Okay, I’m just going to come out and say this: one pot pasta is the ultimate camping meal. Really, what is better after a long hike than a big bowl of carbs? This dish is filling, fast, is super easy to clean up, and has an infinite number of variations, so you’ll never grow tired of it (I’ll share more versions in the future). And, if you swap out the fresh basil with dried basil, all of the ingredients are “pantry items”, so this is a great meal to throw together in a pinch if you don’t have anything else planned.
This recipe is a classic take on pasta – a light tomato sauce with Italian seasoning, garlic, and basil, plus parmesan cheese if you have it on hand. My favorite seasoning for this is Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute because it has a huge variety of spices in it and has a great flavor profile, but I imagine any Italian seasoning mix will work well. In terms of the pasta itself, I like to use medium sized pasta shapes, as opposed to spaghetti or linguini, because they hold the sauce better, but you can use whatever strikes your fancy.
One Pot Pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can tomatoes
- 1 (14.5 oz) can broth
- handful fresh basil, torn (or 1/4 tsp dried)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 pound pasta
- salt to taste
- handful of parmesan cheese
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Heat the olive oil in your pot and then add the onions. Saute until translucent, then add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
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Dump in the tomatoes and their juices, the broth, basil, Italian seasoning, and the pasta. Give it a big stir to combine everything. The liquid may not completely cover the pasta yet – that is OK, just stir it fairly often so it cooks evenly; if you add too much liquid your sauce will not thicken up enough by the time the pasta is done.
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Cover your pot until the liquid comes to a boil (this quickens the process and saves you fuel). Once it’s boiling, remove the cover and cook until the pasta is al dente. The cooking time on the pasta packaging will be a good indicator, but use your judgment as all camp cooking setups are a bit different.
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Once your pasta is cooked through, serve, topped with cheese and fresh basil if you’ve got it!
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Coleman Classic Propane Stove
Enamelware pot
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Wooden spoon
Can opener
Measuring spoons
Dishes & utensils for serving
Adapted from Martha Stewart
If you make this meal next time you’re camping, let us know! Leave us a comment below or follow us on Instagram @freshoffthegrid and tag your camp cooking photos #sporkandknife so we can check them out!
