One pot pastas have been an obsession of mine ever since I saw them pop up on the internet. I’m pretty sure the first one I ever came across was Martha’s, but I never actually got around to making it. Years went by and I finally, finally got around to giving one pot pasta a try and oh my gosh, I can honestly say I do not know why I went all those years without making it.
To be honest, I was a little skeptical of one-pot pastas. I didn’t really understand how everything could come together. I’ve always, always cooked pasta separately – even when I’m making a noodle soup, I’ll cook the noodles on the side and then add them into the broth. So it was with a bit of hesitation that I made this. I went with some super spring-time flavours because the past week has just been absolutely gorgeous. Of course today is incredibly gloomy again – spring isn’t here just yet.
While I’m waiting for those bright and fresh spring days, I’ll be filling up on one-pot meals. This came together quickly and I was really pleased with the silkiness of the sauce. Lots of pasta recipes actually call for a bit of pasta water to bind – the starch that is released when pasta is cooked is similar to the starch released when you make a risotto, so the theory behind one pot pasta is sound. The result: a silky, slightly sticky thick sauce flavoured with garlic, red pepper flakes, much like the classic aglio e olio. I didn’t use any cheese in this recipe and I found that I didn’t miss it at all. Don’t forget the squeeze of lemon at the end – it adds just the right amount of brightness and acid to go with the scallops.
I hope you guys give this recipe a try! And to encourage you even more, I’m hosting a giveaway of the braiser I used to make it! See below for details.
One-Pot Lemon Scallop Pea Spaghetti Recipe inspired by The Faux Martha
serves 3-4
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes
total time: 25 minutes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lb small scallops
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 pound spaghetti
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 1/4 cup juice)
- 3/4 cup peas, defrosted
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
- red pepper flakes, to serve
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Pat the scallops dry and season all sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat up a small amount of olive oil over medium high heat and cook the scallops until golden brown on both sides, 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is slightly golden, but not brown, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and uncooked pasta. Bring to a boil and then turn down to low. Cover and cook for 8 minutes.
Remove the cover and simmer to reduce the sauce, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallops, defrosted peas, lemon juice, lemon zest, and flat leaf parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and enjoy hot!
Giveaway: I’ve paired up with Le Creuset to give away one gorgeous braiser in the winner’s color of choice! I am seriously in love with mine – it’s perfect for making one-pot pastas!
Enter: To enter, leave a comment below with your favorite pasta memory. I want to hear ALL the details! I’ll randomly choose a winner and notify them through email. Open to US residents only. (Sorry international friends!) Also, if you’re feeling so inclined, please vote for me on the Munchies. It won’t get you an extra entry, but it will be bonus karma! Contest ends March 4th at 12pm PST. Good luck!
Update: Congrats Ace! Get ready for the one pot pastas because a braiser is heading your way! Keep your eyes peel for an email from me!
My favorite pasta memory is having a bowl of my dad’s famous (within the family) angel hair pasta with seafood. I don’t really like angel hair pasta because it is too thin for my liking – with the exception of my dad’s dish. He would toss it in a light, home-made tomato sauce, with fresh shrimp and crab meat with lots of basil and some fresh chili peppers for a little kick. He would make a huge pot of this and my siblings and I would devour the entire thing. So yummy!
My favorite pasta memory was cooking with my friend at my condo during undergrad. I wasn’t sure if the spaghetti was done yet, so my friend literally just picked one noodle out of the hot water and threw it against the wall to see if it stuck! It totally did. And then, sure enough, there were 5 more noodles sticking against the wall because we are six year olds at heart.
I grew up in Asia, so my only notion of pasta as a child was kraft mac & cheese, which my aunt who lived in the U.S would bring us during her visits. My mom’s version had no butter and was slightly watery. It might sound gross to some but that’s still the way I make mine now. It was a rare treat and I loved it. So it was fitting that one of the first meals I made for my husband after we got married was mac & cheese, straight out of a kraft box. I had been saving the box for a special occasion, believe it or not. I also had the impression that these things kept forever, so I was a bit shocked to find out, right after I had strained the pasta, the box I was using had expired more than 3 years ago. Of course I proceeded to serve it to both of us. Aside from a slight cardboard box taste it was fine. We are both still alive. I’ve since expanded my pasta repertoire and can’t wait to try this recipe!
My favorite memories of pasta are from when I studied abroad in Rome for a semester during college. We had a cafeteria on our campus, which we called “la mensa.” The cooks who ran the kitchen were a sweet old Italian mom & dad named Nino and Nuncia. They were the sweetest, most wonderful people who loved to dote on the students by nicknaming us (mine was “pesche” or peach because of my round face) and spoiling us with amazing food. They cooked pasta for us twice a day for lunch and dinner, and I ate it for four months. My face was even more a “pesche” when I left. Nino and Nuncia gradually caught on to how much I loved their food and invited me in their kitchen to watch them cook…. which ended up in a crash course in how to make all sorts of sauces. The only problem was is that I spoke limited Italian, and they spoke limited English. But somehow, we both understood each other, and I’ll never forget standing over the steaming pots while they showed me how to properly make carbonara.
One rainy Sunday I made a creamy one pot garlic and olive oil pasta dish for me and my family. It was so cozy and comforting to enjoy the hot and creamy dish on the couch together.
The day I discovered simple pasta sauce using san marzano tomatoes, a little olive oil and garlic. The memory of awful dorm food pasta has been forever erased, LOL.
Awesome giveaway! My favorite pasta memory has to be when I discovered that I could actually make baked macaroni and cheese from scratch! Of course I researched tirelessly for the best recipe and came across an oldie but goodie fannie farmer recipe. I made this incredible cheese sauce and have never looked back! Since that day I was crowed the queen of backed mac and cheese from my family and I’ve been trying to reinvent the recipe ever since as it is now a staple item on the menu during all our holiday dinners!
The first time my baby girl had spaghetti and meat sauce (homemade of course) is my absolute favorite pasta-related memory. We let her eat in her diaper and at the end of the meal, she was wearing an entire spaghetti sauce’d outfit. I wish I could enjoy spaghetti that way…oh the tragedies of being an adult!
My favorite pasta memory is making spaghetti mozzarella stuffed meatballs for a large group of friends.
I come from a New-Jersian Italian mother (and a slovakian father!). Growing up every single Sunday was “Gravy day” and then we’d have it again on Wednesday. Of course I LOVE pasta, but when I was little… I didn’t always want it! So my mom made gnocchi pretty often, and we called them “sinkers” because they feel like they sink to the bottom of your stomach. Well one Sunday, mama made sinkers and I just wasn’t having it. So when they weren’t paying attention, I started flinging them up to the ceiling. I only got a few out of my bowl, when they caught on (how wise they are.) But when my mom saw what was happening, she asked me what on earth I was doing. And I said “look! Sinkers on the ceiling!” She laughed, and my dad poured me another helping. Thankfully now I will HAPPILY scarf all the gnocchi and then some.