One-Pot Pizza Pasta Express (Printable Page)

A fast, flavorful pasta simmered with marinara, olives, cheese, and fresh vegetables, ready in 15 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ Sauce

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

→ Cheese

04 - 2 cups pre-shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1/2 cup pre-shredded Parmesan cheese

→ Toppings

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

# Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes flat, which means you can feed your family without sacrificing your sanity.
  • Everything lives in one pot, so cleanup is almost laughable compared to the deliciousness.
  • Your kitchen smells like a pizzeria without the grease splatter or three-hour commitment.
02 -
  • Stir the pasta early and often during those first 7 to 8 minutes or it will clump together in the center and stay crunchy while the edges turn to mush.
  • The water-to-sauce ratio matters more than you'd think; too little and your pasta dries out, too much and you lose the sauce flavor.
  • Add the cheese after removing from heat if your pot is prone to burning at the bottom, or lower your heat by half once the pasta finishes cooking.
03 -
  • If your pot doesn't have a heavy bottom or runs hot, you can slightly undercook the pasta in step two and let the residual heat finish it while the cheese melts.
  • Use whole milk mozzarella if you can find it; the pre-shredded kind still works beautifully, but whole milk has a richer flavor that makes people wonder what your secret is.
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