One Pot Farmer’s Market Pasta is an almost magical recipe made for busy days and hungry families. This easy 30 minute meal is healthy, meatless, and so delicious ~ just pile everything in one pot, bring it to a boil, and let it cook for a few minutes ~ that’s it!
The concept of a one pot pasta is simple, but precise
The concept for this one pot farmers market pasta is simple — everything gets layered into a big pot, you add liquid, bring it to a boil, and let it bubble away for several minutes until the pasta is al dente. The veggies get cooked perfectly, most of the liquid gets absorbed, and what’s left melds together with the tomatoes to become a sauce. All you have to do is add some grated hard cheese and fresh green herbs to finish the dish. I say ‘liquid’ because while most recipes use water, I used part wine for some extra flavor. You could also use chicken stock. The precise amount is the key, it’s just enough to cook the pasta and leave a little leftover for a sauce.
About this time last year the first one pot pasta debuted in Martha Stewart Living, and the story is that her editors discovered the recipe in Italy. It’s a neat idea, and it clearly has visual appeal, but I was skeptical. Does it really work? Is it worth my time? The only way to know is to give it a try.
The original recipe calls for red onions, cherry tomatoes, and basil. My version is inspired by the colorful bounty of the early summer farmer’s market. Every Sunday I buy way too much, and so the first night or two after a farmer’s market run is usually a mad dash to use as many vegetables as I can…this pasta is perfect for that.
Veggies that work well in a one pot pasta ~
The veggies should be able to cook to al dente in the time it takes the pasta to cook, so choose young tender vegetables, or chop larger ones to bite size. Avoid dense choices like carrots or beets.
- cherry tomatoes
- broccoli
- baby greens like spinach or kale
- bell peppers
- asparagus
- onions
- summer squash
- baby eggplant
- mushrooms
- cauliflower
Pasta Primavera is one of my all time favorite pastas, but it can be a little time consuming to make — you usually have to saute the veggies in stages, create a sauce, and then cook the pasta separately. It’s a lot of pots, stove time, and copious amounts of boiling water sloshing from stove to sink. This method is fun to throw together, and sure saves a lot of work.
Are one pot pastas all they’re cracked up to be? Here are my conclusions…
first, it totally works, I was surprised that my veggies weren’t overcooked or mushy, even my baby asparagus stayed relatively firm, and the colors remained pretty bright. There is what you could call a simple ‘sauce’ that is formed from the starchy pasta water and the tomatoes that break down in the cooking process. I wouldn’t necessarily use this as a dish for entertaining because it is rather ‘homey’, but as a family dinner it worked really well.
One Pot Farmer’s Market Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti I use Barilla
- 1 medium red onion peeled, halved, and sliced
- 1 small Japanese eggplant halved lengthwise and sliced
- several stalks asparagus cut in 2 inch pieces
- a handful of broccoli florets cut in half
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 colorful bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 handfuls baby greens I used baby kale and wild arugula
- 1 - 1-1/2 tsp salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1 Tbsp white wine or sherry vinegar
- 1 cup shredded hard Italian cheese
garnish
- halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cups finely shredded basil leaves
Instructions
- Put everything except the cheese, into a large pot. Add the wine and water (measure exactly since you will not drain the pasta) to the pot and bring up to a boil. If your pasta doesn't fit completely into the pot, nudge it down into the water as it softens. Cover the pot while it comes to a boil then uncover and boil for about 7-9 minutes, until the pasta is just al dente. Babysit the pan a little bit to ensure that the pasta doesn't stick. Don't over cook the pasta, there will still be some water left in the pan.
- Toss the pasta with the cheese, and serve with the extra tomatoes and lots of fresh basil.
- Don't skip the tomatoes. The rest of the veggies remain intact, but the tomatoes break down and help to form a sauce with the starchy pasta water and the cheese. Uou can use lots of different veggies for this dish, whatever looks good. Mushrooms would work well, also summer squash, cauliflower. Tomatoes are a must, though.
- Don't skimp on the cheese, for the reason just mentioned.
- Pay attention to flavoring the pot. In addition to salt, I like lots of black pepper, red pepper flakes, and my secret flavor weapon, a dash of sherry vinegar.
- Don't forget the fresh garnishes. Reserve some little tomatoes and a big handful of fresh basil for topping the cooked pasta.
60 Comments
Okeydoctors
March 24, 2020 at 12:23 pmCan t find something on the list of ingredients, or spot something different at the market that s too good to pass up? No problem! This pasta is a template rather than a recipe, so revisions are encouraged. It s more important to pay attention to the building blocks you need to make it.
Patty
May 25, 2019 at 10:49 amCan you use bubbly white wine like Prosecco?
Sue
May 25, 2019 at 10:58 amSure.
Tar?k Y?lmaz
March 12, 2018 at 9:51 amHi,
Thanks for the recipe this is the best one i have seen so far, my questions is that since i don’t use wine should i add the same amount of water instead ? so 4 1/2 cup of waters in total ? Because the liquid is very important i don’t want to cause a mess.
