One Pot Zucchini Mushroom Pasta
An incredibly creamy, hearty pasta dish that you can make in just 20 minutes. Even the pasta gets cooked right in the pot!
Ever since I made that one pot pasta several weeks back, I’ve been on the hunt for more recipes like this – easy, effortless and sure to be a hit with the entire family. And this zucchini mushroom pasta is exactly that.
There is absolute no pre-cooking or sauteeing of any kind here. Simply throw everything into the pot, including the uncooked pasta and that is it.
The water will be completely soaked by the pasta and once the noodles are cooked through, you can toss in a little bit of heavy cream (or milk, if you’re watching your calories) for a thin, creamy pasta sauce. Easy peasy.
And don’t be too shocked when everyone just raves about how amazing this pasta is. Jason said this was the best pasta he’s ever had! I obviously didn’t tell him how easy it was. Hey, he did the dishes so it’s an even trade, right?
One Pot Zucchini Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 zucchini, thinly sliced and quartered
- ⅔ cup peas
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, combine spaghetti, mushrooms, zucchini, peas, garlic, thyme and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is cooked through and liquid has reduced, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and heavy cream.
- Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
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Can frozen peas be used? Or just fresh peas?
Fabulously easy. I can already think of so many variations. I added chopped onion and sautéed the onions & garlic first. Darn fine recipe!
Delicious and simple. I’ve made several times. Kids love it, whereas they otherwise won’t eat zucchini and mushrooms. I am liberal with the cream and garlic, and I use dried thyme since I don’t have fresh handy. I use chicken broth if I have some handy instead of water.
This is a great Meatless Monday dish. I’ve made this several times. My only modifications… a bit more water, cheese and cream. Eats like a fettuccine alfredo, but not as heavy.
I switched it up a little going off reviews and not liking thyme. I only used about 3/4 the recommended spaghetti, added 1 tbs of better than bouillon to boiling water, and used basil instead of thyme. Even my one year old picky eater loved it!
I followed the recommendations for more flavor by adding sautéed onions, Italian seasoning, turmeric and chicken bouillon. The only thing I would change is the ratio of spaghetti to veggies. There was way too much pasta and that’s after I added more zucchini than specified. I will definitely make this again!
Okay, this is delicious! I listened to the suggestions about flavor, so I added a bouillon cube. I also sautéed fresh garlic, thyme and butter, and then added the veggies and pasta and water. I used a gluten free pasta so I adjusted the water a bit. At then end I added a little truffle oil and chili flakes because I thought it could use a bit of extra flavor. This is a great recipe and easy to modify.
I dont use salt. So I added garlic and onion powder. I agree that next time I would add chicken broth. But love one pot cooking. Also might add a bit more ceeam.
I fully believe in only rating recipes as they’re written, so as written this is average. There is too much liquid and it is a bit bland. With some modifications it’s pretty good. I added some chicken bouillon paste (effectively using broth instead of water) and additional parmesan. Reduce liquid by at least half a cup. It really is very easy, and I may make it again with modifications.
Easy and yummy. I subbed the pasta with frozen ravioli that only needed 6 min. to cook. To compensate, I sautéed the veggies in olive oil for 5-10 min. before adding the liquid, bringing to a boil, then adding the ravioli. Because the ravioli didn’t absorb as much liquid, I did drain two cups or so off before adding the cheese and cream. Even my mushroom shunning husband liked it.
How many grams/ounces is in a serving?
Made this with dried thyme and used 1/2 cup of evaporated milk instead of the cream. And I was generous with the salt and pepper. It was really tasty, I think it would make a great camping meal and it’s going to be a regular for my weeknight dinners!
Hi! I am planning to make this tonight, but I don’t have cream. I have whole milk and I have cream of mushroom, do you think I can use either of those to replace the cream?
Thanks!
Looks amazing. So, could you substitute broth for water?
mmm this was DELICOUS!!!!
Easy to make. If you use angel hair I’d boil the veggies first by themselves for a bit before adding the pasta as it doesn’t need to cook as long. If you put the pasta in second and are worried about it not getting into the water because of all the veggies (we made a 1/2 batch and it was only 2 and a bit cups of water), you can just put a lid on the pot for a few minutes and let it steam until the pasta is soft enough to stir in. We used lima beans instead of peas, fresh garlic and thyme, and added a bit of hot chili oil to give it some zing. Next time I will use more garlic and thyme as well as salt and a good amount of black pepper.
We think this would also go well with shrimp cooked in the pot too.
This recipe is fabulous! I find when a recipe is this easy and has fewer ingredients that the flavor is lacking. Not with this one, I am so happy we made it. I shared it with all three of my grown children to try!
Thank you.
Amazing recipe, it tasted really good.
This is quick, delicious and pleasant to the eye!!! I love it!
I confess, I didn’t think this was going to work or be tasty, but in fact it was both! I added some additional seasoning (namely Penzey’s Mural of Flavor) but that’s just my preference. We both loved it and I will definitely make again. Thank you!
I have made this recipe many ways and love it. So ladies I can answer your questions: yes anything works I use chick or vegie broth and even added beer pop to it I use 5 garlics special spices chopped onion green onion red pepper for peas I have eaten it after four days in the refrid a full recipe makes for us eight serving and any meat or chicken shrimp ham works in it so do whatever your heart desires. Bill fr0m Minnesota
Couldn’t believe how well this turned out! I sautéed my garlic, along with a few herbs and spices, in a bit of butter before adding the water/noodles/mushrooms/zucchini. Don’t know if this step added anything, but I love the smell of butter and garlic on the stove and the finished meal was DELICIOUS! I’m also excited about the technique, definitely eager to find similar recipes. Thanks so much!
Made this tonight, and it was DELICIOUS! I am adding this to our regular meal rotation!
Modifications:
-I substituted 2 cups of chicken broth for 2 of the 4.5 cups of water (really helped add some flavor)
-I added 0.5 lb rotisserie chicken at the very end. Because of this, I increased the cream & parmesan quantities a little bit.
I love how easy and delicious this recipe is. The only problem is that the heavy cream curdles into lots of tough, rubbery globs when I stir it in at the end. Can anyone explain how to fix this?
Make sure your cream is warm before adding it to the pot – whisk like crazy but add a small consistent amount while adding. It may need to cook linger as well. Just keep whisking.
Made this tonight and it was surprisingly good for how easy it is. My family loved it but said it needed more salt so next time I will use more salt.
Just made this last night for first time, and given the large quantities of ingredients it definitely needed more salt and pepper. Will also incorporate sausage or panchetta next time to appease meat-eaters and increase the saltiness without having to add it.
One point to make, put pasta in first so it boils. I made the mistake of putting on top. It’s tricky to get the water to cover it.
That said, this is an awesome recipe. I’d add even more vegetables next time.
This was a great tip. Thank you!
I was really skeptical that the one pot dish would turn out well; it turned out GREAT. So very simple and so, so delicious. Thank you for this recipe it is certainly a game changer.
Thank you for all of the wonderful food! My children and I love your recipes and this one is always a go-to for a quick and easy meal. Even my pickiest eater loves it.
Oh, and you’re so gorgeous!
I was looking for a quick and delicious pasta dish and I have found it! My husband loved it and it was the easiest pasta dish I’ve ever made and one of the most delicious! I did omit the peas and added about another half pound of mushrooms and it was perfect.
Really yum. I added carrots and broccoli and used veggie stock instead of water but did everything else the same. The consistency was just right, and I love that there was only one pot to wash up.
So easy and delicious. Will keep in my recipe box!
Wow this is bomb. If you’re thinking about making this just do it. I feel like an actual chef(
Over-the-top delicious! Or, should I say, damn delicious!! Will be checking out your other recipes!!
I have tried your recipes before and hoped this would continue the streak of great recipes. I liked it very much–my spouse, not so much. I do agree it was a little bland, and unfortunately we are restricted to a very small amount of salt–which might have solved the problem. I did make a couple of changes. I used small elbow macaroni instead of the spaghetti, added some sun dried tomatoes, and used a table spoon of Better than Bouillion broth paste. I love how easy this was to fix, and despite my spouse’s reaction, I will figure out how to pare it down to a quick lunch just for me. Thanks for coming up with this recipe, and sharing untruth us.
I have used this recipe before and love it!!!
I used half and half instead of cream and it was still yummy
Quick easy and delicious!
Had I followed it correctly it would’ve been great LOL I used a little too much water; no problem I drained some out; and I used chickpea pasta which sticks together. Otherwise it’s great and SUPER easy
Thanks, Lauren!
Wonderful recipe so delicious!! I added some white & cayenne pepper fresh parsley alittle garlic & onion powder also. I served it with Eggplant Gratin & a salad.
Aaaaamazing! I did not have mushrooms but I had frozen corn and I put some cilantro in it as well. I used the Badia seasoning and black pepper. It was great! My family loved it!
Can this dish be eaten cold ? The next day lunch meal?
Kirsten, this is really best when served warm.
Great recipe, made it exactly as you said and it was delicious. Thanks for a tasty easy recipe will make it again……Marie
This was delicious, but I made some changes because I really didn’t have the correct pot.
We used a large stock pot, and I couldn’t figure out how all these vegetables and the pasta would cook in so little water. I made half a batch, but still it looked odd.
So we cooked it like we normally cook pasta, in boiling water to cover. Then my husband drained it and I added the Parmisan cheese with the heavy cream.
It looked a little dry, so I ended up doubling the amount of cream and cheese. After all, I just opened a container of the cream for this recipe. Might as well use it! Next time, will use evaporated milk, which I have on hand always.
Is that an error that it can cook in only 4 1/2 cups of water?
Yes, 4 1/2 cups water is correct. You need just enough water to make sure the pasta soaks up all the water – that’s what makes it a one pot meal! 🙂
I had to try this recipe. The one thing I did different was I added snap peas, drained the wasters and a added the cream and parmigiana reggiano. Was absolutely delicious! Will make again
Great additions!
This was delicious and super easy!! Leftovers were also fabulous and disappeared within a day or two. Will definitely be making again.
These make for the best leftovers. Glad you enjoyed it!
Easy and tasty. Next time I will double the veggies and reduce the spaghetti by half. Pushing for more vegetables and less carbs.
Great idea!
I made this tonight. I added roasted corn, more peas, onions and lima beans. Due to the quantity of veggies I doubled the sauce. This is a winner! Loved it ty!
Great!
This is very good! I followed directions as written and it was just right. I took others suggestions and added cooked shrimp at the end. Yum!
That’s great!
Oops! I asked my question on the wrong recipe! In the one-pot zucchini mushroom pasta recipe, are the mushrooms and zucchini sliced about 1/4″ thick? I couldn’t tell from the photograph. Thanks!
Anywhere from 1/4-1/2-inch should be just fine. 🙂
Thank you!!
Oh wow yes please!! Looks so yummy! (:
I’ve actually made this several times now and it’s just fantastic.
It’s such a easy go to recipe.
At first I thought it strange adding all this in one pot but it works perfectly and is so
delicious.
Love your site. Thanks for all your amazing recipes and please keep them coming.
So happy you gave it a try!
