Nothing turns dinner into a chore like a sink full of pots. Even for supposedly simple pasta, most recipes have you boil the noodles in one pan and make the sauce in another.
One way you can simplify the process is by starting the sauce, then adding the dry pasta and finishing them together. Besides the obvious advantage of reducing the pan count (you won't even need a strainer), this method packs the noodles with flavor. Our first two one-pan recipes start with a broth-and-wine cooking liquid seasoned with lemon, then each takes on a distinct personality from a variety of simple additions — herbs, vegetables, seafood, chicken, or cheese. You have ultimate control over the sauciness (so to speak) of the final results; you can add more broth after the pasta is cooked. If you create a soupy supper, don't forget crusty bread for soaking up the juices.
The final three recipes produce one-pan wonders by applying Chinese stir-frying techniques to Asian or Italian noodles. Asian ingredients in these recipes are available in the international section of well-stocked supermarkets.
MORE: Browse dozens more Sunset pasta recipes
