Instant Pot Pasta is an easy one-pot family favorite recipe that comes together in minutes! The pasta cooks up perfectly in a creamy, cheesy, tomato sauce, absorbing all the delicious flavors of the sauce as it cooks, making it one of the most flavorful, yet simple meals.
I have been asked by so many of you how to perfectly cook pasta in the Instant Pot Pasta and I gladly accepted the challenge.
After countless experiments, with endless varieties of pasta, with and without sauce, I am happy to report that I have perfected Instant Pot Pasta.
And this recipe for Instant Pot Creamy Italian Pasta knocks it out of the park in terms of flavor and ease!
It is creamy, it is cheesy, it is full of flavor. But most importantly, the pasta is cooked perfectly AND absorbs the sauce as it cooks, giving the pasta itself incredible flavor.
The flavors of this Instant Pot Pasta recipe are reminiscent of baked ziti, yet this recipe is easy enough for busy weeknights.
Notes on Ingredients
- Pasta: I recommend using pasta that has ridges and can capture and hold the sauce, such as rigatoni, rotini, or ziti noodles.
- Broth: I highly recommend using either chicken broth/stock or vegetable broth instead of water for this recipe. The noodles absorb the liquid as they cook, so by using stock, you are imparting more flavor to the pasta.
- Red Wine: Adding a dry red wine, like Cabernet, Pinot Noir, or Merlot, for rich depth of flavor. If you do not drink alcohol, you can use additional broth in place of the wine.
- Marinara/Spaghetti Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought or homemade spaghetti sauce for this recipe. Using a marinara or spaghetti sauce imparts a lot more flavor to the dish as it pressure cooks.
- Diced Tomatoes: The diced tomatoes add needed liquid and a nice texture to the pasta. Use petite or regular canned diced tomatoes.
- Seasonings: To really amp up the flavor in the pasta, I add minced garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Feel free to omit the crushed red pepper flakes to control the level of heat.
- Ricotta: Use whole milk or skim ricotta cheese, for a creamy rich Instant Pot Pasta.
- Cheese: After pressure cooking, I love to finish the Instant Pot Pasta with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Freshly grated Parmesan will add better flavor than using a canister or pre-shredded parmesan.
How to Make Instant Pot Creamy Italian Pasta
As I stated earlier, this recipe is a super easy, dump-and-go recipe. But the way we layer the ingredients is key to the pasta cooking perfectly and avoiding a burn notice.
- Pour the broth and wine, if using, into the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Add in the minced garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Add in the pasta of your choice and gently spread out the pasta so that it is evenly dispersed in the inner pot.
- Add the diced tomatoes on top of the pasta.
- Top with the spaghetti sauce and then spread to cover evenly over the pasta.
- To make the pasta creamy and rich, like lasagna, dollop the ricotta cheese over the tomato sauce. Do not stir!
- Place the lid on the inner pot and be sure the vent knob is sealed.
- Set the cooking time for HALF the suggested cooking time on the box of pasta you used. See the chart below for the exact cooking times.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release for 5 minutes. Then do a quick release of any remaining pressure.
- Open up the Instant Pot and do not be alarmed by the look of the contents of your inner pot--it won't look pretty, but you will see it will come together with a good stir!
- Give the pasta a stir to evenly combine the ricotta into the cooked pasta.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the pasta and place the lid on the Instant Pot for 2-3 minutes, just to melt the cheese if desired.
- Serve immediately with additional cheese if desired and garlic toast, if you are so inclined.
Instant Pot Pasta Cooking Times
The magic ratio for cooking pasta is half the cook time on the box, followed by letting the pressure release for 5 minutes. This will cook your pasta, regardless of the type of pasta you select to use, perfectly.
- Rotini/Penne/Cavatappi: 4 minutes on high pressure, 5 minutes natural release, then quick release
- Rigatoni/Ziti: 5 minutes on high pressure, 5 minutes natural release, then quick release
- Elbow Noodles: 3 minutes on high pressure, 5 minutes natural release, then quick release.
Tips for Perfectly Cooked Instant Pot Pasta
- Layer the ingredients as the recipe card directs. This is critical to ensure the pasta cooks perfectly without causing a burn notice.
- Set the cooking time for HALF the shortest time suggested on the box of pasta for boiling the pasta.
- Let the pressure release for exactly 5 minutes.
- This is one time not to let your Instant Pot sit on keep warm after you release pressure, as the pasta can become soggy and dry out quickly.
