  5. Set to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required for 10 – 12 minutes
  6. Stir in tuna and cook for a further 2–3 minutes
  7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)
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