One-Pot Tomato Basil Macaroni
No-Fail

One-Pot Tomato Basil Macaroni

25 min total serves 3 5 steps

Pasta cooked right in the sauce. One pot, ten minutes of stirring, big comfort.

Dummy-proof tip

If it looks dry, add a splash of water. You cannot really break this dish.

The steps, in plain English

  1. 1

    Soften the onion

    Heat the oil in a deep pot and cook the chopped onion on medium until see-through and soft.

    timer 5:00
  2. 2

    Add garlic

    Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, just until you can smell it.

    timer 0:30
  3. 3

    Add tomatoes and pasta

    Tip in the tomatoes, the macaroni and enough water to just cover everything. Add salt.

  4. 4

    Simmer

    Turn to a gentle simmer — small lazy bubbles — and stir every couple of minutes until the pasta is soft.

    timer 12:00
  5. 5

    Finish

    Tear in the basil, taste, add more salt if it tastes flat.

SimmerDown

The no-judgement kitchen. Every recipe assumes you've burnt toast before — and that's fine.

Beginner rule #1

Read the whole recipe before you turn the heat on. It takes 30 seconds and saves dinner.