Martha Stewart's One-Pot Pasta Is Simple, Classic And Delicious. Just Grab 5 Ingredients

A satiating meal that hits the mark on flavor, nutrition, and ease of preparation and requires minimal cleanup is exactly why one-pot recipes are highly sought after. When it comes to making a hearty, delicious meal with just a handful of basic ingredients, few are in the league of pasta dishes. There's a reason why Meghan Markle's four-ingredient, one-pot wonder went viral on social media, with home cooks putting their own spin on a foundational recipe to cater to their taste. But the concept of one-pot pastas is no novel creation. Long before they became somewhat of a modern culinary trend, our OG queen of home cooking, Martha Stewart, has been way ahead of the game, championing how simplicity and ease of preparation can often spark creativity in the kitchen. From insight into her favorite ingredients to cook with and handy hosting tips, there's so much wisdom that lifestyle expert Martha Stewart has to offer, including her tasty five-ingredient, one-pot pasta recipe, which she shared on Instagram.

One large saucepan, your choice of dry pasta, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and basil leaves are all you need for an effortlessly flavorsome weeknight dinner. While these are the main ingredients that shine in the sauce, reinforcements from basic pantry seasonings like salt, pepper, and red-pepper flakes, and, of course, water and olive oil are essential. Just combine all the ingredients in a pan or skillet and fill with water until it just about covers all the components, and boil over high heat. Keep stirring to prevent the pasta from sticking to the pan, and to allow the sauce to emulsify into a silky sauce that coats the pasta. Once your pasta is perfectly al dente, you're ready to season to taste, garnish, and serve.

There is no doubt that the beauty of Martha Stewart's one-pot recipe lies in its simplicity. Sure, the reduced cleanup afterward is certainly an added bonus, and if you're on the lookout for more ways to elevate simple pasta dishes without requiring any gourmet, specialty ingredients, you're in the right place. For starters, the quality of the ingredients you use is crucial. In fact, it's a chef's secret to a simple pasta dish that tastes like it's straight from an authentic Italian eatery or fresh out of Nonna's kitchen. One-pot recipes are no different, so make sure you reach for the best store-bought pasta, good-quality produce, and herbs to transform an otherwise humble recipe into one worth being served at a well-patronized restaurant. For added oomph, consider using a flavored broth or stock to infuse extra aroma and flavor into your recipe, or if you want a thicker and creamier sauce without any added dairy, nutritional yeast is your solution. It's also an excellent, plant-based swap for Parmesan as a garnish and a touch of cheesy flavor.

When using a medley of vegetables in the sauce, consider those that you might want to add before the pasta, as they take longer to properly cook through. For instance, sturdier vegetables like carrots would be better off par-cooked before adding them to the pasta and other ingredients to ensure that everything completes cooking at the same time. Those that cook at about the same time as the pasta can be added along with the pasta, while vegetables like chopped spinach or frozen veggies are better suited to being added toward the end, just before serving.