This post may contain affiliate links.

We all know pasta can be simple – but did you know you could make it THIS simple? This One Pot Tomato Pasta recipe is a fantastic one for a quick, easy and delicious midweek family meal.

A big pan full of Tomato Pasta mixed together

I love this recipe for when I need to rustle something up with what’s in the store cupboard and bits and bobs in the fridge, but I also know everyone will be HUNGRY and need a satisfying dinner to end the day.

This One Pan Tomato Pasta recipe is so, so easy and quick – there’s no big ingredient list, no forward planning, no mountains of effort. It’s just ready to go in less than 20 minutes. I wanted to keep this simple pasta sauce recipe at its most basic to prove you really can rustle up a hearty, delicious, economical meal that everyone will love without much fuss.

This dish is absolutely fine as it is, but do feel free to throw in any ingredients you have that either elevate the dish for you or just needs using up. Perhaps you want meat in it too. It’s so versatile – go forth and make it your own! ❤️

You’ll love this recipe because:

✅ So easy, so quick

✅ All made in one pan

Comfort with zero fuss

Ingredients for One Pot Pasta with Tomato Sauce all in the pan

FAQs about this Tomato Pasta Recipe

Can I really cook pasta and sauce all in one pan?

Yes! In fact, the starch in the pasta helps to thicken the liquid to create the sauce. It gives it a silky texture that gets better as it cooks.

What other ingredients can I add to the sauce?

This meal is so versatile – you can use it on its own or as a base.

Mix it up by adding what you have available in your fridge. This recipe is great with mushrooms and chorizo – just fry them up in the pan for a few minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Or for a bit more to it, you can follow my One Pan Easy Chorizo Pasta recipe.

What kind of stock should I use?

Stock is an important ingredient as it adds so much flavour, so a good one does make all the difference.

You can use homemade stock from the freezer that you’ve batch made, or any good quality type will do if not. I like the brand Marigold if you can find it.

Can I reheat leftovers of this tomato pasta?

You can reheat leftovers, although you may find the sauce has soaked into the pasta and is quite dry. Add a splash of water or stock as it warms up.

Close up of spaghetti and tomatoes in this easy one pot pasta recipe

Fancy more Easy Pasta recipes?

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

I’d love to know how you got on and what you thought of it if you make this recipe. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ by the recipe.Also, if you’d like to show me a photo by tagging me on Instagram (@tamingtwins) I LOVE to see your creations.

This post was originally published on March 16, 2014 and fully updated with new photos and a slight improvement to the method on June 22, 2022.
5 from 37 votes

Tomato Pasta {Easiest ONE POT Recipe!}

This delicious one pan tomato pasta recipe is perfect for a quick midweek family meal.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 350 g Spaghetti
  • 400 g Tinned tomatoes
  • 1 Large onion, Sliced
  • 4 Cloves Garlic, Peeled and sliced
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 4 tbsp Pesto
  • 3 tbsp Tomato puree
  • 1 litre Vegetable stock, I use Marigold powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
  • 200 g Cherry tomatoes
  • 75 g Grated Parmesan

Instructions 

  • Put the spaghetti, tinned tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, pesto, salt and pepper, and stock in a large saucepan.
  • With the lid on, put it over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the pasta is almost cooked.
  • Stir in the cherry tomatoes and cook for a further 3 or 4 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the cherry tomatoes are softened.
  • Top with the Parmesan cheese to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 597kcalCarbohydrates: 86gProtein: 20gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 2191mgPotassium: 737mgFiber: 6gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1515IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 262mgIron: 3mg

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

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Family Food
Like this? Leave a comment and rating below!Mention @myusername or tag #myhashtag!

new cookbook!

Featuring 100 delicious recipes that can be cooked in one pot, you can open any page in this book and find something that will give you not only a meal that the whole family will eat and enjoy, but also one that makes your life a little simpler in the process.

More Recipes

Sarah Rossi founder of TamingTwins.com and author of 'What's for Dinner?' books.

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Sarah. I help busy people decide 'What's for Dinner?' Find hundreds of recipes here, and also in my bestselling recipe book. Hope my recipes make your life easier ❤️

Leave a comment

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.

31 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I love this recipe and it’s become my go to on nights when I don’t know what to make. Super quick and easy, only one pot and uses ingredients we generally have in the house. What’s not to love!

  2. Just had this for dinner and we all loved it. Absolutely delicious and quick and easy to make. Thank you!