Creamy One-Pot Pasta Recipe (2024)

This creamy weeknight one-pot pasta recipe is effortless & boasts a zesty flavor that will win even the pickiest of eaters over. Make it with fresh pasta!

Are you the kind of person who dreads spending time in front of the kitchen sink washing dishes? I mean, who can blame you? With busy lives and jobs, sometimes the only thing standing in between you and ordering takeout is a one-pot meal. This crazy easy pasta dish is just what the doctor ordered. With savory sausage, veggies, and a creamy tomato sauce, it falls nothing short of “hitting the spot”.

Preparing this Easy One-Pot Pasta Recipe

With under 10 ingredients, 30 minutes of prep and cook time, and minimal cleanup, this pasta comes together in a pinch.

• Boil the Pasta: Boil the pasta and set it aside.
• Prep the Sausage & Veggies: Next, chop the zucchini and Italian sausage into small pieces.
• Sauté the Sausage & Veggies: In a deep, large skillet, cook the veggies and sausage in olive oil until lightly browned.
• Build the Sauce: Next, add in the heavy whipping cream, pasta sauce, and parmesan cheese. Season the sauce mixture with garlic parsley salt to taste. Stir and simmer until smooth and creamy.
• Assemble the Pasta: Add in the cooked pasta and fresh basil. Stir to combine and serve hot!

A Handful of Helpful Tips

Here’s a few go-to tips to help you get the most out of your one-pot pasta dish.

• Use fresh pasta or make your own. Instead of using dried pasta, opt for the fresh stuff (you can find it in the refrigerated cheese section of most grocery stores). If you’re feeling extra ambitious, make it at home using our guide on how to make homemade pasta. Nothing compares to the taste of homemade pasta!
• Undercook the pasta by two minutes. Cook the pasta 2 minutes short of the package instructions, as it will finish cooking within the sauce itself.
• Serve the pasta right away. Pasta is always best when it’s fresh, so prep it only right before you’re planning to serve it.

Customizing this One-Pot Pasta Recipe

Feel like switching the recipe up? Here’s a couple of ideas to kickstart your creative process.

• Noodles: We like to use long, flat fettuccine noodles, but elbow macaroni, rotini, linguine, spaghetti, angel hair, or even gluten-free pasta will work great. You can’t go wrong!
• Veggies: You can nix the protein all together and whip with dish up for Meatless Monday. Fill it with colorful vegetables like peas, fresh spinach, broccoli, onions, roasted garlic cloves, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes.
• Spices: Garlic parsley salt will do the trick, but feel free to add dried oregano, red pepper flakes, or freshly ground black pepper.
• Herbs & Citrus: Swap out the basil for oregano or sage. If you like a lemony pasta, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.

Different Sides to Serve with this One-Pot Pasta Recipe

For a full-blown Italian spread, serve the pasta alongside a homemade caesar salad and a loaf of cheesy bread. You can also pair it with your favorite veggie side dish. We love crispy air fryer asparagus or grilled zucchini and mushrooms.

Storing & Reheating Tips

This pasta dish is best served fresh, but also makes for some pretty tasty leftovers.

• Storing: To keep it on hand for up to a week, store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Reheating: To reheat the pasta, throw it back into a skillet with a little butter. You can also add in some heavy whipping cream to thin the sauce out if it’s gotten too starchy.

FAQ

Other Pasta Recipes to Try

• Creamy Shrimp Scampi – Buttery shrimp and fettuccine pasta
• Pasta Bolognese (One Pan) – Tomato sauce and ground beef pasta
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta– A 30 minute dish bursting with tomatoes, spinach and cheese.
• – Pasta salad with basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella