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Instant Pot Pesto Pasta

March 17, 2020 by Sandy 5 Comments

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Instant Pot Pesto Pasta

Instant Pot Pesto Pasta is a simple, delicious recipe that you can make with pantry staples. This pressure cooker pesto pasta recipe has a lot of flavor. Best of all, it is an Instant Pot dump and start recipe!

Pressure cooker Pesto Pasta on green plate in front of pressure cooker

Instant Pot Pesto Pasta

These days we are relying more on pantry ingredients since we are staying inside more.

I like to stock up on a variety of flavorful ingredients, as well as staples like rice, beans, pastas, broth, and canned meats.

It’s nice to know that I can whip up a quick, delicious dinner using what I have in my pantry!

What Makes This Recipe Great

• First of all, this is a dump and start pressure cooker recipe. That cuts down on the cook time and makes it super easy!
• This recipe uses pantry items that you may already have:
-Jarred sun dried tomatoes
-Dried Pasta
-Pesto (either jarred or refrigerated)
-Chicken Broth
-Spices
-Canned chicken (optional)
-Parmesan cheese
• The pesto and sun dried tomatoes make this pasta dish very flavorful!
• I almost always have the ingredients on hand.

It is very easy to make this pressure cooker pesto pasta recipe. Here are the steps:
two images showing how to layer ingredients to make the Pesto Pasta
After pressure cooking the pasta and seasonings, do a quick release and then add parmesan and a can of chicken! Easy!

Is This Pressure Cooker Pasta Recipe Vegetarian?

This Instant Pot Pasta recipe is flavored with pesto and sun dried tomatoes, so it is vegetarian and vegan (if you omit the parmesan).

If you want to make use of another great pantry staple, add a drained can of chicken after pressure cooking.

Pressure Cooker Pesto Pasta on green plate next to fork

Can This Instant Pot Recipe Be Doubled?

Yes it can. Double all of the ingredients, but keep the cook time the same.

Will This Pesto Pasta Recipe Fit in the 3 Quart Instant Pot?

Yes, this recipe is perfect for the 3 quart Instant Pot!

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If you make this easy pressure cooker pesto pasta with chicken, or without, please leave a comment with a star rating below. I’d love to know how you liked it!

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5 from 3 votes
Instant Pot Pesto Pasta
Print
Instant Pot Pesto Pasta
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Instant Pot Pesto Pasta is a simple, delicious recipe that you can make with pantry staples.

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: easy instant pot recipe, pressure cooker pesto pasta recipe
Servings: 4
Calories: 292 kcal
Author: Sandy Clifton
Ingredients
  • 8 oz Penne Pasta (be sure to weigh it)
  • 2 1/4 cups Chicken Broth
  • 4 oz jar Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil, drained, but reserve 3 tsp of the oil
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 4 Tbsp Pesto
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Parsley (optional)
  • 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (omit for vegan)
  • 12 oz can Chicken, drained (optional)
Instructions
  1. Add the pasta to the pot of the pressure cooker.

  2. Pour in the broth.

  3. Add the sun dried tomatoes, reserved sun dried tomatoes oil, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, pesto, and parsley. Do not stir.

  4. Place the lid on the pot and seal the vent.

  5. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select 5 minutes*. High Pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.

  6. When the cook time has ended, immediately open the vent to do a quick release of the pressure.

  7. When the pin in the lid drops down, open it and stir the pasta. It may be a little watery, but will thicken up.

  8. Add the parmesan and stir (As an option, you could also add some baby spinach at this point if you have any).

  9. If adding the chicken, gently break up the chunks before adding. Then stir gently.

  10. Let the pasta sit in the pot for a few minutes for the cheese to melt and the chicken to heat through. Stir before serving.

Recipe Notes

*If you use a different pasta, the cook time may be different. Macaroni is usually 4 minutes, bow ties are 5 minutes, spaghetti is 8 minutes, etc. This could vary by the type of pasta. The rule of thumb is to cook for half of the time that the package directions state, minus one minute. Then quick release the pressure.

Resources to Make this pressure cooker pesto pasta Recipe and More

This post contains Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Filed Under: 3 Quart Mini Recipes, Dinner, Instant Pot, Pasta, Recipes, Vegetarian

Previous Post: « Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
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Comments

  1. Sinead

    December 23, 2020 at 9:23 am

    Great! The whole family loves this recipe!

    Reply
  2. Nessa

    July 1, 2020 at 2:54 pm

    Loved this. Super easy and delicious. I added more pasta and more pesto. Also it would be amazing with mozzarella

    Reply
  3. Mary T

    March 22, 2020 at 8:22 pm

    Made this tonight and my family LOVED it!!
    So quick and easy! Definitely making this again
    and again and again!! 🙂 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Reply
  4. PattiAnn

    March 18, 2020 at 3:14 pm

    This looks good, Sandy. What kind of pesto sauce did you use?
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sandy

      March 19, 2020 at 10:56 pm

      I used a refrigerated one. I think it was Buttoli. You can use jarred, or whatever your favorite is.

      Reply

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Hi there!

Sandy wearing a black shirt and a red apron I’m Sandy - foodie with a passion for cooking and sharing my tasty recipes. My hubby Paul, our Pug Gizmo, and I live in Washington.

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