One Pot Pizza Pasta | Easy One Pot Dinner Recipe
Cheesy One Pot PIZZA Pasta – Easy One Pot Dinner for Families!
Pizza and pasta finally join forces in this easy one pot pizza pasta recipe! A match made in cheesy heaven. Because easy weeknight dinners should be as scrumptious as they are simple!
Now, this is a one pot pasta, so it features pasta noodles as your carb-o-licious base and not a pizza crust. BUT, I’ve dressed that pasta up pizza style with tomato sauce, lots of mozzarella cheese, some more parmesan cheese, and mini pepperonis! Because, sometimes, you’re craving pizza AND pasta. Or, maybe you’ve got a split pizza vs. pasta household. I promise, this one pot pizza pasta is sure to please everyone!
Healthi-ify Pizza with a One Pot Pizza Pasta!
Okay, it’s no secret that pizza isn’t exactly the healthiest of weeknight dinner options… (Unless you’re making a veggie packed, low carb cauliflower pizza!) But, it is quite tasty, and it’s a dish kids and adults can both enjoy. So, why not take the yummy components of a pizza that everyone loves and transform them into a healthier one pot pasta?
Instead of the highly refined and ultra processed pizza crust, this one pot pizza pasta recipe gives you the freedom to include whichever kind of pasta that you want! And, even though traditional pasta isn’t the healthiest of options either (with plenty of refined grains all its own), there ARE some wholesome pasta options out there. But, you have to know how to choose healthy pasta, and what to look for on the nutrition label.
How to Choose Healthy Pasta
So, how can you pack the most nutritious fuel into your one pot pizza pasta? (Hint: check out our blog on How to Choose Healthy Pasta to find out!) Instead, of the traditional pastas with ‘semolina’ or ‘durum wheat’ listed as the first ingredient, look for:
100% Whole Wheat and Whole Grain Pastas
Many pastas that claim to be ‘whole wheat’ or ‘whole grain’ are still refined, or only made partially with whole grains! Now, these partially refined, partially whole grain pastas can be useful for picky eaters. Or, to help your family transition away from refined grains and toward 100% whole grain.
But, for maximum nutrition, I recommend making your one pot pizza pasta truly whole grain. So, look for the words “100% whole wheat/grain” on the label of your pasta and actually READ the ingredients list. A whole grain should be the first ingredient, and ALL grains and flours should have the word “whole” before them.
If you see any kind of “enriched wheat flour,” “enriched semolina flour” or any kind of “semolina” in general, that pasta is made from refined grains! There are 100% whole wheat pastas out there, if you look for them. And, there are plenty of other whole grain pasta options:
Common Whole Grain Pasta Varieties
- Quinoa pasta
- Brown rice pasta
- Amaranth pasta
- Spelt pasta
- Corn pasta
- Kamut pasta
- Buckwheat (soba noodles)
Bean and/or Lentil Pastas
You can also find pastas (often with colorful noodles) that are made from nutritious beans and/or lentils! These are great gluten free and grain free pasta options, and they’re also healthier alternatives to traditional pasta noodles.
But, because they’re unrefined, their texture can be a bit more dense and chewy than typical pasta. So, just know that chewiness is a sign you’re getting plenty of nutritious protein and fiber from the beans and lentils! Load up your bean or lentil noodles with cheesy pizza-y goodness in your one pot pasta and you’ll never notice the difference.
Ultimately, choose the pasta that’s right for you and your household! But, do be wary of ‘vegetable’ pastas. Most are simply colored green or red with a pinch of vegetable powder, but they’re still made with the same refined grains as traditional pasta!
Get informed, read nutrition labels, and you can whip up a one pot pizza pasta that’s as wholesome as it is delicious. An easy one pot dinner recipe that you’ll want to make again and again!
One Pot Pizza Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tsp oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 1 can, 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1 can, 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 lb ditalini pasta, or pasta of choice
- ¾ tsp salt
- pepper, to taste
- 2 ½ cups water
- ⅔ cup mini turkey pepperoni
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella
- 3 Tbsp parmesan
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in a bit of oil.
- Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, oregano, basil, garlic powder, parsley, pasta, salt, pepper, and water.
- Bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and sit uncovered until the pasta is cooked through and liquid has reduced (10-12 minutes).
- Add in mini pepperoni, mozzarella and parmesan, stirring to combine. With heat on low, top with some additional mozzarella and pepperoni, cover and allow the cheese to melt (1-2 minutes).
- Serve and garnish with fresh parsley.
4 Comments on “One Pot Pizza Pasta | Easy One Pot Dinner Recipe”
Very tasty and super easy, got my kids approval so it’s got mine too. Thanks for the recipe
Matt, thanks for trying out our one pot pizza pasta recipe! Hard to beat a one pot dinner 🙂 we’re honored it won your kids’ approval!
Made this for dinner tonight. Very tasty. You’ve turned me on to avocado oil so, that’s what I used to sauté the onion and garlic. I had regular pepperoni on hand so that is what I used, but will try making this using the turkey pepperoni as specified in the recipe.
That sounds so delicious! So glad that you’ve incorporated avocado oil into your lifestyle, and I bet this recipe was just as tasty (maybe tastier?) with regular pepperoni 🙂 thanks so much for giving it a try!