Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
One Pot Pasta Bolognese Recipe
One Pot Pasta Bolognese is the short model of Spaghetti Bolognese utilizing two nifty shortcuts: cooking spaghetti IN the meat sauce, plus an immediate thick, wealthy sauce utilizing tomato passata / puree as a substitute of the standard crushed tomatoes.
For these of you who’re uncertain about this one-pot pasta technique of cooking, see beneath for why this one works!
Earlier than I begin on the recipe, I’ve a message for the purists on the market who’re uncertain (and a few even offended!) by this one-pot technique of cooking pasta:
A Message for the One-Pot-Pasta Cynics!
I don’t blame you for being uncertain about this recipe. I’ve tried my share of complete one-pot-pasta duds, with the 2 greatest offenders being an unpleasantly sticky sauce from all of the starch from the pasta, and erratically cooked pasta.
However right here’s why this one works and tastes rattling good:
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Passata – thicker than the standard crushed tomato utilized in basic Spaghetti Bolognese so it might take the additional starch with out tasting “sticky”; and
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It’s saucier than conventional Bolognese, and that further liquid is as a result of we have to begin off with a watery meat sauce with a purpose to enable the spaghetti to prepare dinner by way of evenly, plus there’s extra sauce by way of which the starch is dispersed (once more, for a much less starchy sauce). Notice: I stated SAUCIER. Not watery!
No, this isn’t the normal approach to make Bolognese, and whereas some folks would declare that their Nona’s would roll over of their grave in the event that they noticed this recipe, there are in truth pasta dishes in Italy which might be cooked in a single pot (Orzo/risoni is frequent).
Is it nearly as good as basic Bolognese, simmered for hours to let the flavours meld, the tomato to breakdown right into a easy sauce, and the meat to change into meltingly tender, then tossed in spaghetti that’s cooked to actual al dente in a pot of salted water?
After all not.
However for the sheer comfort and velocity, the marginal loss in high quality is a really small worth to pay. And it’s nonetheless scrumptious.
So purists – get off your excessive horse, and provides this a go! I’d by no means publish a recipe I wouldn’t stand behind proudly and publicly! – Johnsat x
One Pot Pasta Bolognese
The concept with this one pot pasta recipe is that the liquid to pasta ratio is just-right in order that by the point the spaghetti is cooked, it’s absorbed the surplus liquid and also you’re left with a saucy pot of spaghetti and meat sauce!
It’s actually every thing you understand and love about basic Spaghetti Bolognese – with a few nifty shortcuts to ship simply as tasty a lead to much less time, much less effort and only one pot to clean:
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Tomato passata (aka tomato puree) – to make a thick, wealthy bolognese sauce with out 20 minutes of simmering to interrupt down the standard crushed tomato; and
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Pasta cooked IN the sauce – by beginning with an additional liquidy sauce so we are able to prepare dinner the pasta like we often do in an enormous pot of boiling water!
Right here’s somewhat preview of what it seems like. Wealthy! Thick! Saucy! Scrumptious!
Substances in One Pot Pasta Bolognese
It’s primarily made with the identical components as conventional Bolognese, with a number of key variations:
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tomato passata as a substitute of crushed tomato – for an immediate thick, wealthy tomato sauce. New to tomato passata? Examine it right here; and
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beef inventory/broth as a substitute of inventory cubes – so as to add further flavour into the sauce and make it watery initially so we are able to “boil” the pasta. In basic Bolognese, we use inventory cubes and add no water (except doing a gradual prepare dinner).
Few fast notes on the opposite components:
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Beef mince / floor beef – I usually use lean, however any fats % is ok right here. Recipe may also work as written with lamb, pork, chicken and turkey;
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Tomato paste – to offer the sauce a slight tomato enhance and thickening;
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Worcestershire sauce – the savoury flavour. Greatest sub – soy sauce (sure, actually, it received’t make it style Asiany, I promise!);
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Dried Italian herb combine – I exploit a retailer purchased pre combine for comfort, however there’s loads of choices right here (dried and recent rosemary, thyme) or you’ll be able to even depart them out. Lined within the recipe notes;
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Chilli flakes (pink pepper flakes) – I really like a contact of heat on this nevertheless it’s 100% elective!
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Garlic and onion – important flavour base!
Completely different pasta sorts?
Completely! This may be made with any lengthy OR brief pasta. Pastas that require an extended prepare dinner time simply want to remain on the range for longer, with a splash of boiling water added as wanted to maintain it saucy. And brief pastas (like macaroni, spirals) don’t want as a lot liquid.
Learn how to make One Pot Pasta Bolognese
It begins off identical to your on a regular basis Bolognese – till you get to the half once you add the meat inventory when the meat sauce seems to change into alarmingly watery. However that’s precisely what you need – so we are able to prepare dinner the spaghetti such as you do in a pot of boiling water!
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Cook dinner the garlic, onion and beef, identical to you ordinarily do;
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Add the tomato passata, beef inventory and all of the flavours;
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Give it a superb combine – the meat sauce WILL look watery, and that’s precisely what you need!
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Carry the sauce to a boil, then add the pasta identical to you’ll in a pot of boiling water;
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Depart it for 30 seconds so it might begin to soften, then you’ll be able to push it down beneath the liquid;
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Cook dinner it for 12 minutes, tossing effectively towards the top, till you find yourself with an enormous pot of completely cooked spaghetti in saucy bolognese sauce!
Need a meat free One Pot Pasta?
Use this One Pot Vegetable Pasta recipe as a substitute. Veggies can’t maintain as much as the fast boiling required on this recipe so it’s higher to make use of brief pasta which might be cooked at a extra gently simmer.
