4 recipes, 4 wines, for the perfect one-pot pasta

The concept is so simple: simmer your favourite pasta, veggies, meat and seasonings in one large pot of water or broth, risotto-style. The end result is a big bowl of savoury pasta in absolutely no time at all. Perfect for all you busy bodies, these dishes make great weeknight dinners! And the best part? The combinations are endless! Looking for ideas? No problem! Just login to your favourite social media sites and type in #OnePotPasta. To help get you started, here are four delicious recipes . . . and the perfect wines to pair them with!

1. Martha stewart’s classic one-pot pasta

This is THE one-pot pasta recipe, published by Martha Stewart in August 2014, the trailblazer of the one-pot pasta trend. The homemaking queen says that this recipe was inspired by a dish she discovered in Puglia, Italy.

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

350 g (12 oz.) uncooked linguine
350 g (12 oz.) cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 large onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 large fresh basil sprigs (leaves and stem)
5 ml (½ tsp.) dried chilli flakes
1 ml (¼ tsp.) ground pepper
10 ml (2 tsp.) salt
Drizzle olive oil
1.125 L (4 ½ cups) cold water

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and let simmer approximately 9 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Garnish plates with fresh basil.
4. Top off with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan.
5. Serve immediately.

Suggested pairing

Bolla Verona IGT Rosso Retro, an Italian wine with a fruity aroma and refreshing acidity. The perfect accompaniment to the classic one-pot pasta dish!

2. Kale and tuna one-pot pasta

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

350 g (12 oz.) short uncooked pasta (rigatoni)
2 shallots, thinly sliced
500 ml (2 cups) butternut squash, diced
5 ml (1 1/2 tsp.) salt
1 head of kale, finely chopped
Crushed red peppers, to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 L (4 cups) chicken or vegetable broth
1 540 ml (19 oz.) can of white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 170 g (6 oz.) cans of tuna in oil
The juice of 1 lemon

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot, except for tuna and lemon juice.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and let simmer until pasta is cooked, stirring often.
4. Add tuna and lemon juice.
5. Stir and season.
6. Cover and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Suggested pairing

Harvested in the Veneto region, this versatile merlot boasts notes of peony and strawberry. Its soft tannins and fresh acidity make it the perfect sidekick to this delicious kale and tuna pasta dish!

3. One-pot ratatouille pasta

The word “ratatouille” actually comes from the French verbs “touiller”, which means to toss, and “ratouiller”, which means to simmer or stew. A Provençal speciality, ratatouille is often cooked in a single casserole, even though some purists claim you should sauté the vegetables one by one. Here’s a one-pot version of the classic ratatouille!

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

350 g (12 oz.) uncooked linguine
2 Italian tomatoes, diced
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 zucchini, diced
1 small eggplant, peeled and diced
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 ml (1 tsp.) chilli peppers
Fresh basil, oregano and thyme leaves (to taste)
30 ml (2 tbsp.) cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1.125 L (4 ½ cups) water

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and let simmer approximately 10 minutes, or until water has almost completely evaporated, stirring regularly to make sure pasta cooks evenly.

Suggested pairing

A classic wine from the southeast of France, with notes of raspberry and pepper. A well-balanced wine that is sure to tickle your taste buds!

4. The asian one-pot

To finish on a more exotic note, we propose this Asian-style one-pot pasta dish—perfect for all you pad Thai lovers out there! An explosion of freshness and flavour guaranteed!

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

350 g (12 oz.) uncooked linguine
2 garlic cloves, minced
15 ml (1 tsp.) fresh ginger, minced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
4 green onions, chopped
500 g peeled shrimp (fresh or frozen)
30 ml (2 tbsp.) nuoc mam cham (fish sauce)
1 L (4 cups) vegetable broth
15 ml (1 tbsp.) sesame oil
Handful of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Chopped peanuts
2 limes

Preparation

1. In a large pot, bring to a boil broth, pasta, garlic, ginger, carrots, peppers, fish sauce and oil.
2. Let simmer, stirring gently, for 5 minutes.
3. Add shrimp and onions.
4. Let simmer until liquid is almost completely evaporated.
5. Garnish with peanuts and cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Suggested pairing

For an original pairing, opt for a Washington state Riesling, characterized by floral, citrus and chalk notes, with a good acidity and a subtle touch of sweetness.

Tips and tricks

The golden rule when it comes to making the perfect one-pot pasta dish is to not add too much water. Basically, you don’t want to have to drain your pasta. It’s better to add a bit of water as you go along rather than have to remove some at the end. For an even tastier dish, swap regular water for broth . . . or even wine!