One Pot Wonder Tomato Basil Pasta
Pasta
Ingredients
12 ounces linguine, bucatini, cavatappi, ditalini, or other pasta. break long pasta in fourths.
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid (flavored tomatoes are good too)
1 medium sweet onion cut in ¼ inch julienne strips (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla)
4 cloves garlic very thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
4 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth (use regular broth, NOT low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch (about 10 to 12 leaves) basil diced
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Directions
Saute onions, mushrooms, and/or other vegetables, in the olive oil in a large stock pot, if desired.
Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, and garlic in the stock pot. Pour in broth. Sprinkle the pepper flakes and oregano on top. Drizzle with oil, if not already in the pot.
Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until either almost all liquid has evaporated, or liquid is reduced as much as desired.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add basil leaves and stir pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot evenly throughout the pasta as you are serving. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.
Notes
You literally throw in all the ingredients for this dish – including the uncooked pasta – and then Flame On! You cook it all together and DO NOT DRAIN the pasta. You just cook it up and starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta. The tastes and textures of this dish are shockingly good. And the “sauce” made by the starch from the pasta combining with the reduced vegetable broth is truly remarkable.
This recipe and new technique just scream out for experimentation by passionate cooks, so please feel free to tweak as desired, and come back and let us know your favorite version(s).
MY NOTES: Sauté vegetables in olive oil first, if you'd prefer them more tender than boiling makes them. Double the broth for additional moisture; remaining broth will be absorbed by the noodles.
For more flavor/texture variations, add meat protein, mushrooms, olives, and/or spinach.