On the hunt for the laziest, speediest route to whip up a dinner that’ll make your family swoon? Ta-da! Look no further.

We’re absolutely obsessed with one-pot pasta wonders like the lazy genius that is this Parmesan pasta, as well as our one pot pasta primavera, and one pot lemon garlic Parmesan pasta (because who has time for more than one dish to clean up?). The best part? They’re practically instantaneous.

pot of parmesan pasta with fork and fresh basil

What is one pot pasta?

One pot pasta is about to steal the spotlight as your ultimate weeknight dinner champion. With a treasure trove of delicious variations (check out our handpicked favorites right here), whipping it up is a breeze.

Let’s break it down: throw everything into the same pot. No need to waste precious minutes boiling pasta separately before diving into sauce-making. It’s not just a flavor upgrade; it’s a time-saving n

This might be the best way to cook pasta

You read that right, and we confidently stand by that statement. Cooking pasta in broth will knock your (and your family’s) socks off. It is a total game changer that not only makes your life easier by creating less dishes, but it packs in the flavor.

Typically when you make pasta, you drop your spaghetti into boiling water that has been heavily salted. The salt is important because while your pasta cooks to perfection, it is rehydrating and absorbing the water it is cooking in.

By cooking pasta in chicken stock, you are allowing the noodles to absorb the rich flavor of the broth. And what’s even better about this recipe is that you are also cooking the spaghetti alongside herbs, garlic, lemon juice, tomatoes and onions.

Each noodle takes on the flavor profile of the broth it’s cooking in, making each bite tastier than it would be if you cooked your pasta in water. And did we mention this method only dirties a single dish?

pot of parmesan pasta with broth, onions, and tomatoes

How to make one pot parmesan pasta

  1. Add the pasta, tomatoes, onions, basil, garlic, lemon juice and zest to a deep skillet or heavy bottomed pot. Drizzle olive oil over your ingredients and add salt and pepper to season.
  2. Pour in chicken stock or broth and stir everything together.
  3. Set your burner to medium-high heat, bringing the liquid up to a boil. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes. Check the texture and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, if needed, until your pasta has reached the perfect texture!
    • Note: about halfway through the cooking time, uncover your pot and stir the pasta and ingredients together. This will help prevent the spaghetti from sticking together.
  4. Once your pasta is fully cooked, turn off the heat. Then stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Make sure to leave it in the pot for a few minutes so the sauce can combine and thicken up!
  5. Serve and enjoy!
tongs lifting a portion of Parmesan pasta from a pot

Have leftovers?

You can safely store this in your refrigerator for 3-5 days or in your freezer for up to 3 months. Anytime you are reheating pasta, we recommend adding a splash of water to help rehydrate the mixture.

Feel free to pop this in the microwave straight from the fridge or scoop the pasta into a pot to heat on the stove.

If you have frozen your leftovers, throw it in your fridge the day before you want to eat it to make it easier to reheat. You can place it straight from the freezer into the microwave, but it may take a little bit longer. If you are taking this route (straight from freezer to microwave), heat it up in rounds and mix it every minute and a half. This will make sure that the dish reheats evenly.

Can I make this pasta dish gluten free?

Absolutely! Depending on the type of gluten free pasta you choose, you may need to make a couple of modifications to the quantity of liquid and cook time.

We have found that gluten free pasta (particularly spaghetti) is a bit more delicate than regular pasta. Because of that, we recommend starting out with 3 1/4 cup of chicken stock and to gently stir a couple more times while it is cooking. This will prevent it from sticking and tearing apart.

Make sure to taste test a noodle for texture at the 8 minute mark. If you find that your pasta is still a bit chewy or undercooked, add an extra 1/2 cup of stock.

overhead image of a pot of Parmesan pasta with a fork twirling a bite

One Pot Parmesan Pasta

4.98 from 34 votes
Author: Food Dolls
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 22 minutes
Light and simple one pot pasta made with lots of fresh basil, fresh lemon juice, and parmesan cheese!