Oh, that looks delicious. I could see adding some cooked ham or chicke, too.
Thanks, keep those great recipes coming!
Kay
Zucchini differ in size…. how many cups of zucchini should I use?
1 medium sized zucchini is roughly 5 ounces. Measurements in cups can vary as it can be diced very small or very large. Hope that helps!
Awesome recipe loved it.
Great!
How many people does it serve
Adelaide, you can scroll down to the recipe card to view the amount of servings. 🙂
Loved it. Made a few changes to suit our taste, added sauteed chicken breast, summer savoury herb and Romano cheese. Delicious.
Yum!
how much zucchini in cups because they are different sizes and weights?
1 medium sized zucchini is roughly 5 ounces. Measurements in cups can vary as it can be diced very small or very large. Hope that helps!
FREAKING GENIUS! Thanks for the recipe and especially the METHOD. You had me at “one-pot.” Out of the probably hundreds of cooking blogs I have perused personally, your recipes suit me better than anyone else’s. Easy, different, and yes.. damn delicious! Continued success to you! And more one-pot meals please! ❤️
You’re so sweet. Thank you, Stacy!
Um…Parmesan and cream are not vegan, by the way.
Hi Patricia. This recipe is not listed as vegan. 🙂
I made the recipe as written. I think it turned out great. It was surprisingly light (until I had a 2nd helping). I did break up the pasta a bit, I feared that if I left my spaghetti whole, some of it would be overcooked vs the other half not being cooked enough. Veggie combination was fantastic, but I’m convinced I could play around with the combo and achieve similar results. I do think that this recipe requires a good deal of salt, between the pasta, mushrooms, and zucchini. Great recipe, definitely plan on making again.
Yes Heather, you could for sure play around with different veggies for this one! Very glad to hear it turned out so well and you enjoyed it.
I can’t find cremini mushrooms, what are good substitutes? White mushroom are ok?
Yes, white mushrooms are perfect!
Sooooo damn delicious!! Love, love, love only having to use one pot. My husband and I eat Vegan so I substituted Vegan parmasin made with raw cashews and nutritional yeast for regular parmasin. And substituted coconut milk for the cream. I had a box of veggie spaghetti made with spinach and zucchini but it was only 12 oz so I used a cup less of water. Also no fresh thyme so I used about a teaspoon of ground thyme. Tasted absolutely wonderful. Will definitely make again.
if i cut the recipe in half do i only use half the water 2 1/2 cups instead or still 4 1/2
You would want to cut all ingredients in half, including the water.
I usually use a gluten free penne that needs about 20 minutes of boiling on high heat to cook – do you think this would still work with that?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
This I should so easy and delicious! I’ve made it 3 times now – it’s become my favorite weeknight quick meal. I serve it with some crusty French bread.
Recipe looks simple and good. Will be trying it soon. Thanks
I’ve made this several times. It’s a family favorite. I follow the recipe to the letter, just remember to stir it often, so it won’t stick. I also serve Ikea vegetable balls on the side or sometimes toss a few into the dish when I’m just about ready to serve. Thumbs up!
This recipe calls for “1 lb of spaghetti.” Most packages of spaghetti sold in stores come in 12 oz. packages. In fact, I didn’t see any sold in 16 oz. (or 1 lb) packages. I want to make sure I get the water to pasta ratio correct. Did you use the 12 oz. package in your recipe or an actual pound of pasta (16 ounces)?
Yes, the amount is correct. I find that most spaghetti packages come in 1 pound though, not 12 ounces.
Tried this receipe and came out pretty well. As I got the amount of water wrong, used butter instead of milk to avoid the dish getting soggy, but the end product was still pretty good. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Wow, made exactly as written and it was incredibly delicious. The small quantity of cream is the key!
Tried this for me and my toddler for lunch (she love mushrooms, so I thought it may be an easy sell). Tried it with Ancient Grains penne, not sure how it would affect the flavor. We both enjoyed. I have a big pot left. I’m hoping it still is great as leftovers- I’m gonna serve as a side tonight.
OMG! Turned out great. Used Gluten Free Barilla fettuccine and also added pre cooked grilled chicken breast chopped and added with all other ingredients.
Awesome!!!!
We made this dish last night for supper. My husband was initially very skeptical about the small amount of water that the recipe called for, but he went along with the recipe and it turned out perfectly. We tossed in more frozen peas and used dried thyme. Wrong time of the year for fresh thyme here in Wisconsin. Towards the end we used some chopped chicken from a rotisserie chicken along with the cream and the Parmesan. Great dish that I highly recommend!
How much is a serving considered?
About 1-2 cups.
Huge failure for me. I like the recipe but the noodles were way to musty for me and the kids didn’t like the texture. I think next time I will just cook and drain the pasta separately then add cooked pasta to the rest
Made this tonight with gluten-free brown rice pasta. I know it would be better with regular pasta, but gluten-free worked for me. When I make one-pot pasta dishes with brown rice pasta, I bring everything else to a boil before I add the pasta, then I stir often and take it off the heat a bit before it’s done, as it gets mushier when it sits. Leftovers aren’t super great, but if I serve it right away it always works for me.
Love your One Pot Veggie & Pasta. Sounds absolutely delish! It opens up to all kinds of possibilities, especially with some of the other variations noted above. Personally, I would (1) skip the ‘shrooms (2) sub some other seasonal vegetables, and (3) sauté some chopped onions and several cloves of fresh garlic in some olive oil in the same pot first. (Like someone else mentioned, I would set the latter aside and add it again later with the dairy.)
BONUS TIP: If you want more flavor than plain old water, but don’t have any broth on hand or think many brands are too high in sodium for those with dietary restrictions, there is another way to spice it up. Add some tea. I have successfully swapped out cold and hot brewed tea for both water and broth. I have had great results in all sorts different dishes, soups, and stews too. It’s worked with black, green, oolong, and herbal blends. Some recipes work with cold brewed coffee too. If you enjoy the flavor as a beverage, chances are you will like it when used as a broth too. I simply recommend you choose something that will compliment the original flavor profile. Good luck & good taste!
I’m not seeing an amount of liquid to add to the pot with everything??? Am I blind? Probably just crazy
Please refer to step #1:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, combine spaghetti, mushrooms, zucchini, peas, garlic, thyme and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
This was wonderful! I was a little bit skeptical because the recipe seemed so simple, but it turned out delicious! I used whole wheat angel hair and finely shredded parm. Perfect!
I followed the directions to the t and it turned out really good but to me it doesn’t seem it has no flavor any ideas where I went wrong?
To all of the gluten free commenters – Brown rice pasta is notorious for clumping up and having a strong taste. I refuse to buy it anymore. I’ve actually found that Barilla brand gluten free pasta is FANTASTIC and not only cooks but also tastes very similar to its gluten filled counterpart.
Made this today; used wholegrain pasta, put the exact veggies but used unsweetened almond milk for the creamy part. It actually turned out very well! Athough the veggies cooked pretty quickly, I didn’t mind at all. The almond milk didn’t make it very creamy but with the addition of parmezan cheese it was great. So the people who do not want to use dairy milk, I can say the almond milk is not bad!
Thank you Chungah for this great recipe!
When I first looked at this recipe and read the comments, I noticed that some people had trouble using gluten free brown rice noodles. However, I didn’t experience these problems — maybe the pasta has improved over the years or maybe it’s just the brand?? Mine turned out looking exactly like Chungah’s in the photo. I made half a recipe since there’s only my husband and me to cook for and there’s just enough to for both of us to enjoy the leftovers for another meal. So, so happy that this didn’t require a lot of fussing — I love to cook but sometimes, we all need something easy! 🙂
This! This was super easy, super quick! I just made this for my fiancé and he loved it! So damn delicious! Thank you! Definitely making this again! Yum! <3
Just made this! Delicious and super easy.
One suggestion, I would wait till the very end to throw the peas in. Mine boiled down and “dissappeared” into the pasta as it cooked. Great recipe!
Made this last night and it turned out great! Makes enough for an army though. Will make again and probably find a way to reduce the amount of pasta.
The flavor of the dish was good, but I didn’t like the starchy texture of the noodles. This is due to cooking the water down and not draining the pasta. It left a starchy feel in my mouth.
I would do this again, but cook the noodles separately and make a nice parmesan bechamel sauce with the vegetables added in before serving. I like my sauce a bit more, saucy, so it doesn’t completely soak into the noodles. There is enough in the pot to have leftovers even though the first meal fed 3 adults and 3 kids. I expect the leftovers to be somewhat dry. The noodles will need refreshing to make them creamy again.
Overall though, this was a great way to use our summer zuchini harvest. Our zuchinis are huge, so I only used half of a large one and not 2 like the recipe says. I assume the 2 mentioned in the ingredients list are the usual grocery store size, which are tiny compared to garden fresh fruits. We got by with half of one, and it was plenty.
I’ve got 5 more large ones to use. I’ll try this again with the sauce spooned over the noodles.
About how many cups of zucchini do you think would equal two zucchini? Sorry but I have larger zucchini in my garden so I was just wondering the measurement?
About 2 cups per average zucchini.
I used a few spoonfuls of white pizza sauce from the jar instead of the cream and parmesan (well it had those ingredients). Definitely serve immediately. Even letting it sit for a little bit while I heated up some chicken was not good. I tried to rescue it by adding a bit more water (maybe 4 tbsp) but it ended up overcooking the pasta. I used Angel hair; next time will use something heartier.
Wellll mine was a disaster. However I am fairly sure its my fault. 4.5 cups of water did not look like nearly enough water, i added an extra cup. I added carrots and squash and set it to boil. By the time the noodles were cooked, the zuchinni and squash were complete mush. And of course there was too much liquid,my bad lol. When i tried to get some of tbe liquid out it mushed my veggies even more. In the end it tasted exactly like ramen noodles. Because of course adding the milk to it with too much water did not work, at all.
So, follow the recipe and you should be fine. Hoping to try this again, but will probably just cook it all seperate, as i ended up using more dishes than i would have if i would have started it in seperate pans to begin with. My first fail from this site, and all over an extra cup of water lol
Hi. Do you think you can prep and freeze ahead of time? Would it come out the same?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
This worked perfectly with whole wheat spaghetti! Thank you for such a wonderful recipe, this was delicious!!
Fed this meal to my missus. She said it was the most bland meal she ever had, and she was a on a cabbage diet once as a teenager :-S
I ended up putting a butt ton on cheese in it to make it a bit more tasty. Disappointing.
Better off trying the zucchini and mushroom separately admnd cooking the pasta on its own before throwing together with a separately made white sauce. The convenience of one pot does not make up for how lacking in flavour this dish is.
Juan , I’m sorry that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined. I only post recipes that have been successfully tested in my own kitchen, and as you can see with over 400 comments here, many of these readers have had great outcomes in the final dish as well. However, I understand that we all have different taste preferences, and I really appreciate your honest feedback.
Eh to be honest, I only thought this was ok. I mean yes, it was easy and yes, the recipe did everything it said it would… but I thought it was super bland. I dressed up the final product with some fresh lemon, lots of red pepper flakes and extra cheese, then it was pretty good.
