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 memories are pasta parties with my cross country team where 30 runners would gather in one house and eat boatloads of pasta before meets. It was always a night filled with excitement and nerves for the next day’s competition.
My grandmother made the absolute best Italian spaghetti sauce in the world, which we all laughed about because she was 100% Polish! She has been gone for 15 years, but I still make that recipe all the time because it is SO good and it makes me think of her. I love that my fiance loves it too – he never got to meet either of my grandparents so it makes me happy that he has gotten to know them through food :)
I remember learning to make a simple tomato sauce at school in home ec and then coming home excited about it and having my mom help make it that same night.
I made a great mac and cheese with my boyfriend. One of the best meals I’ve had.
My favorite pasta memory comes from when I first started cooking five years ago. Until then, I had been a bachelorette – eating frozen burritos for dinner most nights. When I started dating my now-husband, I became more ambitious and interested in food. One winter night I got the nerve to make linguine with clams )one of our favorite dishes) all on my own. It turned out great and we had a lovely dinner. I couldn’t believe I’d made such a delicious pasta dish myself. I’ve loved cooking ever since!
hands down, best memory of pasta is spending time over the stove with my grandmother on Sunday’s, waiting for the water to boil. She only ever called it macaroni, and only ever referred to “sauce” as “gravy.” She would remind me always, “watching pots never boil!” sadly she passed away last year, this memory will forever hold a special place in my heart <3
That time when my mom improvised and made dan dan noodles with spaghetti – that woman can seriously make anything delicious.
my favorite memory of pasta would hands down be spending time over the stove on sundays with my Grandma Stella. She would only refer to pasta as macaroni, and sauce as gravy. She’d remind us all- “watching pots never boil!.” Spending time in the kitchen with her is some of the most precious memories I have of her, as she sadly passed away last year. I will forever remember, to not watch the pot, or it won’t ever boil!
xox
My favorite pasta memory is that we called them “noodles” growing up, because “pasta” was too fancy-pants.
My wife and I have always tried to dabble in making fresh pasta, and I feel like we’re finally getting to a point where it becomes almost second nature. On the other hand, we were met with many disastrous results when we were dating and making fresh pasta, enough to where we wanted to catalogue them by way of our engagement pictures so that they are forever recorded for us!