This vegan Instant Pot Pasta recipe is bursting with flavor! Tender pieces of penne in rich, flavorful, tomato pesto cream sauce cooks up like a dream in your Instant Pot.
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This Instant Pot pasta is just packed with flavor, and the texture of the pasta itself is perfectly al dente. It's such an easy weeknight meal!
This recipe is SO easy to make, and I love that it's something kid-friendly that I can throw together using mostly ingredients from the pantry.
I think you're going to love it, too.
The tomato pesto cream uses a modified version of my cashew cream sauce to give this Instant Pot pasta a creamy, velvety sauce, no dairy needed.
Craving more one pot pasta? Try my one-pot penne alla vodka and one pot gochujang spaghetti. And if you just love easy, creamy pasta dishes, don't miss my vegan Philly cheesesteak pasta!
♨️ How do you cook pasta in the Instant Pot?
There are two keys to successfully making pasta in the Instant Pot or any electric pressure cooker:
- Nailing the cooking time. This is going to vary depending on the type of pasta that you use. In general, you can go with half the low end of the cooking time range. Penne, for example, cooks for 10-12 minutes, so in the Instant Pot, you do 5 minutes at pressure, then a quick release.
- Using enough liquid. Having ample liquid in the pot allows your pasta room to move around, so it won't stick together or stick to the bottom of the pot. This pasta is very saucy, and that's on purpose. When in doubt, always err on the side of more liquid!
When it comes to the liquid, the general rule is 3 cups of water per 8 ounces of pasta. Your canned tomatoes do NOT count as part of the liquid. The 2 ½ cups of penne in this recipe is about 4 ounces, so you need 1 ½ cups of water.
Unlike making one-pot pasta on the stove, you don't stir Instant Pot pasta while it's cooking. But because the liquid inside the pot is at such a fierce, rolling boil, it stirs itself.
✨COOKING MAGIC!
✓ Ingredients and substitutions
- extra virgin olive oil - To sauté. If you want to make this oil-free, you can broth fry the onion and garlic instead.
- onion and garlic - Adds so much umami to the sauce! You're also adding garlic to the pesto cashew cream.
- canned chopped tomatoes - This is the base for your tomato sauce.
- water - Having enough water is key to making successful Instant Pot pasta! You'll also need water to puree the pesto cashew cream.
- penne - I have not experimented with using gluten-free penne here, so I can't vouch for the results.
- Italian seasoning - To flavor the sauce.
- balsamic vinegar - Adds sweetness and tang.
- crushed red pepper - Adds a little heat to the sauce. Omit for less heat.
- baby spinach - Quick wilting baby spinach goes in right at the end to add some veggies to this dish.
- soaked cashews - The base for the pesto cashew cream.
- fresh basil - Stirring the fresh basil into the cashew cream sauce at the end gives it a pesto-y flavor.
🥣 How to make vegan Instant Pot pasta
Use your Instant Pot's Sauté function to heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and a good pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to brown. If the pot gets too dry, add splashes of water to help things cook evenly.
Put all of the remaining pasta ingredients -- except the spinach -- into your Instant Pot.
Stir to combine.
Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release. (TIP: Throw a kitchen towel over the release valve, because Instant Pot pasta can cause the valve to spurt a lot.)
Meanwhile, combine all of the cashew cream ingredients -- except the basil -- in your blender.
Puree until smooth, stir in the basil, then set aside.
When the pasta is done cooking, add the spinach to the Instant Pot, stirring it into the hot sauce until it wilts completely. If it is having a tough time wilting, you can hit the pot's Sauté button to warm things back up. If you do turn on the Sauté function, hit Cancel after the spinach wilts into the sauce. This should only take a few minutes.
Add the pesto cashew cream to the Instant Pot.
Mix well, then taste and adjust the flavors. Add more salt if needed, add more vinegar, if you want more tang. You can also add a little sugar, if your canned tomatoes weren't sweet enough.
💡 Helpful tips
- When you're cooking the onion and garlic in the Instant Pot, stir frequently, so the garlic won't burn. You can also add splashes of water, as needed, to help the onions brown evenly and prevent sticking.
- Instant Pot pasta can spurt a LOT when you toggle that release valve. Throw a kitchen towel over the top of the pot before you release the pressure to catch the spray, and save yourself from a big mess.
