Make this delicious Instant Pot Sausage Pasta with minimal effort for the perfect family lunch or dinner. Chorizo sausage and grated carrots and onions add substance to this full-bodied pasta.
Why should I make pasta in the Instant Pot?
Once you make Instant Pot Pasta, you won't feel like making pasta any other way. And for good reason! There are so many reasons to love a one-pot pasta dish. The pasta cooks with the sauce in one pot and comes out perfectly cooked every single time. What's more, is that the pasta is infused with the flavor from the sauce due to pressure cooking.
In this recipe for Instant Pot sausage pasta, I’ve cooked Fusilli pasta with Chorizo sausages (my favourite kind). You could replace Chorizo with just about any kind of sausage meat. Just remember to remove the meat from its casing before you cook it with the pasta.
Use any kind of pasta you have on hand and adjust the recipe according to the time it takes to cook as per the packet instructions.
A tip for cooking pasta in the Instant Pot:
A rule of thumb to follow when cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is to halve the time mentioned on the box, and then reduce that by 1, if you like your pasta al-dente. I like my pasta a little more than al-dente, and so I cook it for half the cooking time.
For example, in this recipe, Fussili pasta (this is the one I used) calls for a cooking time of 11 minutes (specified on the box). I cook it for half the time mentioned, rounded to the next number i.e., 6 minutes and then perform a quick release of pressure.
This results in perfectly cooked pasta, every single time!
Step-by-step instructions for making Instant Pot Sausage Pasta:
Start by prepping your ingredients. You will need 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth/stock, 7 ounces Chorizo sausages (casing removed, lightly broken up), 4 cloves of garlic, minced, olive oil, 1 medium onion, diced, 2 cups tomato puree, 3 carrots, minced, dried herbs and 2 bay leaves. Use 1 pound pasta of your choice. I have used Fusilli pasta which has a cooking time of 11 minutes.
Turn on the Instant Pot to ‘Saute’ mode and add the olive oil. Let it heat for a minute or two before you add the onions.
Add the onions and garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes, until the onions turn translucent. Then add the garlic and sauté for a minute more.
Add the grated or minced carrots and sauté for a couple of minutes more. Then add the Chorizo sausage, and continue to sauté for a minute, stirring regularly.
Add the dried herbs and the bay leaves, followed by the tomato puree. Mix together.
Add the stock and stir everything well, until well combined. Add 1 pound Fusilli pasta and mix well, untill the pasta is submerged under the liquid. If the pasta stays above the liquid, it might not cook well.
Close the lip of the IP and turn the vent to 'Sealing' position. Pressure Cook for 6 minutes on 'High' setting. After 6 minutes, the IP will beep. Perform a quick release of pressure and open the lid. The pasta is done, just mix together all the ingredients well before serving.
Serve the pasta topped with cheese of your choice and sprinkling of parsley. I used a mixture of Cheddar and Mozarella cheese.
This recipe couldn’t be any easier! It is easy to make and requires minimal clean-up, making it ideal for weeknights for a family meal. If you like this recipe, here are some of my tried and tested weeknight recipes made in the Instant Pot:
Instant Pot Honey Mustard Chicken
Instant Pot Sausage Pasta
Equipment
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon dried herbs (I used Italian herb seasoning)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 carrots minced or grated
- 7 ounces Chorizo sausages casing removed, lightly broken up
- 2 cups tomato puree
- 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth/stock
- 1 pound Fusilli pasta (or 490 grams ) see notes on pasta cook times
Instructions
- Turn on the Instant Pot to ‘Saute’ mode and add the olive oil. Wait for a minute until the olive oil heats up.
- Add the onions. Sauté for a couple of minutes, until the onions turn translucent. Then add the garlic and sauté for a minute more.
- Add the grated or minced carrots and sauté for a couple of minutes more. Then add the Chorizo sausage, and continue to sauté for a minute, stirring regularly.
- Add the dried herbs and the bay leaves, followed by the tomato puree. Mix together.
- Add the stock and stir everything, until well combined.
- Add the pasta and mix well, untill the pasta is submerged under the liquid. If the pasta stays above the liquid, it might not cook well.
- Close the lip of the IP and turn the vent to 'Sealing' position. Pressure Cook for 6 minutes on 'High' setting. After 6 minutes, the IP will beep. Perform a quick release of pressure and open the lid. The pasta is done, just mix together all the ingredients well before serving.
- Serve the pasta topped with cheese of your choice and sprinkling of parsley. I used a mixture of Cheddar and Mozarella cheese.
Video
Notes
- You can replace fusilli with any variety of pasta. The pressure-cooking time will vary according to the cooking time specified on the pasta package. A rule of thumb to follow when cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is to halve the time mentioned on the box, and then reduce that by 1, if you like your pasta al-dente. If you like your pasta cooked a little more than firm, then increase cooking time by 1 minute.
- All cup measurements used here are as per the measuring cup provided with the Instant Pot.
- Chorizo sausage can be replaced with any sausage of your choice. Just ensure you remove the casing and break up the sausage before adding it to the Instant Pot.
Pin away!
In your Notes you say that all cup measurements are per the measuring cup that comes with the Instant Pot. That's a rice cup & is actually only 3/4 of a cup. That would mean that if using a standard measuring cup the 2 cups of tomato puree would actually be 1 1/2 cups and the 4 cups of stock would actually be 3 cups. Correct?
Also, FYI...In the instructions you left out adding the pasta to the pot. In the post you say to add it after the broth but if someone prints out the recipe for later they might be confused if they are going just by the printable directions.
Thank you for letting my know, Sue, I just updated the recipe card! Yes, you are right about the cup measures. As cup sizes can vary by user, I have used the cup that comes with the IP.
Thank you for clarifying the cup measurements & updating the printable recipe...I feel better about sharing the recipe now 🙂
I love using my instant pot but haven't tried making pasta in it! Must try ASAP!
You had me at instant pot! The pasta is just so full of flavor.
How cool that you can do this in the instant pot!! And chorizo, yummo yes please, I love that and can't wait to give this recipe a go, thanks for sharing!!
I love everything that is made in the Instant Pot! Haha. This looks delicious!
What a great idea for an easy but super flavorful weeknight meal. Thanks for sharing!