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One Pot Patriotic Red White Blue Pasta

One pot patriotic red white blue pasta with rigatoni or penne cooked al dente in a quick tomato-broth base, then swirled with creamy ricotta and balsamic blueberries. You get marbled white dollops, blistered cherry tomatoes, and sweet-tangy blueberries—all with minimal cleanup.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta & Base
  • 12 oz short pasta rigatoni or penne
  • 3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1.5 cup water
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 black pepper to taste
Red Layer
  • 1.5 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp red chili flakes
White Layer
  • 0.75 cup whole-milk ricotta
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
Blue Layer
  • 0.5 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 tbsp balsamic glaze
  • 1 tsp honey
Garnish
  • 1 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 extra Parmesan
  • 1 flaky sea salt
  • 1 additional balsamic drizzle

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the pasta base
  1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large deep pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 4 garlic cloves (minced) and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
  2. Add 1½ cups cherry tomatoes and 2 tbsp tomato paste. Stir and cook for 3–4 minutes until the tomatoes begin to blister and release their juices.
  3. Season with 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp red chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat the tomatoes.
  4. Pour in 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth and 1½ cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  5. Add 12 oz short pasta (rigatoni or penne) and stir to combine. Make sure the pasta is submerged as much as possible.
  6. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed into a saucy coating. If too thick, add a splash of water; if too loose, cook 1–2 minutes more.
Make the white and blue toppings
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together ¾ cup whole-milk ricotta, ¼ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, and 1 tsp lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Season lightly with salt.
  2. In a separate small bowl, toss ½ cup fresh blueberries with 1 tbsp balsamic glaze and 1 tsp honey. Set aside.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the pot from heat. Spoon the ricotta mixture in generous white dollops across the surface of the pasta—do not fully stir in, leave it marbled.
  2. Scatter the balsamic blueberries across the top. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, extra Parmesan, and a final drizzle of balsamic.
  3. Serve immediately directly from the pot. Add flaky sea salt to taste if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the pasta uncovered and stir only occasionally so you get an al dente bite with a saucy coating instead of watery pasta. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth. Freezing isn’t recommended because the ricotta may separate. For a lighter option, use part-skim ricotta and half-and-half instead of whole-milk ricotta and heavy cream.