Sue
March 12, 2018 at 10:38 amYes, you can up the water to 4 1/2 cups, or you could substitute some sort of stock for more flavor.
Fern
January 8, 2018 at 4:28 pmI made this for dinner tonight and it is delicious. I didn’t have eggplant, so added mushrooms and spinach for the greens. The only thing I would do different is make half the amount as there is just the two of use and there is a lot of leftovers. Fantastic recipe!
Sue
January 8, 2018 at 5:02 pmSo glad you liked this Fern, these one pot pastas are really fun to customize.
Robyn
January 6, 2017 at 8:08 pmDelicious recipe!
Loved that it took only one pot.
Thank you!
Jennifer Lee
March 8, 2020 at 9:26 pmHow many serving is this? I have 9 people total for dinner, and trying to decide to add more pasta.
Thanks
Sue
March 9, 2020 at 8:06 amIt serves 4-6, my recipe card conversion failed to carry that info over, sorry!
Jenni Luk
August 15, 2016 at 6:39 amI’ve made this twice, once without wine and once with. I substituted chicken stock for some of the water. It was excellent both times, and is a new family favorite! I love how fresh and flavorful it is!
Sue
May 13, 2018 at 7:35 amThanks Jenni!
Nina
June 2, 2016 at 6:43 amLooks great..can we leave off the cup of cheese for this recipe? Thanks!
Steph
May 10, 2016 at 11:54 amNope. Just no. I was hoping for something more flavorful with the amount of vegetables that were in it. I had to add marinara sauce to even eat it );
Sue
May 10, 2016 at 12:28 pmSorry you didn’t like this Steph, I think it’s definitely a subtler flavor than regular pasta with red sauce. I suggest adding extra cheese for more oomph, too.
RLSCS
May 6, 2016 at 6:59 pmMade this for dinner tonight. DH said it was fantastic. I have to agree. Both boys said they liked it as well. I used a cheap Sauvignon Blanc that was on sale, substituted apple cider vinegar for white wine vinegar and used Asiago cheese. This is my kind of recipe, super easy, super fast and super delicious! This one is a keeper. Thank you!
Sue
May 6, 2016 at 7:37 pmThank YOU, I’m so glad to hear it 🙂
lani
February 24, 2016 at 9:26 pmTried this with whole wheat angel hair, gummy mess! Next time we will try regular pasta. Also I didn’t have wine so I did all water and juice of one lemon, was very refreshing!
Sue
February 25, 2016 at 6:14 amWhole wheat pasta can be gummy Lani, and I think the angel hair is too fine and breaks down, I would use a good sturdy spaghetti.
Kelly
January 8, 2016 at 9:36 amCan you clarify on how to know the right amount of liquid? What is just enough? Does it reach a certain level in the pot?
Sue
January 8, 2016 at 10:18 amthe liquids are specified in the recipe, Kelly, it’s 1 cup wine, and 3 1/2 cups water. You can also substitute broth if you like.
Marian
July 12, 2015 at 11:55 amJust some feedback–I have loved this blog forever, but the past several times it takes so long to actually see the content that I just X out of the website. It’s quite frustrating when I just want to see the images and read the content. Even as I type it is delayed because (I think) there are so many ads on your site. I understand that is how bloggers build revenue, but I don’t want to keep visiting because it’s simply taking too long and the page keeps shooting to different parts because it’s all taking so long to load. Kind of stinks because I have really enjoyed this blog. Again, just some feedback from my end.
Sue
July 12, 2015 at 11:59 amI’m so sorry about that Marian – I’ve got a call in to my ad manager to see what I can do to fix that. I feel the same way when I visit a site and the ads take over! I’m looking into it asap, hope you give me another chance 🙂
Anna L. von Stauffenberg
July 6, 2015 at 12:22 pmCould you do this with gluten free pasta?
Sue
July 6, 2015 at 1:58 pmI don’t see why not!
Teresa
August 3, 2015 at 4:30 pmtried this with gluten free spaghetti and ended up with a gummy mess. I’m curious if anyone else has tried gluten free. I liked the flavor but not the texture. I’ll try it with GF penne next and see if that works any better.
Sue
August 3, 2015 at 5:22 pmIt could very well be that regular pasta has a lot more strength to it due to the type of wheat it’s made from, Teresa.
Lisa
September 10, 2015 at 1:21 pmTeresa, see if you can find a website run by Emril’s daughters. I forget their names. They’re both GF for health reasons and have written an excellent cookbook, worthy of their dad. They may have suggestions from cooking the pasta partially first to suggesting a particular brand. My FIL is also GF and it took them several tries and brands to find ones that cook well AND taste like pasta. If you do find out anything, share it here!
Kitty
October 25, 2015 at 10:54 pmTry corn pasta – I’ve used it ever since I discovered it in Greece and in restaurants in various parts of Italy. It stays firm and tastes like regular durham pasta.