I’m so happy I found this recipe. I made it and it was very easy. The thin al dente spaghetti pasta and light cream created a delicate dish. My husband thought it was a little plain but I loved the subtle flavors. I’ll half the recipe and add it to my regular rotation. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Yeah, I would half it too. This said it made 6 servings but its way more like 8.
This might have been asked and might be a stupid question..but how much water are you putting in the actual pot? Dont want to put to much in
Please disregard my question…I found it after I read in depth. Sorry
Just found this recipe – definitely adding this to the rotation. Just wanted to say that Costco sometimes carries an edamame pasta that is just edamame…I know, right? GF, non-GMO, org…checks all the boxes, and it tastes amazing! Takes an alfredo sauce beautifully – I imagine it will work just fine here, as well.
Off I go to try it! Thanks for the recipe!
I was really nervous going into this. 4.5 cups of water did not look like enough to cook everything that was in my pot, which was over flowing with veggies. I kept a close eye on it but in the end it turned out perfectly. I added more thyme and dirtied up another pan sauteing shallots, garlic and parsley that I added with the cream (half&half) and cheese at the end. I think I’ll try adding the zucchini towards the end to kept from getting mushy. But seriously this is an easy meal that Hubby and I both loved and I will be making again. 🙂
Thank you! Next up your Quinoa Chili.
I was wondering about the size of the servings. I see it says 6 servings but what measurement is 1 serving?
Each serving is roughly 2 cups.
I love this recipe, and your blog! I keep “accidentally” coming to your site via pinterest, for my recipe round ups featuring the items from my basket from the veggie/fruit co-op I participate in. Check out the 2/21 post at http://mommieisntmadeofmoney.com/index.php/2016/02/19/120-conventional-basket/
This recipe is amazing! I was a little worried about cooking it all together but I went for it and it was a total success! I couldn’t believe how good it tasted! Lots of leftovers. Next time I may opt to cut the recipe in half.
I was looking forward to making this but it was just tasteless. I salted and peppered, then salted and peppered some more, and all I got was a faint hint of garlic. Very disappointing! And 4.5 cups of water is too much…I had to drain the pasta before adding the cream and parm (also a waste, couldn’t taste either). Blech!
Thank you for your feedback. But instead of blaming the recipe, it is important to remember that many factors are at play here that may result in a failed outcome. I only share recipes that have been successful and well-tested in my own kitchen, but I understand that failures and mishaps can happen. But with a little bit more information, we can troubleshoot what went wrong to have a successful turnaround next time.
So I must ask – did you follow the recipe exactly as written without any substitutions?
If I add chicken, how much should I add and therefore add more of everything else?
TJ, unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise precise measurements for adjusting all other ingredients – as always, please use your best judgment.
This was a great idea for a quick meal. I added shrimp to my dish. The liquids from the shrimp was added to the water. I also added more than the suggested amount of vegetables. It was delicious!
Made this tonight. I used 4 cups of water and 1/2 cup of cream right in the pot from the start (rather than adding in cream at the end). I also sprinkled some cheese in the pot directly. It smelled so good while cooking and tasted even better. Really a fantastic recipe. YUM. Makes a ton of pasta too. Definitely enough for lunch tomorrow!
Hello! How long can we leave this recipe in the fridge for ? Or how long do you recommend I can?
Amazing recipe, easy and delicious thankyou 🙂
As I am not an expert on food safety, I am not comfortable answering these questions. Methods for optimal food storage and shelf life should be based on good judgment and what you are personally comfortable with.
No dutch oven… regular pot okay?
Yes, absolutely.
Hi! Do you drain out the water when the pasta is cooked?
There shouldn’t be any water to drain…
I just posted a comment about this dish, now its not here, what happened?
Terry, comments can take 24-48 hours to be approved. I appreciate your patience.
I tried this recipe because I liked all the ingredients and was curious about where the water went! I did find the recipe to be to bland. I will try again by adding some herb/spices.
Terry, thank you for trying my recipe. I’m sorry that you found this to be bland – did you follow the recipe exactly as is without any substitutions? Also, please be mindful that a little bit of salt and pepper can go a long way. Hope that helps!
I loved the idea of this, easy. I found it to be a little bland. I followed the recipe but I added garlic powder along with the chopped/sliced fresh garlic but it didn’t add very much. If I try it again I’d go for the chicken broth instead of the water.
Can I use 15% cream instead of 35%???
Yes!
For 2 little old ladies … hungry but with small capacities, I reduced the quantities of everything and I have to say that this was a terrific dinner. I added a little roast pork and we polished our plates. This was my first dinner with you. It will not be the last. Thank you, ‘
Making this tonight – looks SO good and SO easy! My favorite combo.
My husband decided to go vegetarian so I’m looking to make food for his new life style. I love all these ingredients. I thought this would be a winner, unfortunately the flavors were so bland I’m not a fan. Any ideas on how to put some flavor into it? It did cook perfect and I would loved to make it again if you have suggestions to boost up the flavor.
Thank you
A little bit of seasoning of salt and pepper go a long way! 🙂
Please delete my last comment.. My husband made a good point that it could be the type of pasta we used (a derum wheat pasta), so i felt badly for my comment-was just disappointed that i wrecked dinner! 🙁
If i were to write another comment I would say ‘Next time I cook this I would make sure to cook the pasta and veggies separately as it seemed to turn out a little to soggy for our liking’
A bit more positive! (never comment in the heat of the moment I guess!) Sorry about that, your recipes truly are fabulous!
Amanda, thank you for your feedback. Yes, using a different kind of pasta, like the derum wheat pasta you used, can significantly alter results in a one pot meal. I do hope you get to try this again with better results! 🙂
I’ve absolutely loved all your recipes so far, so this one must be a one off… but this turned out to be an absolute disaster tonight! 🙁 for how easy it is to boil and cook the pasta in one pan and sauté all the other ingredients in another I see no benefits to shoving it all in one pot. I should have known better… makes for soggy pasta, soggy mushrooms and zucchini and an overall starchy flavour… actually don’t think we can even eat this one 🙁 sorry for the negative feedback… but really disappointed in this one… *and yes we tried to eat it and we couldn’t, pure smush 🙁
What if we wanted to add chicken to this? I’m thinking sauté cubed chicken first then add in the water and the rest of the ingredients. Or would that overcook the chicken? Should I wait until the end to add the chicken?
Sherin, the addition of chicken sounds amazing. But I recommend sautéing first, setting it aside, and then adding it back in at the very end to avoid overcooking it.
I made this using whole wheat spaghettini and it was awful. I guess I need to stick with white pasta.
Yes! If you sift through the comments here, a lot of readers have reported unsuccessful results with pasta substitutions.
can this be frozen after for another time?? I made way to much for 2 people.
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
I have successfully frozen this dish. As with all mushrooms though, they lose their consistency a bit when freezing, but still taste great.
That looks very yummy and easy! <3
http://www.aboutfoood.com
This was fabulous! We have a family of seven and it fed us all! What a great, healthy meal and a wonderful way to use all the zucchini from my garden. Thank you!
Any suggestions on what I could use instead of mushrooms as I am allergic?
I made this last night and it was better than I even expected. I think I could use about half pasta next time, and still get a great creamy result. The combination of flavors is just genius. I wondered about some chopped red bell peppers mainly for color contrast, Thoughts?
I will make this again and again.
KUDOS!
That sounds like a great addition!
Do I use the dry powder cheese or the fresh grated Parm cheese?
I always recommend using freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
I’ve tried several of your recipes before, and all of them have been great. This one was no exception. Fabulous! Thanks for the great recipe, which turned in to a great dinner!
Help! I’ve tried this twice. TWICE in one night and I messed it up both times. {I swear I’m not that bad of a cook!{ The first time I was trying to half the recipe and I don’t think I had my portions of water to noodles right. It turned out really, really goopy and just gooed together. So I threw it out and tried again ( I really wanted this for dinner!!) I followed the recipe exactly. Again, it just got gooey and sorta stuck together, though not as bad as the first time – still edible. What am I doing wrong? Is the water taking too long to heat up? Do you heat your water to a boil before you put the noodles and veggies in? (that’s what I do when making plain pasta) Help! This meal sounds amazing.
The water should not be brought to a boil first. I’m also not entirely sure why it’s turning into a gooey mess – I worry that your heat source was set too high.
Since I noticed that you don’t drain the water for this recipe, how much water should be used?
The amount of water used is listed in the recipe.
What could you put in place of the half and half? Could you use regular milk? I’m just trying to avoid going to the grocery store haha.
Milk should be fine but it would be best to use heavy cream.
Great recipe! But do you think I can use other types of mushroom for this? Cremini mushrooms are not always available where I live.
Yes, absolutely.
I love trying new things and this is definitely one that my husband and I loved. The only thing I changed up was i didn’t use peas they would get too soft in my opinioname and I made garlic chicken in a separate pan and added it on top. Amazing. Can’t wait to share with others at a dinner party 🙂
what a wonderful recipe.I was skeptical at first but had to give it a chance. soooo good and so easy and so beautiful on the plate. I’ve already passed the word to so many friends and all of them blessed me!!!! I used olive oil instead of heavy cream, substituted brocomini for mushrooms. bottom line – a winning recipe! thanks for sharing.
Looks fantastic! Can’t wait to make it!
I have yellow zucchini…will that work?
Yes, absolutely.
Hey,
Quick question, is it the same amount of cooking time if I use fettuccine noodles?
Cooking time may need to be extended if fettuccine noodles are used since they are thicker.
Hey, Chungah!
Is there any way to revamp this to one of your wonderful “one pot/pan miracle” recipes?
Looks/sounds insanely good, just not a big fan of standing over a pot of boiling water in the summer.
If it’s possible, could you let us know? Your ‘One Pot Dishes’ have become a mainstay
for a SAHD (stay at home dad who is single) and are amazing, thanks so much 😉
I have an abundance of zucchini this year as well as a good crop of green beans. I’m going to try putting some raw green beans in the pot, too. Can’t see why it wouldn’t work. I’m so happy I found your website.
This was your second recipe I tried and again it turned out amazing! I used chicken broth as some of the other commenters suggested. It never fully soaked up all the water, but instead had a think sauce from the starch from the spaghetti, so I added a little cream cheese, rather than heavy cream, to thicken it up and then added romano cheese and some leftover bacon crumbles (to entice the boyfriend). It turned out like an alfredo, but even better because it doesn’t have all the butter/flour/millk. Boyfriend said next time I should add chicken and broccoli. This is a great, tasty, versatile recipe – thanks so much!
tried the one pot pasta too 😀 and it was sooo delicious! I liked the thyme, made it a special pasta dish 🙂 thanks for the recipe!
greetings from bavaria ^_^
I love love love this recipe and am making it again tonight! I was wondering if i could use milk instead of heavy cream or if there is another way instead of using heavy cream?
Half and half would be a great substitute!
I thought for sure this wouldn’t turn out. But, I’m a lover of zucchini and mushrooms. I’m also trying to use my bulk noodles in unique, yummy ways other than just standard boring spaghetti. So, I had to give it a shot. This turned out FANTASTIC! Even my picky 4 year old loved it! So, so good! The only thing I changed was adding a bit more thyme, a bit more parmesan cheese, and I used angel hair instead of standard spaghetti noodles. This one is going in my official recipe binder – it’s a clear winner. Thanks so much for sharing!!!