Ingredients  

  • 12 ounces spaghetti noodles
  • 14.5 ounces Rotel or petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 small onion sliced thin
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 juice of a lemon + zest
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 Tablespoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • more basil for garnish

Instructions 

  • In a deep skillet or heavy bottom pot add pasta, tomatoes, onions, basil, garlic, lemon juice + zest.
    12 ounces spaghetti noodles, 1 small onion, 14.5 ounces Rotel or petite diced tomatoes, 1 cup fresh basil, 3 cloves garlic, 1 juice of a lemon + zest
  • Drizzle olive oil, add salt and pepper.
    3 Tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 Tablespoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • Add chicken stock and stir everything.
    4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • On medium-high heat bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 8-10. Half way through cooking give it a good stir to make sure the pasta does not stick together. Cover and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until pasta is cooked.
  • Stir in heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. Let sit for a few minutes for the sauce to thicken up!
    1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, more basil for garnish

Video

Equipment

1 Deep Skillet

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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 764mg | Potassium: 418mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 488IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe?Please leave a comment!

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Meet Alia & Radwa

Welcome to Food Dolls! Weโ€™re so glad you found us. We are Alia and Radwa, sisters who want to share simple and easy recipes with you. We hope you find recipes here that you enjoy making as much as we do! Learn more about us!

4.98 from 34 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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72 Comments

    1. You might want to salt them first, or your pasta could become watery. We hope you enjoy, Patricia!

      Xo,
      Alia & Radwa

  1. Love this recipe! I want add fresh, uncooked shrimp to it. Do I need to increase the broth?

    1. Thank you, Trish! You might need an extra splash but haven’t tested it and can’t say for sure. We’d love to know how it goes if you try it out!

      Xo,
      Alia & Radwa

    2. How did you like it with the fresh shrimp? I was thinking about doing the same thing. Did you need to add more broth?

    1. Thank you, Madeleine! You could reduce all the ingredients for just two servings. ๐Ÿ˜Š

      Xo,
      Alia & Radwa

  2. 5 stars
    This is so good and so easy that my 5 year old made it! The only thing we did different was to add a little crushed red pepper to add a little spice.

  3. 5 stars
    So good! We are pescatarian so I used veggie broth instead of chicken stalk, and we have a toddler so we used elbow noodles instead of spaghetti so that we didn’t have to cut it. AND It’s toddler approved! (Our toddler is very picky, and he asked for more!) I definitely see how shrimp could be a great addition!

    1. We’re so happy to hear this and are glad you were able to make it work for you, Merrissa! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review. ๐Ÿ˜Š

      Xo,
      Alia & Radwa

  4. 5 stars
    This is so good – love how the flavours come together in an easy way โ€ฆ. I fried some shrimp separately and added – delicious and easy !

  5. 5 stars
    This recipe was so delicious and simple! It has become a weekly dinner in our household. We LOVEEEEEE IT. I run to their page for all my recipes!

  6. 5 stars
    Love this recipe!! Itโ€™s now my go-to easy pasta dinner. Have made it several times and everyone always asks for the recipe!

  7. 5 stars
    This recipe was simple but so delicious that I could easily feed this to company and theyโ€™d think I had put way more effort into it than I did! The lemon is a perfect touch. You could easily modify this recipe to incorporate all sorts of yummy combinations of veggies. Excellent recipe!!

      1. Iโ€™m just making mine and I was looking at the comments one woman said hers came out like spaghetti before it was drained you mentioned did she drain the pasta it says nothing about draining the pasta. Iโ€™m going to be very disappointed if mine doesnโ€™t come out, right

      1. I lovevall you recipes, thank you! may I ask, could you use half and half or almond milk in place of heavy cream?

        1. Thank you, Pam! It should work. It just won’t be as rich and creamy. We hope you enjoy!

          Xo,
          Alia & Radwa