Easy one-pot Italian food recipe
When you think of easy meals to put together, pasta is often right at the top. Instead of always relying on sauce from a jar, those lazy cooking stints one notch up with one-pot Italian recipes instead. Encompassing pasta, gnocchi, and even pizza, we’ve compiled 12 one-pot or -pan Italian food recipes for you to try. As a bonus, there’s minimal cleaning up after too.
1. Sausage Broccoli Pasta
Image credit: Chelsea’s Messy Apron
Pasta and sausage go hand-in-hand, so enjoy that combination with this super easy recipe. We enjoy using spicy Italian sausage, especially those laced with herbs, for a more flavourful kick.
Yield: 4 servings
Time needed: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
455g spicy sausage, casing removed
455g broccoli florets
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
455g pasta
4 cups chicken stock
½ cup grated parmesan
Directions:
- Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook till browned.
- Add the broccoli, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir.
- Add the pasta and chicken salt, and bring to a boil. Cook till pasta is al dente, and the liquid is absorbed.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese. Serve.
Recipe adapted from Tasty.
2. Frittata
Image credit: @loucanlife
Upgrade at-home breakfast or brunch with this easy one-pan frittata recipe. Do note that this recipe requires both stovetop and oven cooking, so only try it out if you have an oven big enough to fit your pan.
Yield: 8 servings
Time needed: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
12 eggs
3 tbsp full fat milk or heavy cream
½ tsp salt
1 cup grated cheese
3-5 cups chopped vegetables such as capscium or zucchini
1 tbsp olive oil
Directions:
- Cook the vegetables in the pan till softened.
- Whisk the eggs and pour over the vegetables. Stir with a spatula briefly to mix the vegetables and eggs. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top.
- Once the outside of the frittata turns lighter, from 30 seconds to 1 minute, put the frittata in the oven and bake for 7 to 14 minutes.
- Upturn the frittata onto a plate to cool. Slice to serve.
Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate.
3. Ravioli Lasagna
Image credit: Cookie Rookie
Anyone who has ever made lasagna from scratch will know that it can be quite an ordeal. So, simplify the process with this extra-easy one pan ravioli lasagna, which gives you all the goodness you get from the OG lasagna recipe, but by using instant ravioli to save time.
Yield: 6 servings
Time needed: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
455g ground beef
½ medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 can whole peeled tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 ½ cups chicken stock, preferably low sodium
2 packets of premade cheese ravioli
230g mozzarella cheese
½ cup parmesan, grated
Directions:
- Add olive oil to a large pan.
- Saute onions and garlic, over medium heat, until onions are soft and translucent.
- Add beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon while it browns.
- Once the beef is cooked through, add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and ravioli.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer over medium heat.
- Simmer until ravioli are tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes
- Remove from heat and stir in mozzarella and parmesan. Serve.
Recipe adapted from Number 2 Pencil.
4. Shrimp Pasta
Image credit: @foodie.city.network
This easy shrimp pasta is an Italian recipe we love to have on hand to impress guests with minimal fuss in the kitchen. Pro-tip: use fresh, not frozen shrimp, for maximum flavour.
Yield: 4 servings
Time needed: 18 minutes
Ingredients:
1 oz cannellini beans
1 large lemon
4 ½ cups water
12 ounces linguine or other pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
455g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
Red pepper flakes to garnish
Directions:
- Wash and drain the cannellini beans. Add to the pan. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into the pan too.
- Add the water, pasta, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to the pan.
- Bring to a boil, and continue to boil for five minutes. Add the shrimp, and cook till the pasta is al dente, and the liquid mostly absorbed. Once the shrimp is fully cooked, remove the pot from the heat, and squeeze the lemon juice over the pasta. Toss, and season to taste. Serve.
Recipe adapted from The Kitchn.
5. Pesto Gnocchi
Image credit: @leximestas
Premade gnocchi is an easy find in supermarkets. While they’re enjoyable just cooked with a knob of butter, this recipe levels that up with a creamy pesto sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
Time needed: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
450g premade gnocchi
⅓ cup pesto
⅓ cup heavy cream
A handful of parmesan, freshly grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon zest to garnish
Directions:
- Cook the gnocchi according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In the same pot, add pesto and heavy cream. Heat till warm, whisking till combined.
- When the sauce simmers, add the cooked gnocchi. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with shaved parmesan and lemon zest.
Recipe adapted from Life As A Strawberry.
6. Italian Chicken And Rice
Image credit: Betty Crocker
This simple Italian recipe uses a ton of affordable pantry staples to create a homely, nutritious meal. If you’d like some greens in the mix, feel free to add kale, peas, or other hearty greens to the pot.
Yield: 4 servings
Time needed: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter
2 + 1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup uncooked rice
2 ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet or pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper, as well as 2 tsp Italian seasoning. Brown the chicken on both sides, but do not cook it through. Set aside.
- Add rice, chicken broth, lemon juice and 1 tsp Italian seasoning to the pan. Place chicken on top, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until there is no more liquid.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro to serve if desired.
Recipe adapted from Le Creme de la Crumb.
7. Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Image credit: @thekitchengirl
Creamy pasta fans, make this simple one-pot creamy chicken alfredo, which only requires 15 minutes to put together!
Yield: 3 servings
Time needed: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
200g chicken breast
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
250g pasta
2 cups milk
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup freshly grated parmesan
Directions:
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in the pan. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Remove onto plate and rest for 5 minutes, then slice while pasta is cooking.
