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If you are still looking for that quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s also delicious and liked by all, this one pot pasta recipe is your new go-to recipe! In just 30 minutes, you can whip up a delicious, comforting meal loaded with spinach, juicy tomatoes, and crispy bacon—all in one pan.
Delicious One Pot Pasta Recipe
So much I love about this BLT Pasta right now. So, so much! It’s the perfect solution for busy nights when you want something flavorful and satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen. Plus, with only one skillet to clean, this dish makes both cooking and cleanup a breeze! Whether you’re craving a simple pasta dish or a fresh twist on the classic BLT, this recipe has you covered.
One of my favorite things about simple recipes like this is that when you use high-quality ingredients, you don’t need many to create an incredibly flavorful dish. Just a few top-notch ingredients can bring out all the deliciousness. I’ve always believed that if you’re going to use the good stuff, you should really be able to taste it! That’s why this weeknight beauty is packed with diced tomatoes, bacon, fresh spinach, cheese, and great textured pasta.
Ingredients You’ll Need
I’m completely in love with this one pot pasta recipe for so many reasons. The best part? Most of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry, making this dish super convenient. And trust me, your other half might ask for an entire skillet all to themselves!
- Cooking Oil: Used for sautéing the onions and for cooking the pasta. You can use canola oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil.
- Yellow Onion: If you’re out of yellow onions, you can use a white onion or shallots instead.
- Diced Tomatoes (undrained): Provides tangy flavor and moisture to the pasta.
- Tomato Sauce: Enhances the tomato flavor and creates a rich sauce.
- Dry Rotini Pasta: The corkscrew shape of rotini holds the sauce well, but you can substitute it with other short pasta like penne or fusilli.
- Garlic Salt: Adds a touch of seasoning and garlic flavor. If you don’t have garlic salt, mix together garlic powder and regular salt.
- Bacon: Brings a smoky, savory element to the dish. Turkey bacon or a vegetarian bacon substitute can be used as alternatives.
- Baby Spinach: Adds a fresh element to the pasta. Use kale or Swiss chard if you like.
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional): Adds a salty, umami finish to the dish. Freshly grated Pecorino Romano is a good alternative.
How To Make One Pot Pasta
This one skillet BLT pasta is your ideal weeknight meal—everything from the uncooked pasta to the fresh veggies and savory sauce comes together in just one pan in under 30 minutes!
- Cook the onions. Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped onion for a couple of minutes until tender.
- Add the tomatoes and pasta. Stir in the diced tomatoes, water, tomato sauce, dry pasta, and garlic salt. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Boil the pasta. Once boiling, cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for about 12 minutes or until the pasta is nearly cooked.
- Cook the bacon. While the pasta is cooking, cook the bacon in a skillet or the microwave, then chop it into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Add the spinach. Remove the skillet’s lid and add the baby spinach to the pasta. Cover and cook for a few more minutes until the spinach wilts and the pasta is fully tender.
- Finish. Stir in the chopped bacon into the pasta. Serve the pasta hot, and if desired, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese for an extra touch of flavor.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Best Noodles for One-Pot Pasta: This recipe can be made with both gluten-free and regular noodles, but shorter pasta shapes, like rotini or penne, work best. They’re easier to stir, cook evenly, and don’t clump together like longer noodles such as spaghetti.
- Gluten-Free Options: If you’re opting for gluten-free noodles, brown rice pasta tends to hold up best in one-pot recipes, maintaining its texture throughout cooking. You could even try it with low carb noodles that I use in my very popular chicken noodle soup.
- Add Protein: For a heartier meal, consider adding cooked chicken, sausage, or even shrimp towards the end of cooking.
- Cheese Toppings: While Parmesan is a classic choice, feel free to experiment with other cheeses. A sprinkle of mozzarella or a touch of feta can add a different flavor profile to your dish.
- Veggie Variations: If you want to incorporate more vegetables, you can easily add extras like mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini. Just toss them in when you sauté the onions.
- Finish with Fresh Herbs: Consider adding a handful of fresh basil or parsley just before serving. The fresh herbs will brighten up the dish and complement the rich flavors of the pasta and bacon.
Serving Suggestions
Alright, I think I’ve talked it up enough, and it’s probably time to let you get cooking. But before I go, remember that this One Skillet BLT Pasta is fantastically, wonderfully simple—perfect for those busy weeknights. This dish pairs beautifully with a fresh brussels sprouts salad and a side of garlic bread for a complete meal. If you’re looking to add even more flavor, consider serving it alongside a roasted vegetable salad with a light, zesty lemon chicken.
And don’t forget to pour yourself a glass of chilled white wine sangria or sparkling water to round out the delicious experience!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Keep any leftover pasta in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: When you’re ready to enjoy it again, reheat the pasta in the microwave, stirring in between intervals. Alternatively, you can warm it up on the stovetop in a saucepan. Adding a splash of water while reheating can help bring back the creaminess of the cheese sauce.
- Freeze: If you want to save some for later, you can freeze this one pot pasta for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge before reheating.
More Pasta Recipes
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One Pot Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1¼ cups water
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 8 ounces dry rotini pasta
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- 6 slices fully cooked bacon
- 1 cup baby spinach
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender.
- Add undrained tomatoes, water, tomato sauce, pasta and garlic salt; stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Cover; reduce heat and cook for 12 minutes or until pasta is almost tender.
- In the meantime, heat bacon in microwave according to package directions.
- Chop bacon; set aside.
- Remove cover from skillet and add spinach on top of pasta mixture.
- Cover; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until spinach wilts and pasta is tender.
- Add bacon; stir to combine.
- Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
I love Hunts tomatoes!! This skillet meal looks so fantastic 😀
I love, love, love one pot meals! This has everything I need to feel happy and satisfied!
Now this is how to do dinner! Love easy skillet recipes like this one Kate!
This is my favorite kind of weeknight meal!
Easy dinner, I could even have my kids make this while i kick back with a beer 🙂
confession- In some instances, pasta trumps bread. This may be one of them. This may give your ketchup one a run for it’s money.
😀
This pasta looks fantastic Katerina! I could go for a huge plate of this right now!
You had me at one skillet, I need a big bowl of this pasta!
This looks so good and I can’t wait to make it.
My days have been crazy too! What’s up with this time of year? 🙂 Easy pasta skillets are my favorite to make and this looks fantastic!