The Science Behind Meghan Markle's One-Pot Pasta And Its Creamy Sauce

Meghan Markle, aka the Duchess of Sussex, has gone viral for many things in recent years, but it's her single-skillet spaghetti featured on an episode of her Netflix show "With Love Meghan" that has gotten the attention of devoted foodies. A one-pot pasta dish isn't necessarily new, but anything a royal makes in the kitchen is worth noting, especially when said royal has a Netflix show that focuses on cooking. To be clear, the science behind cooking pasta and making a sauce in a single pot explains why it works effortlessly.

When you boil any type of pasta in roaring water, the pasta absorbs as much water as possible. But at a certain point, the pasta has reached its limits, and starch starts to transfer from the noodles to the water. That starchy water can then be used to thicken sauces in a similar way that a slurry or gelatin accomplishes. It's why many pasta recipes recommend reserving a cup or so of the pasta water to thicken any type of sauce, whether it's homemade or out of a jar. That thick, starchy water is what becomes the base of sauces in one-pot pasta dishes like Markle's.

To make a one-pot pasta dish like Markle's single-skillet spaghetti, you'll add Parmesan (and some other ingredients) to the dish, whose fatty components will help thicken the sauce further. Even Martha Stewart makes a famous one-pot pasta dish with a similar technique, so it's worth a shot.

As you might already know, thanks to viral social media posts recreating Meghan Markle's one-pot pasta, it's not incredibly hard to pull off. You'll bring the water to a rapid boil like any other pasta dish, but this is where things get interesting. At this point, Markle adds the other core ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, and salt to the water along with the spaghetti (or other pasta if you want to try something different). Markle also adds lemon zest to the pot to get a citrus essence in the dish, which is ideal in the warmer months. To make that sauce, add seasonings and that Parmesan cheese, then let it reduce until it thickens into a flavorful sauce.

This viral one-pot pasta dish is worth a try, but we have some recipe recommendations if the ingredients don't sound appetizing. Our one-pan orecchiette with sausage recipe combines the pasta water with heavy cream and chicken stock to make an easy sauce without the mess. Another option is this one-pot rasta pasta recipe that transforms the pasta water into sauce with heavy cream and cheese. And if you want to cook it just like the Duchess of Sussex, you can find the recipe in the first episode of season one of "With Love Meghan" on Netflix.