- Add milk, chicken broth and garlic to the pan. Bring to a simmer then add pasta.
- Move pasta around every 30 seconds or so until it is softened so it doesn’t stick. Once pasta is softened, reduce heat to medium and stir every couple of minutes.
- At about 10 minutes, the pasta should be almost cooked but there should still be liquid covering the base of the skillet. Add cream and parmesan and mix.
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and pasta is cooked. If you cook it too long and the sauce clumps, add a bit of hot water to loosen the sauce.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated parmesan.
Recipe adapted from Recipe Tin Eats.
8. One Pan Pizza
Image credit: @binifiit
Pizza, and making pizza dough, could be very daunting for some, but when you have a recipe as easy as this one-pan pizza, you won’t have to sweat the small stuff.
Yield: 2 servings
Time needed: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
120ml warm water
1 tbsp olive oil
85g all purpose flour
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp instant yeast
½ tsp salt
½ cup marinara sauce (130 g)
2 cups shredded mozzarella
75g pepperoni slices
Directions:
- In a large nonstick pan, combine the warm water, olive oil, flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Use a spatula to stir the ingredients, then smooth the dough to the edges of the pan.
- Spread the marinara sauce over the dough, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the sauce, then top with the pepperoni.
- Place over medium heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, covered.
- Uncover and cook for 5 more minutes, until the edges are crispy.
- Slide the pizza out of the pan onto a cutting board and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve.
Recipe adapted from Tasty.
9. Easy Minestrone Soup
Image credit: @pennywhistlers
An Italian recipe guide is not complete without a guide to making easy, set-it-and-forget-it minestrone soup. Super nutritious, hearty, and wholesome, this simple dish will help make dinners on rainy nights extra cosy.
Yield: 8 servings
Time needed: 55 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 zucchini, diced
28oz diced tomatoes
6 cups stock
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
1 cup macaroni
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook till lightly browned.
- Add zucchini and diced tomatoes, then add the stock, beans, and dried herbs.
- Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
- Add pasta and cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, serve.
Recipe adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod.
10. One Pot Spaghetti
Image credit: @freshwithhaw
The one-pot Italian recipe that started it all is this super easy pasta one. The recipe creates a plain, sauced pasta, making it an ideal side dish to accompany meats or greens on the table.
Yield: 4 servings
Time needed: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
340g pasta
340g canned diced tomatoes
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 sprigs basil
2 tbsp olive oil
4 ½ cups water
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated parmesan
Directions:
- Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, and water in a large pan or pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, for about 9 minutes.
- Season, then serve.
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.
11. One-Pan Sriracha Pasta
While most of the Italian recipes on this list tend to be more classic Italian fare, this one-pan Sriracha pasta recipe eschews tradition and embraces the spicy side with Sriracha. The staple hot sauce is used here to give the pasta a kick.
Yield: Serves 2
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
80g streaky bacon, chopped, around 6 rashers
200g dried fettuccine pasta
50g Grana Padano, grated
1 egg
Black pepper to taste
Sriracha sauce to taste
Salt to taste
Directions:
- Bring 1 litre of water to boil in a frying pan, season liberally with salt, and add in the pasta. Cook according to the manufacturer’s instruction.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and strain out the rest of the pasta.
- Wipe the pan dry with kitchen towels, and add the chopped bacon to the pan.
- Turn the heat to medium, and continue to cook the bacon until it turns golden-brown. When it’s done, remove the pan from heat.
- While waiting for the bacon to cook, in a small mixing bowl, combine the cheese with the beaten egg.
- When the bacon is fully cooked, add the pasta, and cheese and egg mixture. Continue to mix with tongs until well incorporated. Then add a bit of the reserved pasta water until a thick emulsion has formed. There’s no need to use up all of the pasta water.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste and a thick lashing of sriracha sauce. Serve immediately.
One-Pan Sriracha Pasta Recipe: Easy 20-Minute Recipe With Minimal Clean-Up
12. Rice Cooker Mentaiko Mac & Cheese
The rice cooker is not technically a pot you use on the stove-top, but it nonetheless can be used to make simple recipes that require little cleaning up after, like this Asian-inspired mentaiko mac and cheese recipe.
Yield: Serves 2
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
2½ cups milk
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
150g macaroni
½ cup cheddar cheese
½ cup mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp butter
1 packet mentaiko sauce
4 tbsp tobiko
Salt
Pepper
Garnish: ½ tbsp tobiko
Directions:
- Hit the “Start Cook” button on the rice cooker and sauté butter, garlic, and shallots together until the shallots are almost translucent, and the garlic is slightly brown.
- Pour milk and macaroni into the rice cooker, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 25 minutes.
- Leave the lid open to cool for five minutes, and add cheddar and mozzarella cheese into the pasta, stirring till the cheeses melt.
- Add mentaiko sauce and tobiko and mix everything well.
- Garnish with more tobiko and serve immediately.
Rice Cooker Mentaiko Mac And Cheese Recipe: Easy Five-Step One-Pot Pasta To Try At Home
Italian food recipes to try at home
Make creating Italian recipes at home fuss-free and a breeze with these easy one-pot dishes.
For more to inspire you to cook at home, check out our one-pot Asian dishes, and our easy air fryer recipes.
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