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5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe

This is a quick and easy recipe to put together even on a busy weeknight. It is really comforting to indulge over the weekend too. Creamy & delicious.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Busy Weeknight Meals, Creamy Pesto Pasta, Easy meals, instant pot recipe, Vegetable Pasta
Servings: 4
Calories: 347kcal
Author: simplyvegetarian777

Equipment

  • Measuring Spoons, Measuring Cups, Stirring Spoon,
  • Instant Pot 6 quart or Mealthy Multipot
  • Chopping board and knife
  • Kitchen Colander
  • Inner Pot
  • Stirring Spoon

Ingredients

Fresh Produce

  • 3-4 cloves Garlic chopped into thick pieces
  • 8-10 Thin Asparagus cut the hardy bottom stalk cut off and then chop into 2-3 large pieces
  • 4-5 Mini Colored Bell Peppers cut into thick pieces and seeds removed
  • 4-5 Baby Bella or Button Mushrooms Chopped in thick slices

Other Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • To Taste Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 pound Pasta - Rigatoni or Bow-tie you may use thick spaghetti too
  • 1 cup Heavy cream or light cream. Can use half and half too.
  • 1/3 cup or as desired Pesto Sauce I used store bought. You can use home made sauce too.
  • 5 cups Water

Instructions

Gather all the ingredients and prep the vegetables as recommended. Watch the video. Always read the notes for more options & tips.

    Sauteeing the vegetables in Instant Pot

    • Put the 6 quart Instant Pot with Instant Pot Liner in. Set it on saute mode high. When the screen displays hot, add 1&1/2 tbsp olive oil to the inner pot. After few seconds, add chopped garlic and saute for 30-45 seconds. Then add chopped asparagus and saute further for 2 minutes. Finally add bell peppers and mushrooms, Salt & Pepper and give a final stir. Let saute for few more seconds. Later empty the vegetables out in another container and set aside.

    Boiling Pasta in Instant Pot

    • Add few tablespoons of water in the inner pot and deglaze it by scraping the bottom with a Kitchen stirring spoon.
    • Add Rigatoni Pasta and water and 1/2 tbsp oil. Stir all together & press the pasta down. Place the lid and put it on sealing.
    • Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. And then QPR (quick pressure release). Drain the pasta in Kitchen Colander and drain excess water if there is any. May be save some for later if needed. Set aside.

    Put it all together with cream and pesto

    • Now add cream and Pesto Sauce to the inner pot. Warm it up a bit on saute mode. Now add boiled pasta and sauteed vegetables to it. If it is too thick, then use some of the saved pasta water. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. It's all done. You may add some grated parmesan before serving if you want.

    More Pasta Recipes from the blog

    Video

    Notes

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    Can I make it ahead of time?

    One can prep the components of the recipe. You can cook the vegetables and pasta separate and keep aside till ready to put together. When ready to serve, put cream and pesto together in IP. Stir and warm up a bit. Add vegetables and pasta and warm it up. Add some saved up pasta water or vegetable broth if it is too thick. Toss all together.

    Is it easy to freeze?

    It probably is. I do not freeze the meals that often. But try it. It might work. When ready to use, thaw it on the kitchen counter. Microwave or re-heat on gas top with some liquid.

    How to store it?

    Once it gets to room temperature, refrigerate it in air tight container. 

    Can I make it vegan? 

    Any recipe can be veganized. Use coconut milk instead of  heavy cream. For vegan Pesto Sauce, use this recipe. Make sure to use vegan pasta.

    Can I make it Gluten-free?

    Again the only grain in the recipe is pasta which made of wheat. So make sure that the pasta you pick is gluten-free. 

    How to make it on Gas-top?

    Gas- top recipe is as simple as the instant pot. Prep the vegetables and boil the pasta separately. Drain the pasta and set aside. In the same pan which you used to boil the pasta. Add cream and pesto. Stir and heat it up. Add boiled pasta and vegetables on the top. Stir to combine. 

    Kitchen Gadgets

    Measuring Cups and Spoons
    Chopping Board and Knife
    Kitchen stirring spoon
    Kitchen Colander
    6 quart Instant Pot
    Instant Pot Liner

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4g | Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1274IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 1mg