Recipe Modifications
- Dairy-Free Instant Pot Pasta: Omit the ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese from this recipe. It will still be delicious!
- Using Gluten-Free Pasta: I have ONLY had success using the Barilla brand of gluten-free pasta in the Instant Pot. It seems to be the only one that doesn't give off excess starch.
- Adding Meat: Feel free to saute ground beef or Italian sausage using the saute function before proceeding with the recipe. Just be sure to really scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot to ensure you don't cause a burn notice to occur.
Storage
If you happen to have leftover pasta, store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can freeze the pasta in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To reheat, allow the pasta to defrost in the refrigerator overnight if needed. Place in a heat-safe bowl with a tablespoon or two of water or stock, cover with a moistened paper towel, and heat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each interval until warmed through.
More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
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If you tried this Creamy Italian Instant Pot Pasta, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Instant Pot Pasta
Pasta cooks up perfectly in a creamy, cheesy, tomato sauce, absorbing all the delicious flavors of the sauce as it cooks.
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Servings: 8
Calories: 322kcal
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup dry red wine or addtional stock
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 16 ounces dried pasta ziti, rotini, corkscrew, rigatoni, etc
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 28 ounces spaghetti sauce see notes for using homemade sauce
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Pour the broth into the inner pot. Stir in the wine, garlic, oregano, pepper, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using.
- Pour the pasta into the inner pot and then top the dry pasta with the diced tomatoes and spaghetti sauce, spreading to evenly cover the pasta. Dollop with ricotta cheese, if using.
- Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes for rotini and corkscrew noodles and 5 minutes for ziti or rigatoni noodles. Alternatively, set the cooking time for HALF the lowest suggested cook time on the box of pasta.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release for exactly 5 minutes, then do a quick release of the remaining pressure. To do a quick release, stand away from the vent knob, and use a long utensil to knock the venting knob from the sealed to the venting position.
- Give the noodles a gentle stir into the sauce to combine. Top with the parmesan and mozzarella, and place the lid back on the inner pot for 2-5 minutes, to melt the cheese.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Feel free to omit the Parmesan, Ricotta, and Mozzarella for a dairy-free recipe.
Instant Pot Pasta Cooking Times: The magic ratio for cooking pasta is typically half the cook time on the box and then letting pressure release for 5 minutes. This will cook your pasta perfectly.
- Rotini/Penne/Cavatappi: 4 minutes on high pressure, 5 minutes natural release.
- Rigatoni/Ziti: 5 minutes on high pressure, 5 minutes natural release.
- Elbow Noodles: 3 minutes on high pressure, 5 minutes natural release, then quick release.
- Gluten-Free Pasta: I experimented with Barilla gluten-free rotini noodles and my method still worked perfectly. Other brands have not been successful. Quinoa pasta will break down in the sauce and release starch that can cause you to get a burn notice so is not recommended.
- Start the recipe by browning up to 1 pound of ground beef/sausage. Once the meat is browned, turn the instant pot off and drain off any excess grease.
- Add in the broth and scrape off any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot.
- Proceed with the recipe and then proceed with making the sauce or using a jarred sauce.
- If using links of sausage, just add to sauce as it cooks.
- 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup dry red wine or additional stock
- 28 ounces tomato puree
- 15 ounce diced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons dried parsley
- 5 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 2 tablespoons honey or sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 16 ounces dried rotini or ziti
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- Place the broth or water in the Instant Pot. Add in wine, diced tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic, butter/olive oil, honey, oregano, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Do not stir.
- Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release for 10 minutes, before doing a quick release. Stir sauce together
Add in dried pasta and gently submerge pasta in the sauce. Dollop with ricotta cheese. - Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes for rotini or 5 minutes for ziti noodles.
- After cook time has elapsed, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes and then do a quick release of any remaining pressure. Stir sauce, ricotta, and pasta together. Add in cheese and let the cheese melt before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 720mg | Potassium: 571mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 598IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg
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This post was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2022 with a new video and photos.
Louise
This was so delicious and I didn't even follow instructions properly opps. I also used red lentil gluten free pasta and your timing was perfect. We will be having this again soon.
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing that red lentil pasta worked Louise, that will help other gluten free readers 🙂 And of course, glad YOU enjoyed!
Jen Wagner
SOOOO amazing! And easy!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! I am so glad you enjoyed Jen!
