LifestyleFood & DrinkRecipesCooking pasta in a saucepan can be time-consuming, but there's a simple method that can be much quicker and makes for a delicious dinner – with less washing up too09:41, 25 May 2026Pasta is one of those dishes that never gets boring. From a fiery tomato-based ragu to a luxurious creamy white wine sauce, the possibilities are endless, with countless ways to enjoy it.‌It's an ideal choice for those hectic weeknight evenings when you haven't got much time to prepare dinner.‌Pasta generally doesn't take a long time to cook, but if you're heating the water in a pot first, it can be slightly more lengthy. So experts have recommended abandoning this approach in favour of a speedier alternative.‌According to the culinary experts at Allrecipes, it's worth grabbing another popular piece of kitchen kit when it comes to preparing pasta quickly - the frying pan.While it might seem like an unusual tactic, you can prepare pasta and even create a sauce simultaneously all in a single pan, so there's no need for additional washing-up.And you'll have an entire restaurant-quality dish on the table in no time.‌There are so many one-pan pasta recipes available, but if you're after something simple, then the 'easiest tomato pasta ever' created by Taming Twins is an excellent starting point. Here's how you can prepare it.One pan pastaIngredients‌350g spaghetti400g tinned tomatoesOne large onion, slicedFour cloves garlic, peeled and slicedTwo tbsp olive oilFour tbsp pestoThree tbsp tomato pureeOne litre vegetable stockOne tsp salt1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper200g cherry tomatoes75g grated parmesanMethodTake a frying pan with a lid and add the spaghetti, tinned tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, pesto, salt and pepper, and stock.Article continues belowPlace the lid on and cook over a medium heat for roughly 10 minutes, until the pasta is nearly done.Add the cherry tomatoes and continue cooking for a further three to four minutes until the pasta becomes completely tender and the cherry tomatoes are properly cooked.Split between bowls, sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and serve.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌olive oilFoodTwinsRecipes