I made this a couple of weeks ago and it was just amazing! I loved it so much that it inspired a dish of my own, but made with zucchini noodles and some seared chicken – since I try to eat LCHF. Thanks for the inspiration. Love your blog :*
I can’t wait to make this! My daughter in law will have a baby any day now and I know it’s my job as the mother in law to make dinners for her and the family but I hate to cook! This looks great, filling and easy!! Thank you.
How much water do you use?
Jessica, the amount of water is listed in the recipe.
I’m confused where the 15g of protein (x6) comes from??
The pasta, peas, and cheese all contribute to the protein content.
I didn’t think this could possibly work – thought for sure the noodles would all stick together in clumps. So I stirred it quite a bit while it was cooking. Noodles did not stick together at all! Mine was just a bit too liquidy, but I figure it may be because I was a little generous with all the veg measurements. Needs quite a lot of salt. It’s amazing. I was really pleasantly surprised, and my husband devoured it. Very yummy and easy.
I’ve just made this recipe and had the exact problem that Mary Wright had. The pasta ended up incredibly “gluey” in texture. Only difference being, I didnt use use rice pasta like Mary. I used plain old spaghetti and still ended up with just this massive clump/mountain of gluey pasta. Really disappointed, dont know where i screwed up. 🙁
Brooke, I’m sorry that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined but I’m not entirely sure what went wrong on your end. A gluey texture should not be the end result when using standard spaghetti pasta.
Hi,
My boyfriend is lactose intolerant. Do you think after cooking, instead of adding heavy cream and parm i can toss in some oil and garlic?
Thanks, looks Delish!!
Yes, absolutely!
What a great recipe! What a fantastic idea to put the nutrition facts about the meal right where everyone can see them! Love it!
Would you be interested in teaming up with Chicory and becoming a recipe partner?
Please feel free to email me at [email protected] with additional information. Thank you!
Hi !
How much is 1 lb of spagetti?
Are you inquiring about cost?
Hi , Im sorry, i meant how much in amount …is 1 lb of spagetti equal to 1 package ?
Thank 🙂
Generally, yes, one package should be equivalent to 1 pound but it is best to check the amount listed on the individual package.
just made this w/ spinach fettucine. I thought the pasta was going to get too soggy, but it came out great. Really good. I added a little smoked ham too.
If I don’t have Parmesan can I use a different cheese or just omit it all together
Samantha, you can certainly try omitting or substituting the Parmesan cheese but without further recipe testing, I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. Using a substitution (or omitting) may also result in a mediocre outcome.
Super easy recipe. I added chopped up baby carrots, onion, bell pepper, and chopped raw chicken. Some noodles did stick to bottom of pan, but overall it’s very good. Added extra parm and some shredded mozzarella for cheesy goodness. Thank you!
I struggled a bit and felt my pot just wasn’t big enough. My pasta burned in the bottom of the pan and I followed the instructions exactly. Any ideas how to do it differently next time? The flavors were wonderful so I want to make it again!
What kind of pot did you use? I also worry that your heat source was set too high.
Thank you for a great recipe! I always find something delicious when I visit your site. I am hoping to come up with some one-pot recipes myself, and will share them on my blog: http://www.people-food.net
Thank you!
First let me say I am so happy I came across your blog. This is the first recipe of yours I have tried. I was a tad skeptical it would really come together, but pleasantly amazed at how well it turned out, and tasted. I didn’t make any changes, just followed the recipe as stated. I can’t wait to go look and find another one to try. Cheers.
I NEVER would have thought this would be so good. My husband was totally against it. My father gave me a bunch of zucchini and I was trying to figure out what to do with it. I have tried and true recipes but wanted something different. THIS delivered. Thank you.
I used whole wheat pasta And added an extra zuchinni, smells really good, but i had to drain it, there was a lot o Water. Also i added “media crema” instead of the heavy cream. It taste delicious altough.
Made this tonight for dinner. It was excellent! I halved the recipe since it was just me and my husband and cooked the noodles in chicken stock. Turned out great and I love how it only took 20 minutes. Will definitely make again and again!
I just finished making this and was pleasantly surprised at how much flavor there is! I expected it to be a bit bland, but it isn’t. These are all my fav veggies. I added closer to two cups frozen peas because my 12 month old and 2.5 love them. I also cooked in veggie stock instead of water because I thought it would help give more flavor, it probably didn’t need it! I added a bit more whipping cream (my half n half was sour!). Delish!
I LOVE this recipe!
My mum asked me to cook while I was visiting my family for the last month. Since I’m not a very good cook, I looked for an easy recipe and found this. My family loved it. I had to make it two more times for them ^^
Made this for dinner tonight and LOVED it!! Followed the recipe exactly, however toward the end I covered mine to cook the pasta faster. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hey girl! I made this today and it was amazing 🙂 I just change de heavy cream for a lactose free cream and although it didn’t turn as creamy as it looks in your photos, the taste was great!
BTW Congratulations for your blog, it’s really nice! I also love the fact that you teamed with a nutritionist!
Excuse my not so good English!
Greetings from Mexico!
Wow.. Awesome recipe, I love to try this. Looking forward for more wonderful recipes.
Thanks for sharing with us.
I used rotini and elbow macaroni, omitted he peas as I didn’t have it, used a little bit of sour cream and milk instead and sautéed chicken breast in olive oil and added it to the dish. Wonderfully yummy dish! I love the idea of cooking the pasta with the veggies. Would totally make it again! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I love the idea of a one-pot-dish 🙂
Do you think this recipe would work well with whole wheat spaghetti? I’m trying to eat a little more healthy.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
That sounds like a great substitute but I can’t answer with certainty as I have never tried using whole wheat spaghetti myself. Please use your best judgment.
has anyone tried to use a whole wheat or high fiber type of pasta? I try not to eat white foods, so before I try out the recipe I figured I’d ask! Thank you in advance
I would think whole wheat pasta would work just fine, as it cooks the same way as white pasta.
I made this with brown rice pasta. It is possible, but you can’t do it all in one pot.
I sauteed 1 lg onion and 4 cloves of crushed garlic with salt and pepper in 2 tbsp of olive oil until starting to soften. Then I added the sliced mushrooms and continued to sautee until starting to brown. Then I added 2 5-6″ zucchini sliced into 1/4″ rounds and 2 similar sized crookneck yellow squash also sliced into 1/4″ rounds and 2 c of frozen green peas. At that time I added 1 tsp dried thyme and 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, 1/2 c of white wine and 2 c low sodium chicken broth. I brought to a boil and continued to cook on a low boil without a lid while the brown rice pasta cooked in a separate pot. I used 12 oz of brown rice pasta and cooked it for 12 minutes. When the pasta was done, I strained it and added to the veggies along with 1 c of diced ham and 1/4 c of half and half. Then I cooked all of it for 3 minutes over medium. Removed from heat and stirred in 1/4 c freshly grated parm. A little more work than the original recipe, but it was soooo good! This is definitely going into regular meal rotation at our house.
I was wondering the serving size, I didn’tt see it. It says six servings, but how much is one servincg? half cup, 1 cup?
Lesa, the serving size is about 1-2 cups per person.
i just made this today and have had it for my dinner tonight. It was so tasty and will keep me fed for the whole of this week. I added some coriander and mustard seeds and it was brilliant
This was so easy and so delicious! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful and tasty recipe!
Anyone made this with brown rice pasta instead of wheat pasta? Any changes need to be made to work with brown rice pasta? Thanks!
I am just starting to cook and have never really done so before….. this was the easiest and tastiest recipe ive seen in such a while! it was so good and sooo simple to make…. i was amazed.
thank you!
Brikena
made this last night and it was yum! Would have used less water and reduced the cooking time, as it was all a bit too tender by the end. Also would perhaps go a bit more herb-crazy next time…the sage was awesome, but some fresh parsley, some lemon, etc. would have made it even better. thanks Chungah for the awesome inspiration, I’m so excited!
Hi there 2 questions, if you use frozen peas do you thaw them first? and the nutritional information you have listed is that per serving or for the whole thing?
thank you and looking forward to making this.
Maryann, the peas do not have to be thawed prior to using. And yes, the nutritional information listed is per serving.
Made this tonight, and it was wonderful!! Thanks for the great recipe. 🙂
made this tonight (except instead of thyme i used basil and instead of peas, halved grape tomatoes) when i put it all in the pot, i didn’t believe there was enough water to cook the pasta so I added another 2 cups. once it was boiling, it was clear that there would have been enough water! oh well, lesson learned, it was a good dinner anyways 🙂
What kid of pot is this? I’m almost sure this question has been answered but I can’t find it :/.
This is a Le Creuset Dutch Oven.
I made the one pot Garlic Parm Pasta last night – my husband, who thinks he is the next top chef (quite annoying!!) – Loved it! This is the next one I try. Think I’ll serve up some simple chicken cutlets with it. Thank you for providing such really great, tasty, simple dishes!!
I made this tonight exactly as the recipe read. It was pretty bland but that was probably my fault because I wasn’t sure how much salt to use (I used just four twists of sea salt) We ended up just salting it on the table, each person to their own liking. My after picture looked just like yours! 🙂 it was delicious with the added salt at the table. I will make this again but will use more thyme, add some parsely, more garlic, more salt, and a tablespoon or two of capers-I think they will add a nice zing. Thanks for the recipe!!!! 🙂
i used about a table spoon and a half of chicken bouillon to give mine a tad extra flavor. It was absolutely perfect. I also tossed in some more spinach. It was awesome.
It was absolutely fantastic!
how much water do you put in the pot to begin?
The recipe calls for 4 1/2 cups water.
I just made this dish and loved it! I followed the recipe almost exactly, except I added extra garlic (the more the merrier I say!), and my kicker was a little lemon juice. I didn’t put it in with the bulk of the pasta, but squeezed a slice into my bowl to brighten it up a little and make the flavors pop. The acidity balanced well with the richness of the cream and cheese. I would highly recommend it! My mushrooms and peas were perfect, but the zucchini disintegrated. Next time I think I’ll add the zucchini a little later into the cooking process and/or try it with asparagus. It was so nice to cook it all in one pot! Thanks for the recipe! I can’t wait to try more of them!
I made this and it started out with what looked like not near enough water. It was nothing like your photo! So i added more water and it ended up needing to be strained and some of it burned and it was sticky and it was a big sad failure 🙁 the flavors were really good but i couldn’t get past that mushy noodles… Do you have any idea what i could have done wrong? I even strained the water in the beginning and remeasured thinking I had measured wrong but i hadn’t. Everything else came in the appropriate measurements except for the peas so I’m totally lost as to what went wrong but id love to try again, if i figure it out. :/
The addition of water than what the recipe called for may be the culprit here. Your heat source may have also been set too high.