I actually love how saucy this One Pot Pasta is, and the way the Bolognese is so wealthy and thick, and clings to the pasta reasonably than ending up as a watery pool on the backside of the bowl.
Skilled cooks will recognise that this cooking technique emulsifies the pasta sauce and spaghetti, a necessary step in pasta recipes which is often performed on the finish by including cooked pasta right into a pan with the pasta sauce. I do that for all my pasta recipes that aren’t fast ‘n straightforward one pot recipes like this one (and so do Italians and respectable eating places!).
For these of you who’re questioning – if this one pot pasta is so good, why aren’t all pastas cooked this manner?
The reply is as a result of this technique of pasta cooking depends on a sure stage of exactness for the ratio of liquid to pasta, a minimal batch dimension, and sure forms of pasta sauces that may maintain as much as the required prepare dinner time in addition to the vigorous tossing required.
Additionally, this technique of cooking means ALL the starch from the pasta find yourself within the pasta sauce which isn’t perfect for a lot of forms of pasta sauces as a result of they find yourself too sticky.
Listed below are some examples of pastas that can not be made utilizing this one pot technique:
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Mushroom pasta – received’t work as a result of there’s not sufficient sauce to prepare dinner the pasta;
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Creamy Chicken Pasta and Creamy Tomato Sausage Orecchiette – sauce will change into too sticky;
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Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta – too delicate for this technique of cooking;
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Sausage meatball pasta – not sufficient sauce. Would want adjustment for one pot technique; and
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Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta – requires gradual cooked beef that’s then shredded. Doesn’t match with one pot cooking – additionally, there’s far an excessive amount of quantity.
The lesson to be taught right here is that one pot pasta recipes can yield terrific outcomes, nevertheless it must be used selectively for the best recipes. 🙂 I’ve shared a number of over time – listed below are some reader favourites:
Reader Favourites One Pot Pastas
Get pleasure from! – Johnsat x
Watch how you can make it
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 500g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef) , I use lean
- 700g / 24.5 oz tomato passata (tomato puree) (Note 1)
- 3 cups beef broth (or stock cubes + water, Note 2)
- 2 tsp Italian mixed herbs (options, see Note 3)
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes) , adjust to taste
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp each salt and pepper
- 350g / 12 oz spaghetti , uncooked (other pasta – Note 4)
- Parmesan
Instructions
- Saute onion & garlic: Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Cook garlic and onion for 2 minutes until translucent.
- Cook beef: Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go.
- Add tomato: Once beef has all changed from red to brown, add tomato passata.
- Rinse out bottle: Pour some beef stock into the empty bottle, shake, then pour into the pot.
- Add everything else: Add remaining beef stock and all remaining ingredients except spaghetti. Give it a good stir, then let it come up to the boil.
- Add spaghetti: Add pasta, fanning it out around the pot. Leave for 30 seconds to start softening, then start pushing it in under the liquid.
- Cook pasta: Once fully submerged, cook for 12 minutes, stirring every minute or so, and more towards the end. At about the 8 minute mark, lower the heat to medium otherwise the base might catch (but ensure it is still bubbling gently – you don't want pasta just bloating in warm water).
- Remove from stove, toss well: Take it off the stove once the pasta is JUST cooked, the tiniest bit firmer than you want, and when still saucy. Toss it for about 30 seconds or so – the sauce will reduce further, the pasta will finish cooking.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan.
Notes
General notes:
If you scale recipe down, use a large saucepan and break long pasta in half
1. Tomato passata – pureed, strained pure tomatoes, sometimes labelled Tomato Puree in the US. Readily available in Australian supermarkets nowadays, alongside pasta sauces. More info about passata here.
Key ingredient in this recipe for a rich, smooth sauce in this speedy Bolognese recipe. Usually, we use crushed tomato and let it simmer for a while (or hours!) so it breaks down.
2. Beef stock – alternative is to use 3 crumbled beef stock cubes or 3 tsp powder plus water.
3. Italian herb mix – this is a handy shortcut, using a premix. Anything labelled “Italian herbs” or “herb mix” is fine here. Or make your own with equal portions of dried parsley, oregano, rosemary and thyme (if you have at least 3 of these). More options for similar flavour combos:
Dried Thyme only – 1 tsp
Dried thyme 1 tsp + rosemary 1/4 tsp
Dried thyme 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp oregano
Fresh – sprig of rosemary + 3 sprigs thyme, plonk in and fish out before serving.
Just fresh thyme (not just rosemary – too strong)
Still worth making if you have none of these 🙂 Herbs just add an extra touch of tastiness!
4. Pasta options:
Long – fettuccine, linguine, bucatini– thicker pasta will take longer to cook.– follow recipe as written but then adjust at end by adding BOILING water 1/2 cup at a time and continuing to cook/stir until pasta is cooked through.
Short – ziti, penne, macaroni, spirals, rigatoni– requires less tossing to cook pasta through evenly and ensure they don’t stick together, so use less liquid– reduce to 2 1/2 cups of beef stock and add an extra pinch of salt
Tiny – orzo/risoni, ditalini, kiddie novelty pasta like alphabet– Use this One Pot Bolognese Risoni recipe
5. Storage / make ahead: Keeps well because it’s nice and saucy, so it doesn’t go dried out and stodgy the next day. Refrigerate up to 4 days, then reheat in microwave. Will freeze ok but if you’re looking for a pre assembled Bolognese type thing to freeze, I highly recommend Baked Spaghetti Bolognese (it’s made for freezing).
6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 generous servings, including pasta.
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