Welcome to Recipe Off-Roading, where the recipe isn’t in charge—you are. In this series of articles, we’re celebrating how cooks take liberties in the kitchen, whether that’s substituting an ingredient, adapting a technique, or doubling the salt (because you’re wild like that). So buckle up and let’s go for a ride.
Martha Stewart’s One-Pan Pasta was declared Genius in 2014 for its no-nonsense attitude. “This genius pasta makes its own sauce, all in one pan, in 9 minutes,” writes Kristen Miglore. She then shares seven variations—like bolognese, and cacio e pepe, and alle vongole.
But the real magic of Martha’s One-Pan Pasta is: There’s no limit to the number of variations you can make.
Which is why I picked it for our series, Recipe Off-Roading, where I challenge home cooks to make some of the most popular recipes on our site—but change at least one thing. (Psst: Here’s what they did to Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce and Maialino’s Olive Oil Cake.)
As our community reported back, just about every component of this recipe can be futzed with. Here are some of the most eyebrow-raising ways Food52ers made it their own.
Martha Stewart's One-Pan Pasta
View Recipe| 12 | ounces linguine |
| 12 | ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large |
| 1 | onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups) |
| 4 | cloves of garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1/2 | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
| 2 | sprigs basil, plus torn leaves for garnish |
| 2 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving |
| Coarse salt | |
| Freshly ground black pepper | |
| 4 1/2 | cups water |
| Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving |
| 12 | ounces linguine |
| 12 | ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large |
| 1 | onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups) |
| 4 | cloves of garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1/2 | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
| 2 | sprigs basil, plus torn leaves for garnish |
| 2 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving |
| Coarse salt | |
| Freshly ground black pepper | |
| 4 1/2 | cups water |
| Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving |
Change the pasta.
The original: 12 ounces linguine.
The findings: Changing the pasta was one of the most popular ways to refresh Martha’s recipe. Many of you swapped in another long shape, like angel hair, bucatini, fettuccine, or even ramen. Others took their chances and tried shorter shapes, like fusilli, penne, orecchiette, farfalle, and teeny-tiny orzo. Several rebels ditched the concept of white pasta altogether and swapped in more flavorful alternatives: whole-wheat linguini, whole-wheat spaghetti, and soba, to name a few. Ellen stood out from the crowd with her toasted linguine. And if you’re wondering about gluten-free options? You got it: Try chickpea linguine or zoodles.
Change the water.
The original: 4 1/2 cups water.
The findings: While water works just fine, many Off-Roaders opted to use a more flavorful liquid. Broth was the most popular, whether that’s chicken, vegetable, or Better Than Bouillon’s mushroom base. Several people got a little winey, with both white, and red. And others got creamy, with everything from literal cream to coconut milk to low-fat milk.
Change the tomatoes.
The original: 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large.
The findings: Can’t find A+ fresh tomatoes? Use sun-dried or canned instead. Our testers tried out just about every option under the sun: diced, crushed, whole-peeled, and, for a smoky flavor, fire-roasted. Want an even more intense tomato flavor? Add tomato paste along with the fresh tomatoes. Have tomato fever? Double the quantity—half cooked, half fresh. Don’t like tomatoes? Swap in just about any vegetable you want. Think broccoli rabe, or asparagus and peas.
Change the onion.
The original: 1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups).
The findings: Onion’s little cousin, shallot, makes a very good substitute. If you want a sweeter flavor, you can also cook the onions before they go into the one-pot pasta mixture.
Change the cheese.
The original: Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving.
The findings: Parm needs no improvement according to many of you. But there were some people who tried an upgrade. Pecorino was a natural pick. Less obvious but equally good: mini mozzarella balls. And on the extra creamy side of the spectrum, Molly stirred ricotta into the pasta, then topped with finished dish with grated Manchego (whoa!), while Aurora stirred in a hunk of Brie.
Change the basil.
The original: 2 sprigs, plus torn leaves for garnish.
The findings: Why should basil get to have all the fun? Let’s invite oregano, parsley, and cilantro to the party. Also worth trying: dried herbs, like mint or oregano and thyme.
Change the spices.
The original: ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
The findings: ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes and a pinch of black pepper was too mild for many of you. Here’s how you chose to step up the spice: Quadruple (yes, quadruple) the amount of red pepper flakes. Add a spoonful of harissa or curry paste. Sprinkle some garam masala. Or temper spices in oil; Keya opted for cumin, black mustard, curry leaves, and asafetida.
Change the aromatics.
The original: 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced.
The findings: All sorts of bonuses besides garlic made their way into the off-roaded pastas. Several people got fishy—say, with anchovy paste or fish sauce. And I loved the idea of incorporating salty capers and olives.
Add a protein.
The original: None!
The findings: To turn Martha’s recipe into a heartier meal, lots of testers added a protein. Shrimp was especially popular, as was sausage (either pork or chicken). And who doesn’t love pancetta or bacon?
A New Way to Dinner, co-authored by Food52's founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, is an indispensable playbook for stress-free meal-planning (hint: cook foundational dishes on the weekend and mix and match ‘em through the week).
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Written by: Emma Laperruque
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