One-Pot Pizza Pasta Express (Printable Version)

Fast, flavorful one-pot pasta with marinara, mozzarella, olives, and peppers, ready in 15 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)

→ Sauce

02 - 24 oz jar marinara sauce
03 - 1/2 cup water

→ Cheese

04 - 2 cups pre-shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1/2 cup pre-shredded Parmesan cheese

→ Toppings

06 - 1/2 cup sliced black olives
07 - 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni (optional)
08 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 1/2 bell pepper, diced
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
12 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Place pasta, marinara sauce, and water in a large, deep skillet or pot. Stir well to combine.
02 - Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is nearly tender.
03 - Stir in black olives, pepperoni if using, red onion, and bell pepper. Cook uncovered for 2 minutes until vegetables soften slightly and pasta reaches al dente texture.
04 - Evenly sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the top. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
05 - Season with dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately while hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's genuinely ready in fifteen minutes, not some wishful thinking on the recipe card.
  • One pot means less cleanup, which might be the best part of dinner.
  • Your family gets pizza flavors without the "can we order pizza?" negotiation.
02 -
  • Stir the pasta occasionally while it cooks in the sauce, or a few pieces will stick to the pot bottom and scorch—I learned this the first time and it changed everything.
  • Don't skip the 2-minute uncovered cook after adding vegetables; it lets some liquid evaporate so you don't end up with a soupy result.
03 -
  • Taste the pasta before you add the cheese so you know it's actually al dente—there's nothing worse than mushy pasta pretending to be pizza.
  • If your kitchen runs cold, cover the pot for those final 2 minutes of cheese melting, and if it runs hot, keep checking so the cheese doesn't brown too much.
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