Karen
Thank you. My husband wasn’t sold on anything but chicken soup that I fixed in Instant Pot, but he loved this recipe. I used jarred spaghetti sauce and cream cheese. I also cooked for 6 min because we like our paste cooked a little more than al dente. It was perfect. Can’t wait to try more of you recipes.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you and your husband enjoyed this pasta Karen! I hope you find many more recipes here to enjoy (and sell him on the Instant Pot😉)
Sara
I see that you’ve worked really hard on this recipe so I wanted to add my experience! I made this tonight with bacon jalapeño ground venison I needed to use. I previously cooked and froze it so I put in the IP on sauté to thaw then added the jarred sauce in with the meat. At that point I saw in the recipe (oops, I usually read completely through beforehand) to first add liquid, then diced tomatoes, then sauce, then pasta. So I grabbed my extra insert and did just that. I dirtied two pots but the one other time I tried pasta in the very IP I got a burn notice so I wasn’t gonna chance it. Right before it came to pressure I got the burn notice! So I released the pressure that had built and opened up to see what was happening. The pasta was al dente but I wanted it a little more cooked so I gave it a stir to make sure nothing was burnt on the bottom and then put the lid on low pressure and “less” pressure cook for 1 minute. Then it was cooked perfectly, yay! I halved this recipe because my family of 4 doesn’t eat much dinner for some reason. I didn’t have ricotta so I used cream cheese. I didn’t add the cream cheese and parm until after because I’ve read so many times to add dairy after cooking. I know you’ve tested it and I’m sure it would be ok with ricotta but I didn’t want to risk ruining anything since I was using cream cheese. This IP sure has humbled me after 25 plus years of cooking but i think I’m starting to catch on and I love it. Thanks for putting so much time into this post, super helpful!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sara! I am so glad you were able to enjoy the recipe and that you enjoy my site. I really believe that it is because you halved this recipe that you received the burn notice--it would need more thin liquid to properly cook the pasta, especially in an 8 quart. However, in the future, if you have the 8 quart model, it can show burn warning for less than a minute and revert to cooking--and all is fine (as evidenced by your experience with this recipe--nothing was burned). I am so glad you were still able to enjoy a delicious dinner 🙂
Jennifer Kinch
Excellent and so easy!!! My 17-year old son is incredibly picky and he loved it! Wow! This is a definite redo!
Kristen Chidsey
Thank you for taking the time to review Jennifer! I love it when a meal appeals to everyone (especially our picky kids 😉)
Michele
Thank you for figuring out the timings! I haven't actually made this recipe, but I have used your timings for my own recipes. Yours are the most accurate I have found. I have used a pressure cooker for well over 20 years (stove top then IP), but I have never managed to get pasta correct.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Michelle! I am so glad you have found my recipes to be accurate! I test and test and then take every comment/reader experience to heart to see if something still needs tweaked. And I hope you enjoy the Pasta 🙂
Cindy
In your recipe box, under "Instructions", the end of #1 it says "Do not....." and it doesn't finish. Do not what?
Kristen Chidsey
Do not stir---so sorry Cindy! I recently switched designs and clearly that was cut off and not caught. Updating now 🙂
Moe
Hi - I'm in the midst of trying the recipe and running into a snag.
I've had an ipot for 2 year (love it) and use it a lot. What is happening is that I have put in the recipe you listed;
-650 ML store made sauce
-2 1/2 cup stock
-1 can of chopped tomato
-1 LB of whole wheat spaghetti (covered with the sauce)
Since I used a store made sauce, I've gone straight to the 4 minute hi pressure part (having skipped the 10 minute part to make the sauce) and am finding the pot never gets enough pressure to lift the seal button. The pot gets hot but there doesn't seem to be enough liquid from the sauce to create the pressure to lift the seal button. Am I missing something??
Any suggestions would be helpful. I will also keep you posted.
Great post BTW.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Moe,
Sorry for your issue. Be sure you start with the chicken stock or water first inside your instant pot. Of you start with the tomato sauce it is so thick, it may cause a burn notice of for your instant pot to not fully reach pressure. Hope that helps clarify.
moe
thanks for the reply - I will give that a try once I get some more of the jarred stuff.
Kristen Chidsey
I hope it turns out perfectly for you!
Quinn
I tried this and it’s so good I have to leave a response! Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Quinn! Thank you for taking the time to let us all know.
Cayla
Can you sub cream cheese for ricotta?
Kristen Chidsey
Yes, I had others tell me that works perfectly!