I love one pot recipes. They are simple to prepare, and there is very little cleanup involved.  I especially love the pasta ones.  Maybe it's because I love pasta so much haha. This one is quite simple, and depending on what type of sausage you use, it's incredibly delicious.  This recipe is an adaptation of Laura in the Kitchen's "One Pot Single Step Spaghetti."  I didn't make many changes, but I definitely used a different sausage for mine.  I love the simplicity of this recipe. I also LOVE how flavorful it is. If you wish to see the original recipe, click the link provided at the bottom of this post! Without further adieu...here's the recipe!

Ingredient List
12 oz cooked sausage, sliced  (any kind you want!)
1 yellow onion, sliced into half moon slices
1/4 cup basil pesto (homemade or store bought)
1 cup tomato sauce
3 1/2 cups water
3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb spaghetti
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt, to taste

1.  Put the sausage, onion, pesto, tomato sauce, water, and garlic into a large pan with very high sides or a large pot.  If you were wondering what sausage I used, I ended up using a chicken, artichoke, and mozzarella sausage I found at Costco. This is sooo good. I suggest getting it if you see it available at any Costco or grocery store near you.


I also used Kirkland brand pesto; I didn't have any homemade pesto. If you have homemade pesto, use that! Give the ingredients a light mix. Then, place the spaghetti into the pot.  DO NOT BREAK UP THE SPAGHETTI.  About 1/3 -1/2 of the spaghetti should be dry and should not be touching the wet mixture, as shown below.



2.  Once the mixture comes to a rapid boil, work the spaghetti slowly into the "sauce."


Turn down the heat to medium and allow it to cook for about 8-10 minutes (or until the spaghetti is al dente).  If it seems like your pasta needs more water, pour some into the pot a little at a time as needed.  While the pasta cooks, stir it frequently so as not to burn the pasta; this dish can easily burn if you don't keep an eye on it. The pasta should look like the photo below when it's just about done. There should be no excess liquid and the noodles should be al dente.


3.  Once the pasta is done cooking, take the pot/pan off the heat and mix in the parmesan cheese. If you have Parmigiano-Reggiano, use that instead! :) Serve it right away!


I loved the taste of this pasta. It is very thick and very filling.  I found that the pasta was a little high maintenance to make, seeing that it needed constant supervision.  The pasta takes so little time to make, though, and it is so worth it.  I had leftovers for days!! Hope you all get a chance to try out this recipe, and happy cooking!

Original Written Recipe by Laura Vitale: click here!
Video Recipe by Laura Vitale: click here!