OMG, cooked this tonight and it was a big hit. I used chicken broth and I grated fresh parmesan cheese (the pre-shredded kind has added preservatives and I find it does not melt as smoothly as freshly grated). I cooked some organic chicken breast in the oven with my basic seasoning blend of kosher salt, freshly grounded black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. I added the shredded chicken to the pasta just before adding the milk and cheese. I will make this again and again. The flavors meld well together. I didn’t have any fresh thyme, I used 1 tsp of dried and it was perfect. Thanks for this awesome recipe!!!
I made this for dinner on Friday night and it was delish! I especially love that we have a ton of leftovers too. I subbed in half and half for the heavy cream since it tends to kill my stomach a little less, and it turned out yummy and maybe even kind of healthy tasting? 🙂 Thanks for the awesome, easy to prepare recipe!
So many responses ! This recipe seems amazing, can’t wait to try it. Prefer appalling or thin spaghetti. Being that it cooks in 5 minutes or less….how would I start the cooking process before adding pasta. And would the volume of pasta produced change the out come? Leftovers are never an issue when it co.ed to pasta…lol
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise on how this will turn out using thin spaghetti as the volume of pasta can change the outcome in a one pot meal like this. Please use your best judgment to make the appropriate substitutions.
Thanks for responding, sorry for errors…..cappalini …..leftovers are never an issue when it comes to pasta. Let you know how it goes.
I used thin spaghetti and cooked it for the 8 minutes. It still soaked up all the water and was fine. If you wanted it more al dente then I might reduce the water slightly with the cooking time? But using thin spaghetti wasn’t an issue for me.
I have made this dish a few times now, and the family loves it! Tonight, I decided to use some mini shells instead of the regular pasta, and it was great! Everyone loved it, and the shells were a fun little twist. I love how versatile this recipe is, and it’s very fun to try different things. Thank you for posting this recipe, it is now officially in my ‘favorite recipe book’!
Hi, I have just made this, and had to throw it away, which is not good for a family on a tight budget, I used rice pasta, as we are gluten intolerant, the pasta clumped up and made the water like glue, I added more water to try and get it right, but to no avail, it tasted very gluey, and had to go into the bin, I thought I had better let readers know, so they don’t make the same mistake. xx
Mary, I’m sorry that this didn’t turn out for you. However, if you read through the comments here, you will see that others have had the same results when making this substitution.
This was an epic fail for me. I don’t know what I did wrong! I used organic spaghetti. It turned out so mushy. Anyone else have this problem?
I’m sorry that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined. I only post recipes that have been successfully tested in my own kitchen, and as you can see from the comments here, many of these readers have had great outcomes in the final dish as well. But I understand that failures and mishaps can happen. With a little bit more information, we can troubleshoot what went wrong to have a successful turnaround next time.
So I must ask – did you follow the recipe exactly as written without any substitutions?
Just made this….so good and super easy to make. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this for dinner tonight. SO GOOD. I did have to drain it a little bit but that didn’t affect it at all. I’m in my early 20s trying to learn how to be more domestic (haha) and I’ve started making dinner once a week to help my mom out and get better at cooking. This was so easy and certainly damn delicious. Thanks!!
Just made it for lunch and wish I could say how good it was but nobody from my family liked it. Reminded me of old days making pasta dishes from packages (i think it was called Sidekicks) Too starchy, bland and don’t want to mention how long its going to take me clean the pot. I think there is a reason why pasta should be cooked in large amount of liquid on its own and drained!!! Lesson learned.
I’m sorry that this didn’t turn out the way you had imagined but I only share recipes that have been thoroughly tested. And as you can see from the many reviews and comments here, all of my readers have had successful results as well. However, I understand that mishaps and failures can still happen.
That being said, did you follow the recipe exactly as is? Also, if your pot is dirty, then I imagine something went terribly wrong as that shouldn’t be happening. If substitutions were made or if your heat source was not set appropriately, that may be the reason for the failed outcome.
I also understand that you prefer to cook pasta in a large pot of water but one pot meals are huge time-savers and actually quite tasty (if not tastier) when cooked correctly.
This was absolutely delicious!!! Thanks for a great recipe!!!
It says to only slice the garlic….will it dissolve when it’s cooked?
I don’t think garlic has the tendency to dissolve but it will soften.
I am not a cook but I can follow a recipe, and this was easy. For a while I didn’t think it would work but success.
Thank you for posting.
Soooo delicious! Made it tonight; here are a few notes. The proportions may seem off but they are perfect. I used linguine noodles. Water amount is perfect. (I had to leave it cooking about 2-3 minutes longer than suggested). Left our peas and used extra garlic. Husband, who is a meat and potatoes man, loved it! Pulled out just the pasta for the picky ones. Fast, cheap, easy, and truly a one pot meal!
Does the garlic dissolve since it’s only sliced and not minced?
Melanie, I have already responded to your question in the previous comment.
This dish is delicious…it was quick and easy with no fuss and no mess…and it tasted great…I had to add some extra garlic cause I’m a garlic freak but it was great…from a single mom on a Friday night who was dreading making dinner…I thank you! Keep them coming 🙂
Did you use whole wheat pasta or regular kind? Can’t wait to try this!
I did not use whole wheat pasta.
Hi! This recipe sounds delicious and I love vegetables however I am diabetic and so I was wondering what could be substituted for the spaghetti?? The carb count is way to high for me but i absolutely love the one pot method!
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise an appropriate substitute that will not alter the overall taste/texture of the dish. Please use your best judgment to make the appropriate substitutions to fit your dietary restrictions.
Have you ever tried using the zucchini for noodles…they sell the tool and most stores now that shred zucchini into long pasta noodles…I use it to cut down on starch…
Found this on Pinterest and made it for dinner tonight. I’m allergic to peas, so I substituted with a yellow squash. Also had a handful of mozzarella leftover, so I threw it in the pot. Couldn’t have been easier! Really enjoyed this one! Thank you.
I have this on my stove right now! Can’t wait to taste it!! Since I don’t care for the thyme flavor, I added basil instead.
I just made this for lunch and it was delicious! I didn’t have thyme so I added Italian seasoning, substituted milk for cream and added a tablespoon of butter at the end. I seriously love this. Thank you so much.
Oh man!!! It was so delicious we added siracha to ours to add a little spice I had seconds and well could’ve easily has fifths. It’s going in our recipe cycle for sure! Thank you for a hearty vegetarian meal!
I will try sriracha next time.
When the water barely covers the veggies, how does the pasta cook correctly?
That certainly shouldn’t be happening. As you can see from the pictures here, the veggies are completely immersed in water. What kind of pot are you using?
This looks so so so good and easy! Actually all your one pot dishes do. SO perfect for a Monday night. Hellllllo dinner 🙂 Nom nom.
Eating now as I’m writing….DELICIOUS! I used (unsweetened) almond milk instead of cream….works great!! Thank you!!
Eating now as I’m writing….DELICIOUS! I used (unsweetened) almond milk instead of cream….works great!! Thank you!!
I was going to ask if almond milk would work well instead of cream. thanks for posting!
I made this tonight for me & the hubs…sooo good!!! I used whole wheat thin spaghetti & followed the recipe as written. Very, very good! I think shrimp would be an awesome addition here, but as it’s written, easy & yummy, and will be making again:)
I’ve got everything in the pot on the stove now….my only question is that I’ve got all the pasta on the bottom and the water just covers the top of that….and about two inches of ingredients heaped on top. It seems like very little water for all this ingredient 🙁 fingers crossed for good results!
This one is a huge success in our home. My super picky 2 year old loved it as did the older kids.
Since we like a higher veggie to pasta ratio I halved the amounts of pasta and water, it turned out great!
Thank you!
i made this last night! It was SO good, and even better on dat two! We like things with a bit of heat so I added red pepper flake! Also I may add grilled chicken next time. But yum yum! I love it!!! Thanks !
I just made this and it is SO good.
I’ll definitely be adding this to my recipe routine. So good and simple!
Thank you.
Loved it! Easy and yummy!
Though not gluten intolerant I do try to buy gluten free pasta. Do you think I could have the same results with a brown rice pasta?
Without further recipe testing, I cannot advise if this will work or not. I know that some of my readers did not have successful outcomes using gluten-free pasta so please use your best judgment to make the appropriate substitutions to fit your dietary restrictions.
Was I supposed to add the spaghetti first? I put in the veggies and then the pasta. Then I realized the pasta probably wouldn’t cook. So I took it all out and tried to put the spaghetti on the bottom. Would it matter?
It really doesn’t matter. Once all the ingredients have been added in and mixed together, the pasta should cook through without any issues.
I added all mine at the same time…. All cooked just fine. It was so goif
I made this last night. And didn’t like the vegetables getting way too soft. So next time I’m gonna boil pasta first for like 7 min.
I made this tonight and it was a huge success! My husband is a very picky eater and he said “this is a new favorite dish!”. I did add a few of my own touches.. I cut up some chicken breast, tossed it in the skillet while the rest was simmering. And added more of the veggies and seasonings. I also added a little onion powder and Italian seasonings. I mixed it all together before adding the sauce mixture. I did have a little too much broth but I strained it and kept the liquid if needed. 4 thumbs way up!
Just made this and the whole family loved it! I didn’t have thyme so I left it out and added a can of chicken about half way thru. A quick and easy meal, thanks!
I just made this and we didn’t have peas or zucchini, so I used kale and spinach and carrots and it was delicious. We were low on the cheese so it wasn’t as “cheesy” but it was still tasty.
I didn’t add my mushrooms or the spinach and kale to the boiling pot since I had the carrots boiling with the pasta, other than that, I followed the recipe as is and it was delicious!
Made this for dinner last night, lots left over, just the two of us, We totally enjoyed this recipe! I added 1/2 pound of Shrimp at the same time I put in the cream and Parmesan Cheese (used a lot more cheese!) Served with Garlic Bread…just deelish!
Any good substitute for the cream or milk that’s dairy-free?
You can certainly try substituting a dairy-free substitute but without further recipe testing, I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. Please use your best judgment to make the appropriate substitutions to fit your dietary restrictions.
I noticed that someone else said they tried this with gluten free pasta and it worked. I love most of your recipes, and usually have an easy time converting them to gluten free, but when I tried it with gluten free pasta, it made a huge pot of goopy, glue-y, starchy, gunk. Not very appealing, and it didn’t really look very similar to your pictures. So I would say to anyone trying this gluten free, try at your own risk! I wish it turned out better, I was so excited to try this!
I made this tonight and even though I enjoyed the dish it seemed a little bland. How much salt and pepper do you add? I used everything you suggested. Thanks!
Kimberly, I’m sorry that you found this bland, but it is very important to generously season with salt and pepper, to taste. A little bit goes a long way! And I add as little as 1/4 tsp of each or more, to taste. It’s really up to you and your taste preferences.
This is the second meal I have made from this site this week and yet another hit. I used 4 cups of chicken broth because we had a ton left over from Thanksgiving and just a little water. I used dried thyme as that is all we had and fettucine for the same reason. The flavor was amazing. I added a little more parm cheese and red pepper flakes once it was served. So yummy. Loved it as meatless meal, but some sauteed garlic shrimp would make this even better I think.
Hi great meal. warm and perfect for the winter that’s starting to set in.
about how much is a serving?
