One-Pot Pizza Pasta Express (Printable)

Delicious one-pot pasta with marinara, cheese, and classic pizza toppings ready in 15 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)

→ Sauce

02 - 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
03 - 1/2 cup water

→ Cheese

04 - 2 cups pre-shredded mozzarella cheese (200 g)
05 - 1/2 cup pre-shredded Parmesan cheese (50 g)

→ Toppings

06 - 1/2 cup sliced black olives (50 g)
07 - 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni (70 g, optional)
08 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 1/2 bell pepper, diced
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
12 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large, deep skillet or pot, add pasta, marinara sauce, and water. Stir to combine.
02 - Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is almost tender.
03 - Stir in sliced black olives, pepperoni if using, red onion, and bell pepper. Cook uncovered for 2 minutes until vegetables soften and pasta reaches al dente texture.
04 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
05 - Season with dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, so theres barely any cleanup when youre already exhausted.
  • It tastes like pizza but requires zero dough rolling or oven preheating.
  • You can toss in whatever toppings are hiding in your fridge and call it a custom creation.
02 -
  • Stir the pasta every couple of minutes while it simmers or the bottom layer will glue itself to the pot and burn.
  • Dont skip the water, the sauce alone isnt enough liquid to cook the pasta through without scorching.
  • If the pasta looks dry before its tender, add a splash more water and keep the lid on until it softens.
03 -
  • Use a pot thats wider than it is tall so the pasta has room to cook evenly without clumping together.
  • Taste the pasta a minute before the timer goes off, you want it just shy of done because itll keep cooking under the cheese.
  • Let the dish rest for a minute after you take it off the heat, the sauce thickens slightly and everything settles into itself.
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