You Can Thank This Blogger For a 1-Pot Pasta Recipe That Actually Works

By Anna Monette Roberts

Updated on 2/8/2020 at 1:05 PM

POPSUGAR Photography | Anna Monette Roberts
POPSUGAR Photography | Anna Monette Roberts

Food blogger Chungah Rhee of Damn Delicious released her first cookbook, Damn Delicious: 100 Super Easy, Super Fast Recipes ($25), and this one-pot garlic parmesan pasta had to be the first thing I made from it. Why? Well, after my epic failure with cooking pasta in tomato sauce and my colleague's disastrous attempt to re-create Martha Stewart's famous one-pot spaghetti, I have been damn near convinced that one-pot pastas don't turn out.

So I thought, if anyone knows the art of perfecting the challenge of one-pot pasta, it would be Chungah, and she doesn't disappoint! This recipe comes together effortlessly in under 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights when you can't be bothered to fuss over the stove. Most importantly, it doesn't taste like starchy glue. Instead, the pasta cooks to an enjoyable al dente, and you'll want a piece of crusty bread to mop up every last drop of that velvety alfredo sauce, made super savory thanks to the addition of chicken broth. I plan on sharing this recipe with every friend I know and cooking it up again and again because it's just too good not to.

POPSUGAR Photography | Anna Monette Roberts

A few notes: I did end up adding more liquid to the pot, as she recommends. I also used half-and-half because it's what I had! I personally recommend just using whatever milk or cream you have on hand. If you want to make it vegetarian, sub out the chicken broth for vegetable broth. And if you want more protein, serve it with some diced-up baked chicken.

1-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Cook Time27 minutes
Yield2 servings

From Damn Delicious: 100 Super Easy, Super Fast Recipes by Chungah Rhee

INGREDIENTS

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
    • 1 cup whole milk, or more as needed
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 8 ounces dried fettuccine
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish (optional)

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

    2. Stir in the chicken broth, milk, butter, and uncooked fettuccine; season with salt and pepper to taste.

    3. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes. Stir in the cheese. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.

    4. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

    Notes

    This alfredo sauce is made without heavy cream or cream cheese, yet it is still completely, irresistibly creamy and loaded with tons of flavor. The one-pot cooking allows the noodles to soak up all of that garlic and parmesan glory and keeps dishwashing to a minimum. Need I say more? Replacing the whipping cream with milk lightens this recipe substantially. Whole milk has 80 percent fewer calories than whipping cream.