Lauren, I would estimate about 2-3 cups for a single serving.
Just made this and added leftover thanksgiving turkey…. so good!! and so easy!
Do you think beef broth would taste ok? I don’t have any chicken broth.
I actually do not recommend beef broth in this recipe – the coloring is too dark (resulting in an un-appetizing dish aesthetically) and the taste may be a little too strong.
I made this recipe for dinner tonight and it was fantastic!!! So easy and so so delicious! Thanks for sharing!
What a great idea. Have all these ingredients at my fingertips and looking forward to trying this out tonight! I opted for chicken broth instead of just water for some flavor. Unfortunately lactose intolerant so I have to skip the cream. May try the coconut milk like another reader mentioned. Thank you!
I did it today and was delicious!!! all my family loved it!! thanks!! 🙂
I tried this recipe and loved it. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Thank you Chungah, it looks really good! I am gonna try it soon! Just discovered your blog, looks good! Regards, Brigitte
Oh goodness- this was so so easy and so delicious! Thank you from a busy mom. Going to check out some other recipes of yours.
Hey Chungah! Thanks for the delicious, healthy recipe. It came together so quickly and it tastes great. Perfect for a busy college girl like me! 🙂
Great recipe – but I added a couple table spoons of cream cheese and it thickened it up and brought it together nicely. That was my add 😀
Made this last night and it was a hit with all 5 of my kids and hubby!!! I added onion and broccoli, too. Yummy!
I used Gluten Free pasta and it all stuck together not sure if it was because of the type of pasta. Seems there was not enough water but I followed your directions. The taste was not so good. And the zucchini was very mushy… What did I do wrong?
I’ve heard from some of my readers that gluten-free pasta is not an appropriate substitute.
I did and you just have to stir it–often.
Thanks for the hint. I’ll try that.
another commenter found corn gluten-free pasta worked.
Is the pasta cooked to al dente or fully cooked? Or should I use less water to make sure the pasta al dente?
The pasta is fully cooked. If you prefer more of an al dente texture, I recommend using less water and reducing cooking time as needed.
This was delicious!!!! I was nervous that the water didn’t cover everything, but it turned out great! As the steam cooked the veggies, everything shrunk and the water ended up covering everything and was then absorbed in the end. Turned out perfectly and was delicious! Thank you!
…and the zucchini won’t be over cooked and mushy with 20 minutes of cooking?
The zucchini is not “mushy” nor overcooked but you can always add the zucchini in the last 5 minutes to suit your texture preferences.
I have been looking at this for a few days and finally tried it for our dinner today..it was great! I made it exactly as written,but halved it because it’s just the 2 of us,and I drained some of the water before adding the cheese and cream. We loved it!
Hi,
I did it and l love how easy it is and how quick too. I did not use the same vegetables my daughter does not like mushrooms 🙂
thanks for sharing
have a nice week end
cath
Are the peas dried peas or is frozen ok?
Frozen peas should work just fine.
I just made this! Great use of ingredients. I used button mushrooms, minced garlic, more peas, more parm and subbed coconut milk for cream b/c that’s what I had. It took longer to cook, more like 15 minutes. Brilliant idea of 1 pot! Thanks for posting!
I made this last night and not only is it super easy, it was delicious! What an awesome recipe! I ended up using half water & half chicken stock and it was tasty…gave it a little more flavor. And I used 1% milk instead of heavy cream and it came out fine! Finally found a healthy pasta dish that actually tastes good! Thanks 🙂
I’m in medical school and I can no longer afford to spend much time in the kitchen. I decided to cook your recipe tonight while I study for a huge test tomorrow. Soooo good! I added spinach to the recipe. It was perfect! Delicious and time efficient. Thank you so much. My pasta craving was satisfied. I can’t wait to make this again.
Great one pot recipe, though I felt a couple changes need to be made. It was a little runny so I first I used vegetable broth in place of water and 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1 Tbsp of flour to add thickness I also used a full cup of grated Parmesan and half a cup of mozzarella. I also did not have thyme sprigs and thought 1 tsp of ground thyme was sufficient. I also just cooked all veggis first with a little olive oil to bring out the tasty flavors. Turned out wonderful.
We do not have any Thyme on hand at home and would prefer not to have to pack up the kids for an extra stop. Anything we can add instead of that or can it be left out with the same result?? Looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it! Thanks!!
Feel free to add any other herbs that you have on hand – basil, oregano, etc.
Trying this recipe tonight! I’m thinking of combining it with this recipe: https://damndelicious.net/2014/05/16/one-pot-pasta/ …but just adding the tomatoes, sausage, and extra parmesan to make it more of a “complete” meal in one. I’m using sweet Italian sausage instead of andouille though, so I am a little nervous. I hope it turns out okay! Thanks for such an easy to follow and simple new recipe 🙂
WOW! I’m so happy I finally decided to try one of these 1-pot wonders!
I took your original recipe, made a few tweeks based on reading through the comments ahead of time & my family cant stop talking about how yummy it is!
Thank you so much for sharing such a yummy & healthy recipe!
xo,
michelle
Saw this on Pinterest this morning and JUST made it tonight — very yummy recipe! But like another visitor said already, I will have to reduce the water next time. I had to add a little cornstarch to thicken it up but overall, very good! Thank you for the recipe!
I’m a novice… How much salt and pepper would be a good place to start? Like 1/4 tsp?
1/4-1/2 tsp is a good place to start.
I LOVE this One Pot Pasta concept! I looks so easy and delicious. Just one question: How do you calculate the amount of water to pasta so it will absorb the entire amount? Thanks
It tends to change with each recipe and the type of pasta used so a lot of recipe testing is involved!
I just made this for dinner for my husband and I, and it was a huge hit! I also had no clue that this recipe would make THAT much food. But I’m grateful because now my husband and I have lunch and dinner and then some tomorrow. Delicious and so easy!
I just made this. It smells wonderful, but the pasta is sticking together. What did I do wrong?
Dawn, it is very difficult to answer what you did wrong as I was not in the kitchen with you. Many factors can be at play here such as using substitutions or not following the directions exactly as written.
That being said, I worry that you did not add enough liquid, or your heat source is set too high, causing the liquid to reduce too much and leaving the noodles to stick together.
Soo, I’m lactose intolerant, as well as meat intol (hence looking through veggie recipes). Is there anyway I can do this without the heavy cream/milk? Any lactose intol friendly substitutes? Please and thank you!
Unfortunately, I do not feel comfortable suggesting various substitutes without further recipe testing as I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. Please use your best judgment for substitutions to fit your dietary restrictions.
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I made this tonight and it was amazing! I don’t normally alter recipes when I first make them but I felt like there was to much liquid at the end & almost ladled it out when I decided to add another 1/4c of heavy cream & 1/3c of parmesan cheese. I kept stirring it to mix it & cool it down for the sauce to set & it was perfect. Definitely making this again!
This recipe was so good!! The only thing I added was some lemon juice, it gave it just a slight zing that really made the dish pop! Thanks so much!
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I just made this for my family and it was a hit! Even my husband loved it, and he loves his meat. I had to substitute peas for lima beans because I was out. I know it sounds weird, but it turned out great. Thanks for this easy, yummy recipe!
I made this last night but ran into a problem with my pasta cooking too quickly and kind of ending up sticky. The taste is really good but it looks no where near how smooth yours looks in the photo. What kind of pasta do you use? Next time I might use more water and then ladle it out if necessary.
Devon, you can certainly reduce the amount of liquid for next time. Additionally, it is best to reduce the heat to let the pasta cook appropriately, soaking up all the liquid. I also used a pack of spaghetti from Trader Joe’s.
I made this tonight I added some chopped banana peppers and added red pepper flakes. It was fantastic! Thank you for the great recipe.
Sounds yummy yummy! Will be trying this tomorrow – got a ton of zucchini to use up right now and this is something a little different than we normally do with it!
Made it tonight with basil instead of thyme, and added leftover cedar-planked salmon at the end. Was AMAZING! Also used half and half with a little milk. Oh, and chicken stock instead of water.
I didn’t believe it could be as easy and delicious as you said, but I had tried several of your other recipes to great fanfair so I said “what the heck” and tried this. Just want to say, “WOW!” Just as promised, easy AND delicious. DAMN delicious. Big fan of all the vegetarian options here as well. Thanks!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was yummy, thanks for the recipe. Mine did turn out quite watery though, could it be because I did not use a stock pot or Dutch oven?
Many factors could be at play here. The most common problem is that the heat source may not have been set appropriately. You can certainly reduce the amount of liquid for next time to ensure that all liquids are reduced.
This was awesome! I’m pregnant and really can’t stomach much and I had chills all over while eating this, it was that good. I too was worried about it not being enough water but waited it out and it absolutely was perfect. Thank you so much!
Making this tonight! How much would you say is a serving size?
1-2 cups should be sufficient for a single serving.
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Hi I would just like to say this recipe was very good.Me and my Husband just finished it for dinner.I will definitely be making it again. I added fully cooked rotisserie chicken and I used 4 cups of chicken stock and 1/2 cup of water it came out good Thank you for this Quick and easy recipe. Patricia W
I just made your pasta for lunch and it turned out great! It was the first time ever I cooked a one-pot recipe! But it won’t be the last time 🙂
Claudia from Germany
Awesome recipe! Very easy and my husband and family loved it! That being said, I added another half cup of parm, heavy cream and 1/2 block of cream cheese. So good! Probably not the “healthy” route, but very tasty!:-)
I made this tonight and it was delicious. I think next time I may throw some shrimp in.
I really appreciate the simplicity of this recipe and it’s great for the summer bumper crop of zucchini! I didn’t have cream so I stirred in some cream cheese. I had to add more salt because it was lacking flavor at first. But still a great recipe!
Browsed Pinterest last night searching for quick lunch recipes and this caught my eye as it seemed very quick and easy and looked yummy. I am having it while I am typing this which shows how excited I am about this dish! I had to make a few adjustments and also threw in what I could find and thought would go nicely with it. It turned out fantastic! This will be a regular on my meal plans!
Thank you very much!!
This was a great, easy recipe! Thank you. 🙂
I saw one person’s comment–thinking it might not be great for freezing.
I’m looking for someone who has frozen it and tried it out after–any success anyone?
It makes a HUGE amount, my husband’s super picky…so it’ll be just me eating this. I’d LOVE to salvage the leftovers now and my sanity later for a “no cooking” night.
Thanks for any feedback and freezing tips along the way. I do not have much experience freezing leftovers.
I drizzled some balsamic, btw; it was delicious! ‘-)
WOW!!! you had a lot of comments that I didn’t have time to read them all. If my question has been asked I apologize. Can I substitute Chicken broth instead of water?
Yes, that’s absolutely fine!
Genius! Thanks so much for the super quick, easy and tasty meal. I did the prep ahead of time, so it took just 10 minutes from a boil to the table. Sadly, I cut the recipe in half for two…wish I hadn’t done that.
So good! Had to use fresh basil bc I didn’t have thyme. I also added some milk and butter in place of the heavy cream. I’m excited to try your other recipes!