🫙 Storage directions
Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for three to five days.
To reheat, you can either warm it in the microwave or transfer to a pan on the stove. On the stovetop, cook on medium heat, stirring, until heated through. If the sauce has thickened up too much, you can add water, a tablespoon or two at a time, to thin it out.
🍴 More easy pasta recipes
📖 Recipe
Vegan Instant Pot Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 ½ cups penne
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces baby spinach or other quick-wilting greens - about 5 cups
For the Pesto Cashew Cream
- 1 cup cashews (soaked in hot water for 10-15 minutes, then drained)
- ½ cup water (NOT the soaking water)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves minced
Instructions
Make the pasta
- Use your Instant Pot's Sauté function to heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and a good pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to brown. If the pot gets too dry, add splashes of water to help things cook evenly.
- Put all of the remaining pasta ingredients -- except the spinach -- into your Instant Pot, and stir to combine. Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release. (TIP: Throw a kitchen towel over the release valve, because Instant Pot pasta can cause the valve to spurt a lot.)
Make the pesto cashew cream while the pasta cooks.
- Combine all of the cashew cream ingredients -- except the basil -- in your blender, and puree until smooth. Stir in the basil, then set aside.
Finish the pasta.
- When the pasta is done cooking, add the spinach to the Instant Pot, stirring it into the hot sauce until it wilts completely. If it is having a tough time wilting, you can hit the pot's Sauté button to warm things back up. If you do turn on the Sauté function, hit Cancel after the spinach wilts into the sauce. This should only take a few minutes.
- Stir in the pesto cashew cream, then taste and adjust the flavors. Add more salt if needed, add more vinegar, if you want more tang. You can also add a little sugar, if your canned tomatoes weren't sweet enough.
Lisa Noble
OMG! This is absolutely amazing! So delicious. Possibly the best pasta dish I’ve had. So quick and easy too. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I’m new to the instant pot and it’s so helpful to find recipes like this.
Becky Striepe
I'm so delighted to hear it, Lisa! I am glad it's helping you use your new Instant Pot, too.
Donovan
Wow, super simple and delicious!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Donovan!
Isabelle
Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s absolutely delicious and so quick and easy to make. I love the fresh basil in the cashew cream, it gave the dish such a great and distinct flavor :)
Becky Striepe
You are so welcome, Isabelle. Thank you for coming back to leave a rating and a review!
Jodi
I plan to make this for dinner. Can you give me an approximate amount of nutritional yeast you use?
Becky Striepe
I like to serve it with the nutritional yeast on the side, so everyone can shake on as much as they like!
Lori
Being new to the Instant Pot, I am easing into it. This is the first Instant Pot pasta recipe I have made for our family, and this is a winner! We absolutely love it! Not only is it delicious, it is comfort food. I'll definitely make this for a game night. It's so simple! THANK YOU for this recipe. I look forward to trying your other recipes... so glad they are all vegan. The fact that this is the first review I have ever left for a recipe (and have been using online recipes for years) speaks volumes.
Becky Striepe
Thank YOU, Lori! I'm glad this recipe is helping you get acquainted with your Instant Pot, and I appreciate it so much that you took the time to rate and review the recipe. Have a great weekend!
Madeleine
Very good!! One of my favorites for quick, satisfying meal. I make it with Jovial Brown Rice Farfalle. Comes out great!
Becky Striepe
Ooh I'm glad to hear it works with a GF pasta -- I get questions about that!
Laura
I just made it with Trader Joe’s brown rice-quinoa pasta and it came out all mushy- can’t even tell it’s penne ?still tastes great though! Going to make note pasta and mix it in.
Becky Striepe
I'm sorry to hear that! I haven't tested this with gluten-free pasta, and it sounds like it doesn't work with this style. Such a bummer! :(
Sandi
I can't eat cashews......any substitute???? TY . Looks delicious
Becky Striepe
Oh darn! You may be able to use raw pumpkin seeds instead. I wouldn't use roasted, because they're much harder, and I want you to have a creamy sauce! If you try it, let me know!
Liz
Made this for my family last night and we ALL loved it! Instant hit!!
Becky Striepe
I'm so glad they enjoyed it, Liz! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and comment!