Name: Easy One-Pot Caprese Pasta
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25–30 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 12 ounces whole wheat rigatoni (I like Barilla); 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes with basil (I like Hunt's); 4 light string cheese sticks (I like Sargento), cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 2 (10-oz.) container grape tomatoes, halved; 1/2 small onion, diced; About 12 fresh basil leaves; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; About 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped, for garnish (optional); 6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese (I like Sargento Artisan Blends), for garnish (optional)

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Photo by Sarah Hone

I try not to use the word “easy” too loosely in my recipes. I can’t tell you how many times I have perused cookbooks looking for the word “easy,” only to become frustrated by overcomplicated recipes that make me want to give up. It truly doesn’t get any easier than this one-pot sensation. Even on the busiest of nights, I have been able to prepare this palate-pleasing pasta supper with ease. Try this one out for “Meatless Mondays.”

Quick and Easy

Looking for big Italian flavor? Double the amount of garlic, onion, and basil in the recipe.

Recipe notes

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Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

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Spaghetti is a common variation in modern Thai cooking. It’s so easy to work with and absorbs the garlicky, spicy notes of pad kee mao well.

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A quick-fix dinner thanks to store-bought tortellini and chicken broth.

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This vegan version of the classic North African scramble uses soft silken tofu instead of eggs without any sacrifice of flavor.