Hannah
June 18, 2015 at 12:39 pmYour photos are so gorgeous! You really captured the natural beauty of the vegetables and I will definitely be making this recipe very soon! Thank you for the inspiration 🙂
Sue
June 18, 2015 at 1:36 pmThanks for stopping by Hannah!
Tamar
May 15, 2015 at 8:53 pmHi! I can’t wait to make this meal this weekend! Quick question -what kind of hard cheese did you use or do you recommend? I’m pretty naive when it comes to cheeses so I was curious. Thanks!
Sue
May 16, 2015 at 7:56 amHi Tamar! I usually buy a chunk of parmigiano reggiano, but romano, or asiago would also work.
Sharlyn
April 4, 2015 at 9:32 amHi Sue — This looks tasty! I write for ParentMap.com and would love to include this idea in a roundup of Farmer’s Market Recipes. We would describe the recipe in our own words, and link back/credit your site and use one image. Would you be OK with this?
Sue
April 4, 2015 at 1:51 pmSure Sharlyn, thanks for asking!
Sharlyn
April 5, 2015 at 9:48 pmThanks so much!
Megan
November 17, 2014 at 9:22 pmTried this tonight and it was absolutely delicious!! And I love how each season it will be slightly different with local seasonal produce. Really fantastic idea!
Sue
November 18, 2014 at 7:06 amI’m so glad Megan— and you just gave me the idea to do a fall version with things like kale, and squash, etc.
Rebecca
July 31, 2014 at 1:50 pmThat looks really tasty. It has been a while since I had pasta and that sounds like a nice way to make it.
Sue
July 31, 2014 at 3:37 pmIt is very easy, and saves on some dishes, to be sure. Hope you like it!
Allie
July 21, 2014 at 5:21 pmThis blog, these photos, and this soup all are GORGEOUS! So glad I found it 🙂
Caitlin @ teaspoon
June 22, 2014 at 10:06 amThis looks so good and easy! I am definitely going to try it this week. I made a one-pot chicken lo mein and it was great, so I’m so excited to try more. It really makes life easy after a long day.
Aimee
June 22, 2014 at 7:29 amTitle should be “one-pot farmer’s market pasta”. Otherwise it looks like the recipe came from a person farming pot (marijuana). Sounds delicious.
K
July 22, 2019 at 7:59 amThat’s just hilarious! 🙂
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
June 20, 2014 at 3:27 pmI’ve seen the one pot pasta all over Pinterest but haven’t tried it – you’ve convinced me! Love all the colorful veggies you added!
Mary
June 18, 2014 at 10:50 pmYAY! I’m so glad you tried it and liked it. It’s such a simple dish, but there are a ton of different ways to mix it up. Your version with all of the extra vegetables looks wonderful!
The Café Sucre Farine
June 18, 2014 at 11:04 amI’ve been curious about these one pot recipes too Sue. So glad you tried it out though I have to say it looks so pretty I think you could serve it to company. Love all those beautiful, vibrant colors! You and I would not do well together at a farmer’s market, we would be so weighed down with fresh produce that our arms would be ready to fall off. 🙂
cheri
June 18, 2014 at 10:38 amI will be trying this Sue, what a great idea. Everything looks to fresh, looks like minutes to prepare. Pinned!
Jen Cornejo
June 18, 2014 at 9:55 amThis looks beautiful. I love the idea of 1 pot pasta. So easy! And I love that you’ve got a lot of colorful veggies in the mix. Need to try this.
Cuisinedeprovence
June 18, 2014 at 8:04 amWhat a brilliant idea – I have to try this!
[email protected]'s Recipes
June 18, 2014 at 4:18 amI too love one pot meal … so convenient.
Joanne
June 17, 2014 at 2:56 pmI could not possibly scream WANT more loudly! Such a gorgeous pasta filled with so much seasonal goodness!
Mary
June 17, 2014 at 2:40 pmWow – I love this – 1 pot is the way to go – have to give it a go – wonderful photography!
Mary
Susan
June 17, 2014 at 12:19 pmYour colorful pot of veggies looks beautiful! I haven’t tried this yet but when my cherry tomatoes and peppers start producing I would be great to try. A beautiful summer pasta!
Sue
June 17, 2014 at 12:30 pmYou could do this with just your tomatoes and peppers, with some onions and basil thrown in. From the garden straight to the (one) pot… talk about convenience!
Mimi
June 17, 2014 at 11:56 amFascinating! Does it come out well seasoned? Beautiful photos, by the way!
CHRISTINE
June 17, 2014 at 10:46 amDefinitely gonna give this a go………………Love your pot….who makes it ????
Sue
June 17, 2014 at 12:27 pmMy pot is cast iron from World Market, they have a pretty good line of pots and pans, and their cast iron is affordable.
Monique
June 17, 2014 at 9:42 amWell..now I just have to!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
June 17, 2014 at 9:33 amI was wondering the same thing about these recipes – so happy to hear it is a success because easy is good and tasty even better!