I made this tonight and it was so good! When I first added everything to the pot, it look like there wasn’t going to be enough liquid, so I added more. Welp, I should of been patient because then I had too much liquid! Easily fixed though, by adding more cream and cheese and simmering it a bit longer. Thankfully I used whole wheat pasta, so it held up to the extra time. This was super easy though, & a great blend of flavors!
I have tons of zucchini in my garden, so I’m very grateful for all of your zuke recipes!
Just made this. Very good. I skipped the peas and left it with just the mushrooms and zucchini. I also added a chicken bouillon cube. Very tasty and sooooo filling!!!! Very easy to make. You could add spinach too, but I skipped because I didn’t have any on hand. Nice and creamy and the Parmesan cheese tastes so good with it. Thank you for the easy yummy recipe!!!! Lots of love from arizona.
I can’t stand peas. Is there something else I can substitute? Maybe carrots or broccoli?
Yes, absolutely.
I am making it with cashew paste, coconut cream and nutri yeast to make it vegan and it’s divine!
Thanks!! i was just wondering if cashew cream will go with it :)))
I loved this!! I made it last night and I added some frozen spinach because I had it on hand to add to the green factor!! Super delish and my kiddo ate it right up.. well except for the shrooms but that’s ok.
WOW!!! I had to come back and write a review!!!!
This is an amazing one pot recipe!! the flavours are amazing and my 3 year old and hubby loves it!
Can’t wait to try ur other one pot pastas!!
Thanks you !!!!
I have never used mushrooms in my cooking even though I love them. My question is is it normal for the water to turn dark because of the mushrooms or did I not prepare them right?
The water should not be turning dark. Were the mushrooms cleaned properly?
This was devine! The only modification I used was 4 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of water instead of 4 and 1/2 cups of water.
Can’t wait to taste it! Can you use different mushrooms, don’t have any cremini on hand just regular ol’ white mushrooms? I would like to make it tonight.
Button mushrooms should work just fine!
I used regular white mushrooms and they were yummy.
Hello! I made a version of your recipe! LOVED IT! I blogged about it here: http://athomemyway.blogspot.com/2014/07/one-pot-garden-vege-creamy-pasta.html
Thanks for the inspiration. I saw your recipe pinned and just HAD to try it. So delicious! Thank you!
This turned out way too watery, but otherwise good. Do you have any tips to help with this? Thanks!
You can try reducing the amount of water for next time.
I was looking for inspiration to use up a large zucchini, and it turned out I had everything on hand to make this recipe. Very tasty! I used whole wheat linguini and it worked well with the cream sauce. You have such lovely photos – I’m enjoying getting recipe inspiration from your site!
I added crispy thick cut bacon, gives it a great “carbonera” style!! Mmmm
I made this last night and my dad LOVED it. I’ve been wanting to try one of these one-pot-pasta dishes so I figured I’d give this a shot. We’ve been looking for new zucchini recipes because my uncle planted way too many zucchini plants in his garden and there is only so much zucchini bread one family can eat. Next time I make this I may halve the recipe because we were left with a TON of left-overs. I also only used one zucchini instead of two. Our zucchini were massive and after getting one chopped up I knew two would be too much.
Delicious recipe, Chungah! This might be a silly question but do you stir the pasta during cooking or you just leave it as it is? I just made it (yummm) but my zucchini got too mushy. I used whole grain pasta, so not sure if that could cause it or just me stirring the pot. Thanks!
Maja, the pasta should be stirred when adding the Parmesan and heavy cream.
Do you drain the water or do you add the cream to it so it gets thicker?
There’s no need to drain the water as the pasta should soak it all up. And yes, the addition of cream will create a very thin layer of sauce to coat the noodles.
Made this tonight and it is delicious! But even after halving the recipe I have a ton of leftovers – have you tried freezing it? Do you think it freeze well??
As the sauce dries up quite quickly, this may not be best suited for freezing.
I cooked the pasta by itself first, I didn’t realize we had to cook everything at the same time /: what should I do next?
Laura, the beauty of this recipe is that the pasta gets cooked right in the pot. But since you have already cooked the pasta, this recipe may not be used or salvaged at this point. I recommend trying this recipe again with uncooked pasta.
Laura, I would sauté the vegetables together, reduce heat and simmer just until coated in the cream. You could serve this mixture over your cooked pasta.
I love Pinterest -the food and drink portion – having said that, your site is by far the best one that i have ever looked at – every one of your recipes have been wonderful, simple to prepare and delicious to eat – thank you for sharing these delicious dishes –
I love this. I love pasta and vegetables and now my mind is going wild with other ingredients I can use so there is lots of varieties when making this recipe. Thank you.
I have this recipe on the stove right now! I can’t wait to see how it comes together. All the veggies are my favorites and who doesn’t love the idea of just one pot?! Thanks so much for posting…
Can’t wait to make this! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Hugs, Nan
I LOVE it when I Google the ingredients I have and a PERFECT recipe is right at the top! Making this tonight!
I don’t have an immersion blender… could I puree the red peppers with my food processor first, then add them in?
Lauren, which recipe are you referring to? This recipe does not have any red peppers in the ingredient list. Are you referring to the roasted red pepper alfredo? https://damndelicious.net/2013/12/02/roasted-red-pepper-alfredo/
Yes I am! Was looking through your recipes and commented on the wrong one! Sorry about the confusion!
Instead of the food processor, you can also try using a blender instead with everything else. It’s important to blend all ingredients, not just the peppers.
yum! i don’t have peas at the moment, but do have frozen asparagus pieces- can i use those instead?
Yes, absolutely!
Making this tomorrow, it looks so good! Do you think I could sub nonfat Greek yogurt for the heavy cream?
I do not think Greek yogurt is an appropriate substitute. I recommend substituting milk over the heavy cream if you are watching for calories.
Thanks!
I didn’t have heavy cream, but did have half and half. After I put that in it seemed too thin, and I added about 1/4 cup plain yogurt since that is what I had in the fridge. Happy to say it worked very well 🙂
I used low fat cream cheese. Delicious!
Did you scrub your mushrooms before you sliced them?
I gave them a good rinse, but feel free to scrub as necessary.
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Very yummy. Certainly a keeper, personally I would change the peas for a different green, not much of a pea fan but overall very nice easy dinner.
I made this the other night for my parents and aunt and it was a big hit, even though am the only veggie in the group! It is very filling. I am definitely making this again.
What about using cream of mushroom soup instead of cream?
I personally do not like to use cream of mushroom soup – it is very high in calories and fat content.
Currently just enjoying this dish BEFORE it’s even served up for dinner. Although I did find 1 pound of pasta slightly too much. I’d reduce next time. I also put some sun-dried tomatoes in after this had cooked. YUM!
I made this tonight with portabella mushrooms and yellow squash in place of the peas.
Super easy, delicious, and the leftovers will be even better. Thanks for posting. We loved it!
Could you please convert the amount of zucchini – would you say that’s 2 cups quartered?
Yes, that sounds about right!
Made this tonight. Used 2 cups water, 2cups chicken stock, and 1/2 cup white wine. Followed the rest of the recipe. It came out great! Only bad thing is my pasta stuck to bottom of Dutch oven. Will probably make in my non stick pot next time. Oh the endless possibilities …..
Just made this. It turned out really well. My toddler just loved it, Hubby too. I found 4 1/2 cups made it too soupy for my liking but other then that a success.
Christy, you can certainly reduce the amount of water to taste. I prefer to have a little bit of liquid leftover to create a thin layer of sauce.
How much water should be used if using a stock pot?
Megan, you would be using the same amount of water as listed in the recipe.
I made this yesterday and it turned out great. I think I will add some carrot next time to add a little pop of color. I have to admit I did have a “will this ever work moment” for the first few minutes but as soon as the pasta started to soften it all came together.
a little bit of carrot sounds like a good idea.
I made this last night, it was amazing!! Even the other half approved and he’s not one to have meals without meat. The only thing I would suggest is to add the courgette/zucchini when the water is simmering, that way they don’t go as soggy, but that’s just my preference.
Thanks for this amazing recipe, I’ll be on the scout for more 🙂
Do you know if this works with gluten free pasta? corn and rice based
I’ve never tried it myself but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Cooking time may need to be adjusted though.
Didn’t work for me! 🙁 🙁
It worked for me with gluten free corn pasta! I used a penne and it was delicious. The cooking time may have been a bit different – I didn’t watch the clock and just checked the noodles for doneness. I also used canned mushrooms and they were fine.
I agree, the sauce was delicious. My gluten-free rice pasta wasn’t the greatest texture, though. I’d thought of trying again, making the sauce separately, since it was so good. But since corn pasta worked for you, I’ll try that first. This recipe is too good not to try again.
I have two daughters who have celiac disease, and another who is vegetarian. Gluten-free vegetarian cooking is a huge challenge. I’ll try this one again with corn pasta for our Sunday dinner. Thankfully, the grandson loves EVERYTHING so I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.
Just made this last night – YUMMY! I used asparagus instead of zucchini b/c I didn’t have any and corn instead of peas for the same reason. No thyme tho, so used a mixture of seasonings. Still felt like it needed something more – any suggestions? This was SO easy – and I have enough left over for a week of lunches – ha! THANKS!
Jill, you can always add in peas, zucchini and thyme next time. The flavor combination is absolutely amazing! And if you like some heat, red chili flakes would also do wonders.
It worked for me with gluten free corn pasta! I used a penne and it was delicious. The cooking time may have been a bit different – I didn’t watch the clock and just checked the noodles for doneness.
I squeezed a little lemon juice in it- I thought it gave it a little more brightness and flavor and brought it all together 🙂
We are trying to avoid dairy, where possible, any suggestions for a sauce that doesn’t use milk or cream?
This looks delicious! Thanks 😀
Christina, you can omit the heavy cream altogether. It’s really to provide a nice little base of a sauce but if you can reserve a little bit of pasta water for a thin sauce, that should work just fine.
Okay, I will try that! Thanks for the feedback!
Suggestion for anyone not wanting to use dairy: sprinkle a tablespoon of nutritional yeast in at the end and stir! It gives a faux cheesy flavor, delish! (And I am also a dairy eater so that says a lot lol)
Christina,
Have you considered trying unsweetened, full fat coconut milk instead. My husband is vegan and I use that a lot. The refrigerated type doesn’t seem to have an overwhelming coconut flavor. I’m going to try it in this recipe this week. I also plan to add in some brewer’s yeast to give it a “cheesy” flavor without the dairy. I’ll come back and post my results if it’s a success. 🙂
Anxiously awaiting results!
Did the coconut milk work? I’m cooking this with soy creamer tonight
Im’ making it tonight, with Silk Cashew milk. I can’t wait!
Considering adding chicken or shrimp due to meat loving husband. Thoughts?
Yes, absolutely! You can add it in the beginning with the rest of the ingredients, particularly uncooked diced chicken. As for the shrimp, I worry that it will be overcooked so you can always cook it separately and add it in at the very end.
can I use milk instead of heavy cream? I don’t have heavy cream on hand
Yes, milk should work just fine!
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it! Do you use the same amount of milk? Thanks!
Yes, the same amount should be used.
