Meghan Markle’s one-pot pasta is a straightforward and flavorful dish featured in her new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. The recipe has sparked mixed reactions among viewers, some of whom appreciate its simplicity and the convenience of one-pot cooking. This style of preparation aligns with Markle’s emphasis on joyful and accessible “no fuss” homemaking. However, others have criticized her method for one specific reason: the technique of adding dry pasta directly to boiling water in a skillet. Now, you may be wondering what’s the big deal, but some taste-testers have suggested it results in a less-than-ideal texture. Some viewers have labeled the dish as “basic” and unappealing. With one X (formerly Twitter) commenter even making headlines for remarking, “That’s not food – that’s punishment.”

Additionally, some comparisons have been made to Anna Jones’s kale, tomato and lemon magic one-pot spaghetti. This recipe was in her 2015 cookbook, “A Modern Way to Cook.” Some culinary connoisseurs have been noting similarities between the two recipes. Despite the very mixed reviews online, there is no doubt that Meghan’s family enjoys her version of this meal at home. These differing opinions highlight the subjective nature of culinary preferences and the challenges of presenting universally appealing recipes. One positive about this easy-to-make dish is that it’s customizable, with social media users proudly showing off their versions after watching. If you haven’t already tried it out, see for yourself what you think of this one-pot pasta (which Markle described to her first guest, Daniel Martin: “It’s like that Beyonce song… Cozy.”).

Meghan Markle’s One-Pot Pasta Recipe

On-screen, the mother of two prepares a “skillet spaghetti” by combining dry spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, garlic, kale, arugula and Parmesan cheese in a single pot. Viewers watch her dowse halved cherry tomatoes and garlic in olive oil, then add dry spaghetti and boiling water to cook the pasta directly in the skillet. Leafy greens like kale and arugula are incorporated later, and the dish is finished with grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes. Although she has not officially released her recipe in print, we’ve gathered the basics of what home cooks will need to try it out. We’ve based this on famous pasta chef Danny Freeman’s (aka Dannylovespasta) writeup of her recipe from the show.

Ingredients:

• Salt 
• Olive oil 
• Cherry tomatoes 
• Garlic 
• Spaghetti pasta 
• Swiss Chard or Lacinato Kale
• Arugula 
• Parmesan cheese 

Instructions:

1. Bring 3 1/2 cups water to a boil in a tea kettle. Meanwhile, slice 2 cups cherry tomatoes in half. Add them to a skillet along with 3 cloves minced garlic. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
2. Add 1 pound spaghetti to the skillet, then cover with the zest of 1 lemon. Chop the stems of 2 to 3 pieces of Swiss Chard or Lacinato Kale and add them to the skillet.
3. Add the boiling water to the skillet, cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes. Remove the cover, then the leaves of your chard or kale, loosely chopped. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
4. Remove from the heat and add in a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup arugula and 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan. Toss together and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s wrong with the Meghan Markle one-pot pasta?

What’s nontraditional about Meghan Markle’s one-pot pasta is her method of cooking dry spaghetti directly in a skillet with water, tomatoes and greens, rather than boiling the pasta separately. This one-pot technique eliminates some of the mess, but has sparked debate over the texture of the pasta. Some online critics (and enraged Italians) prefer the classic approach of cooking pasta separately for a firmer bite. It’s a quicker, simpler take, but not everyone agrees with the unconventional method.

Is Meghan Markle’s one-pot pasta good?

The short answer to this question is yes, the Duchess of Sussex’s recipe is good. But that answer can obviously change, depending who you ask. Some people love its simplicity and convenience, appreciating the minimal cleanup and the fresh flavors from ingredients like kale, tomatoes and garlic. However, others criticize the texture of the pasta, feeling it doesn’t achieve the ideal al dente consistency, and some find the dish too basic. Ultimately, whether it’s “good” depends on personal taste and your cooking preferences.