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How To Make Pasta In The Instant Pot

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Cooking pasta in your Instant Pot is a little bit different than the stovetop version. Let me help answer the most popular questions that are being asked, to help you master how to make pasta in the Instant Pot! I have found the Instant Pot has swooped in and helped save the day of my pasta dishes. It cooks it correctly, and I don’t have to worry about my pot boiling over! Let me help answer some pasta and Instant Pot questions to help you out!

How Much Liquid Do You Need For Pasta In The Instant Pot

On average you want to aim for at least 3 cups of liquid per every 16 ounces of pasta.  You are welcome to add in a dash of salt as well to season it if you want. The salt might depend if you are cooking all other ingredients with your pasta or cooking your pasta alone.

How To Make Pasta In The Instant Pot

What Type Of Release Is Best For Pasta In The Instant Pot

When cooking with pasta a quick release is best. This allows the pasta to stop cooking and if you do a natural release, it can very easily overcook your pasta leaving you that gummy mush you don’t want.

How To Stop The Foaming Of Pasta During The Cooking Process

Many people find their pasta can get pretty foamy when cooked in the Instant Pot. Just like when you cook on the stove, many add a splash of butter or oil to help from the pot boiling over and reduce the foam. Just do the same with your past in the Instant Pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon of butter or oil of your choice in when you go to cook. While it doesn’t entirely fix it, you will find you have a lot less foam.

How Long To Cook Pasta In The Instant Pot

Every brand and style of pasta will have a different cook time; it can be hard to know for sure. What I recommend is cutting the cooking time in half and then determine the low-pressure cooking time. So if your pasta takes typically 12-13 minutes, then you want to low pressure for 6 minutes. Or if the cooking time usually is 10 minutes then you low pressure for 5. Now if you are going to use high pressure, the pasta needs a minute, or two shaved off more, so you don’t overcook the pasta. So if you have pasta that is supposed to be on low for 6 minutes and you want to cook on high do 3-4 minutes on high.

How to make Pasta in the Instant Pot

  • Place all ingredients into the inner pot

add all the ingredients to the pot

  • Replace the lid and move the toggle switch to “seal”
  • Press the “manual” button for 4 minutes

4 minutes

  • After the Instant Pot beeps that time is up, do a quick release
  • Drain any remaining water left in the pot.

cooked pasta in the instant pot

Does Homemade Pasta Work in The Instant Pot

From my experience, those more tender homemade or fresh kinds of pasta tend to break apart very quickly in the Instant Pot. The same thing goes for stuffed pasta like ravioli or even tortellini. They break apart so quickly it makes it hard to get the perfect pasta.

How to Cook Long Pasta

Longer style kind of kinds of pasta like angel hair pasta, fettuccine, spaghetti can be done, you need to break the noodles in half. That way they can get submerged in the liquid that they are being cooked in. If you find your pasta is sticking together, try crisscrossing the noodles before you cook, this will help reduce that.

How To Make Pasta In The Instant Pot

What Pastas Shouldn’t Be Cooked In The Instant Pot

  • Small pasta like Orzetto, Stelline that are for soups | They can clog the safety mechanisms in your Instant Pot.
  • Homemade pasta – tend to break very easily.
  • Any pasta that has a cook time of 7 minutes or less.
  • Fresh pasta (even if store-bought) will fall apart.
  • Potato Gnocchi, Tortellini, Ravioli | All break down and fall apart.

how to make pasta in the instant pot pin

Now that you have perfected making pasta, why not try making homemade bread.

How To Make Pasta In The Instant Pot
Yield: 4 4

INSTANT POT ELBOW MACARONI

Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 4 minutes

Cooking pasta in your Instant Pot is a little bit different than the stovetop version. Let me help answer the most popular questions that are being asked, to help you master your pasta in the Instant Pot! 

Ingredients

  • 16 oz elbow macaroni
  • 3 c water
  • dash salt

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients into the inner pot
  2. Replace the lid and move the toggle switch to “seal”
  3. Press the “manual” button for 4 minutes
  4. After the Instant Pot beeps that time is up, do a quick release
  5. Drain any remaining water left in the pot.

Notes

The pasta is ready to serve or be used in other recipes. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:


Amount Per Serving: Calories: 210Sodium: 28mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 7g

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6 Comments

    1. Hello Lou,

      I have the mini (3qt) and really wanted to make pasta. What I did…

      8oz of pasta (macaroni style) *perfect for 2-3(My brand said 6min boiling time on stove top)
      1c water, some salt, tsp butter.
      3min – low pressure – quick release

      it turned out al dente! I also added a vegetarian bolognese sauce

  1. Thank you for sharing, your elbow macaroni cooking instructions are spot on.
    I used a 16 ounce box of Kroger elbow macaroni and 3 cups of bottled water @4 minutes on manual setting. Did quick release and when I removed lid I stirred and broke up what little pasta stuck together then dumped into strainer.
    Perfectly cooked, not starchy yet firm but soft.

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