No Dinner Motivation? Here Are 3 One-Pot Pastas to Save the Day

So, naturally, I revert to my list of requirements:

• Is it weeknight-friendly?
• Can I avoid spending hours shopping for ingredients?
• Can I please not use every pot, pan, and gadget in my kitchen?
• And, most important, will it be a supersatisfying dinner?

Reliably, the recipes that tick every box are these ultracomforting one-pot pastas, delicious recipes where the pasta cooks right in the sauce.

If there’s one recipe that I would describe as “summer in a bowl,” it’s this creamy and comfortingly meaty pasta that features the bright combination of white wine, lemon, and basil. It’s refreshing and warming without being too heavy, and it comes together in just 1 hour (and one pot). 

This shrimp pasta dish is a cross between a garlicky scampi and a zesty, lemony piccata, with a creamy (almost Alfredo-like) sauce tossed in for good measure. How could you possibly go wrong with that? The key to this delicious meal is tender, succulent shrimp and lots of rich, silky sauce balanced with just enough vibrant lemon and briny capers.

The classic combination of sausage, beans, and pasta deserved a makeover, and that’s exactly what the Cook’s Country test cooks did in this hearty pasta dish. Cooking the noodles in chicken broth (instead of water) infuses them with rich and savory flavor. This perfectly seasoned and crowd-pleasing meal can hit the dinner table in less than a single hour, making it a weeknight hero worthy of the praise it receives.