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I first shared this recipe on Instagram but everyone agreed that it deserved a permanent place on the blog. This One-Pot “Yummy Pasta” is one of those go-to weeknight recipes I make for my kids all the time—and okay, myself and Clayton too.
My kids, who adore this dish, are the ones that coined the term “yummy pasta” and it’s been on a regular rotation for them. I like to think of it as a more wholesome, homemade version of SpaghettiOs that still has the same satisfying taste. It’s a tried and true go-to and one that I know you all will love making for your *cough* kids 😉
In addition to just how yummy it is, I love it as a mom because the recipe calls for five ingredients total, everything comes together in one pot, and it’s on the table within 20 minutes. It really doesn’t get better than that!
ingredients:
- Dried Fusilli Pasta
- 2% Milk
- Jarred Marinara Sauce
- Water
- Kosher Salt
step-by-step:
step one: add the ingredients and BOIL
Combine the (uncooked) pasta, milk, marinara, and water in a large saucepan. Stir until well combined, then turn the heat on to high. Bring the contents to a boil.
step two: simmer
Once boiling, stir in the salt and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, the liquid has mostly absorbed, and the sauce is thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
step two: serve and enjoy
Remove from heat, divide amongst bowls, and enjoy!
recipe faqs:
I like to toss leftovers in a skillet set over medium heat with 1/4 cup of milk or water. Stir until the pasta is rehydrated and warm.
Unfortunately, this is one of those rare recipes that just doesn’t freeze well (mostly due to the dairy in the sauce).
I know your family is going to love this One-Pot “Yummy Pasta” as much as mine does! Comment below once you’ve tried it and let me know what you think!
want more kid-friendly recipes? try these!
Gluten-Free Protein Bagel Bites
One-Pot “Yummy Pasta”
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried fusilli pasta, such as Jovial Brown Rice Pasta
- 1 cup 2% milk, room temperature
- 1 cup jarred marinara sauce, such as Rao's
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Combine the (uncooked) pasta, milk, marinara, and water in a large saucepan. Stir until well combined, then turn the heat on to high. Bring the contents to a boil.
- Once boiling, stir in the salt and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, the liquid has mostly absorbed, and the sauce is thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat, divide amongst bowls, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So Delicious!!! This is my second time making it, and the flavors are spot on. Hits different at 11:00 after spending hours studying.
very yummy! i definitely recommend. i spiced it up a bit for myself by adding some minced garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, fennel, and romano cheese. so if you want to add a little more to it, that’s what i did and it was so good. i’ll definitely be making this again in the future!
Hi! Besides using a different shape pasta and doubling the recipe, I followed it to a T and it came out very soupy… The noodles were so soft I couldn’t keep cooking but the sauce never got super thick. Any idea what might be the culprit? Flavor is delicious, though! Thanks!
This was delicious! The low and slow method on the salmon turned out the most tender and perfectly cooked fish.
My family loves this recipe over and over again! I’ve tested with cottage cheese in place of the milk and it’s great 🙂
Could you use another type of pasta?
do you mean other kind of shaped pasta? or a pasta that is made from something different (like chickpeas, for example):
As far as shape goes- anything really works here.
As far as types of pasta goes- it’s either regular pasta or brown rice pasta that works here for a GF option. I notice that those have enough starch for the one-pot method to always work.
Can this be made dairy free? If so, could I do a 1 to 1 substitution with almond milk like in your Cajun chicken pasta recipe?
yes- you can! I just recommend the milk be at room temperature– so it doesn’t seize up and separate!
We love this for a quick and easy weeknight meal. I usually buy fresh pre-made meatballs from Whole Foods or Central Market to add some protein. I cut them in half or fourths, roll them up and place on a baking sheet to cook while I make the pasta! We use Nutpods and I find adding a handful of fresh parm does the trick (hard cheeses don’t seem to bother him as much as milk/cream).
Love the additional of meatballs!
This was a fun side! We all enjoyed it.
What’s a quick way to make marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes?
Could this work with kettle & fire tomato soup instead of marinara sauce?
Yes, that should work fine for it to all come together, but the flavor of course will be a bit different.