Would you use use the same amount of milk to heavy cream? I’d like to try this with skim milk
Shannon, you can certainly substitute skim milk but I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish as further recipe testing is needed. It is always best to use the ingredients listed in the recipe to obtain the best results possible.
what can i substitute peas with? my daughter is allergic :/
Feel free to substitute other veggies to your daughter’s preference, although cooking time may need to be adjusted.
I used some torn spinach and next time i’ll add some yellow squash, asparagus or artichoke hearts. You can really add whatever you want including shrimp, chicken, ham or turkey. I used extra garlic but that’s always a given for me. My hubby went back for seconds!
Can you substitute other pastas besides spaghetti?
Yes, absolutely! Penne or even macaroni noodles would work great.
I used Trader Joes Brown Rice and Quinoa spaghetti. Delish!
Did you have any trouble with the liquid to pasta ratio when using gluten-free pasta? I want to make this but I’m worried my brown rice pasta will turn to mush.
I made this tonight with brown rice pasta instead of organic white/wheat pasta like last time. The brown rice pasta was very overpowering and it changed the flavor, not for the better. I suggest experimenting if you don’t eat wheat pasta. The first batch was awesome and definitely a keeper.
I used Trader Joe’s Brown rice and quinoa pasta, and the dish didn’t turn out too well. It was very starchy and no flavor. I found I had to salt the soul out of it, which I don’t like to do. I can’t find the corn pasta at my Trader Joe’s, and will try a health food store next. I think I would change the starchy peas to carrots next time, If I try this again. Maybe the TJ pasta should go in later? I added the zucchini at simmer like another viewer suggested, and it was al dente.
I made this last night. It was amazing; quick, easy and delicious! I used ricotta mixed with some milk instead of cream and it turned out great.
I seriously need more one pot meals in my life, like for those lazy days where I’m making a dessert and don’t want to dirty my kitchen again with dinner :). This one looks awesome!
Did you use fresh or frozen (or canned) peas?
You can use either fresh or frozen peas.
Such a great easy recipe, so simple and so delicious. I look forward to seeing what future “one pot pasta wonders” you come up with!
This looks amazing but my picky other half won’t touch mushrooms. Any suggestions for another ingredient I could substitute in?
Annie, feel free to substitute any other kind of vegetable that your picky other half prefers.
How about some yellow squash? It’d be good with the zucchini.
This was fantastic! I halved the recipe and it turned out perfect-thank you!
Well thank you for being on the hunt. I think every reader appreciates the one
pot idea. It’s one of the reasons we like stew. I have been lusting after pasta
lately, so this is right down my garden path—-where I am picking zucchini and peas. Ha!
I just made this! I found it was still a bit too moist at the end, though I don’t think I could have left it any longer, as the pasta was way tender at that point. it all tasted a bit ‘starchy’ to me, just because I don’t think I let enough liquid go. next time, I’ll do a bit less water (and more cheese because who am I kidding).
Yes, you always reduce the amount of water. You can also ladle out some water as needed during this process. It’s always safe to have more liquid than less!
If I wanted to make half the amount would I use half of the liquid?
Yes, you would halve the liquid as well.
This looks good. I noticed there were white clumps in your photo, which is what happens to me too when I use cream/milk. I’ve always been curious to know why this happens.
By adding milk or heavy cream, it’s coating the noodles with a thin layer of sauce, inevitably leading to creamy “clumps” in the crevices of the pasta.
This would probably be good using a vegetable or chicken stock instead of water, right? Maybe a bit less salt, depending on the saltiness of the stock.
Yes, using a stock would work just great!
I went searching through the comments to see if anyone had tried this with chicken broth. I have free range chicken broth and it has hardly any sodium. Trying this tonight! Excited to give it a go.
Thanks for the recipes!
I made this with low sodium chicken broth and added shrimp. It was very good. 🙂
this was so goodddddd, I don’t know if it’s because I made it after a horrible Monday or what but it was way better than I was expecting! Thank you for sharing it! I used rosemary instead of thyme because I had some fresh, and shiitake instead because that’s what I can get here in Japan haha
It made dinner and lunches for 3 days! awesome!
This pasta looks so delicious! The mushrooms are definitely my favourite part, next to the creaminess of it all!
This was really good. I added extra garlic and 1/2 of a diced onion. I Sautéed them out of habit. The zucchini still had a nice bite to it when the dish was done. The cream and cheese, I used Romano, are a must, and a dash of Aleppo pepper flakes add a nice touch of heat.
Can’t wait to try. Question…..did you use fresh or frozen peas??? I’ve tried 2 of your recipes so far and they were wonderful. Have high hopes for this one as well!!
Feel free to use fresh or frozen – both work great!
Love how you cooked all of this in one one pot, looks amazing! Definitely want to give this a try 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
quick and easy recipe usually turn out the best! This looks incredible! YUM 🙂
Oh this pasta looks so good, love the zucchini and mushrooms!
Hello Chung! I LOVE all your recipes! Do you happen to have one for a “healthy” Eggplant Parmesan? Thanks… Sharon
Not at the moment but it’s on my culinary bucket list!
I make a great eggplant parmesan healthy style. Slice and salt your eggplant. wipe dry after it begins to sweat. place on the outddoor grill or indoor grill. you can spray w pam for easy release. after it grills make your eggplant parm by layering your sauce with eggplant and low fat mozzarella and bake til hot thru. delicious!!!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel eggplant zebra style and slice thin. Dip in egg (or egg beaters) and lightly bread with Italian seasoned crumbs. Place on a cookie sheet that is lightly greased with olive oil spray and also spray the eggplant slices. Bake until golden, turning once. They will be dry, but will become very moist when you assemble stacks of three with low fat mozzarella, lots of sauce, and a sprinkle of grating cheese, and bake at 350 until hot.
I love this version of Eggplant Parm, it’s even better than the original because you get more of the eggplant taste. AND you can eat it without feeling guilty!
I don’t have fresh thyme…how much dried should I use? This looks yummy!
Val, it’s a 1:3 ratio for dry to fresh herbs.
I’ve never tried one pot pasta before,but this looks delicious! Definitely want to try it out:)
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Holy flying monkeys I NEED THIS. I am obsessed with zucchini and mushrooms…and the whole 20 minutes and one pot thing? YES PLEASE. Pinning and loving!
Was looking for something easy and quick today for lunch. This fits the bill and I am going to make it. Sounds wonderful and has to be healthy if you use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of heavy cream. Looking forward to tasting it. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
Other than the thyme, i happen to have every single ingredients on hand. Love shrooms and zucchini and peas. Love that this is one pot and ready in no time!
hi there, the only problem I had was when i added the Parmesan cheese. It stuck together in chunks. Is this supposed to happen? Thanks!!!
No, that is definitely not supposed to happen! My recommendation is to use finely grated Parmesan cheese to avoid this. Hope that helps!
Do you strain the water out after you let it simmer?
Amber, there should be no need to strain the water as it should have been completely reduced with the pasta.
Omggggg noooo I’ve just noticed I needed an oven !! :'( And I still dont have one…
Pauline, this recipe does not need an oven. It calls for a Dutch oven, which is a kind of deep pot with a close-fitting lid — you can make this dish on the stove/cooktop. 🙂
a few lumps like that here too – and it was very finely grated. perhaps need to add and combine the cream first as this tends to happen when hard cheese hits warm water. Lovely recipe though.
Delicioius! I used basil instead of thyme. It’s what I had. I also tossed in the spagetti to start cooking before the veggies as I like the veggies al dente. My hubby said throw some shrimp or ham on it next time. I also a little gorgonzola for extra flavor. Ummmm Ummm good! This one goes on the monthly menu!
Crazy question…I’m not a good cook…anyway, if you added shrimp, would you just throw them in the pot w/everything else to cook? I have a bag of the frozen peeled shrimp in the freezer, and was trying to find a recipe to use them in. Lol
Pam, it may be best to prepare the shrimp separately to avoid overcooking it.
I agree with Chungah. You don’t want to overcook the shrimp! But, you could throw them in pot during the last 5 minutes or so, and probably be ok if you want them to cook with the seasonings 🙂
Or you could do what I do and buy pre cooked detailed shrimp in the frozen variety. thaw and throw in. Wala!
How much zucchini? thanks!
Thanks for pointing that out! You’ll need 2 zucchini, thinly sliced and quartered.
I had my doubts about this recipe but tried it anyway. I AM IN LOVE with it. Thank you soooo much !!!! I added 3% milk towards the end. paired the pasta with a chilean wine ‘Tarapaca’ 😀 i had one of the best friday nights after a busy week so .. thank you once again 😀 I am going to share this.
Ong I made this today and it was delicious.
so I made it with angel hair pasta and part of it clumped together lol
How I manage to mess up pasta, I do not know…
Laura, unfortunately, one pot pasta recipes can be very finicky. It is best to use the type of pasta as directed in the recipe – although I do love angel hair pasta!!! 🙂
Looks easy and delicious! Will this recipe work with brown rice or quinoa pasta for a gluten free option?
Tina, I cannot really say as I have never tried these options myself but if you read through the comments, some of the readers have mentioned that they had unsuccessful results substituting a different kind of pasta.
Chungah, look in your supermarket for vegetable pasta for the gluten free option. It’s just like regular pasta except it’s made out of beets, carrots, and other vegetables and it gives you a full serving of your daily veggies. You can also get spinach fettuccine.
used brown rice pasta and wasn’t impressed. It was very sticky and way too gooey. Maybe that’s because i had to add extra water as well to cover all the ingredients?
You don’t need to cover the ingredients in water – the pasta will “fall into” the pot as everything boils. Use the amount of water in the recipe and you will be fine! 🙂
You say use the amount of water in the recipe, however, the recipe doesn’t mention how much water should we use. Can you clarify?
Please refer to step #1:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, combine spaghetti, mushrooms, zucchini, peas, garlic, thyme and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
I made this recipe as ordered. It’s flavorless. I’ve LOVED ALL the other damn del. recipes I’ve tried though.
Can you use Angel hair pasta
Yes, absolutely. However, cooking time may have to be adjusted accordingly.
I don’t care for zucchini, how do you think it would taste without zucchini?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
This looks so deliciuous, and easy! I’m making it tonight, can’t wait to post my results! thanks for the great recipes!
Did you use fresh or frozen peas?
I used frozen but fresh should work just fine.
Hi will this work with whole wheat pasta?
I actually have not tried whole wheat pasta myself but if you sift through the comments below, many of my readers have had unsuccessful results with pasta substitutions.
Hey there! I made this tonight, used angel hair pasta with no problems whatsoever. I also threw in some turkey kielbasa sausage with the pasta to cook like the other one pot recipe you have, because I’m just a meat person. It was amazing! One thing though:
I’ve got your cookbook and the recipe in the cookbook calls for 1/2 cup heavy cream and this blog post says 1/4 cup. I used 1/2 cup and I think it was perfect. I’ll probably make it again per your cookbook, but I was just curious on your thoughts?
I love your modifications! It sounds amazing.
I use 1/4 cup for the most part, while I use 1/2 cup at other times (depending on how indulgent I feel, of course!).