Pressure Cooker Pasta | How to Prepare Pasta in the Instant Pot

Have you joined the masses? It took me longer than most but I finally added a pressure cooker to my kitchen. Along with many successful meals I have discovered a simple calculation to prepare perfect pressure cooker pasta.

From main dishes including beef and chicken to desserts and popcorn, my pressure cooker has become my favorite kitchen appliance. *Make that my second favorite. Until my pressure cooker can brew a cup of tea (which I’m sure it can) my dependable oasis Keurig will remain my most used appliance. 

In my limited experiences I would say that the pressure cooker is a more convenient way to cook. However, it is not always a faster way to cook. The Instant Pot cuts out the waiting, stirring and watching that is required when making pasta on the stovetop.

Pressure Cooker Pasta
How to Prepare Pasta in the Instant Pot

How to efficiently make pasta in an Instant Pot or a Pressure Cooker.
No boiling, hovering or stirring required. 

Pasta
Water
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt, if desired

• Pour pasta into cooker then add enough water to just barely cover the pasta.
• Next, stir in 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil and salt (if desired).
• Close the vent then cover and seal the cooker lid.
• Set pasta to cook on high for half of the suggested boil time on the package.
• When the cooker beeps at the end of the cook time, release the valve. Allow all of the steam to escape before removing the lid. (I do not open the valve all the way; rather, I only open the valve enough for the steam to release slowly.)

• Remove the lid, stir the pasta to break up any sticky pieces.
  If softer pasta is desired allow pasta to rest in the cooker on low for 5 – 10 minutes. If needed use a strainer to remove any excess water.
• Remove pasta from the cooker to avoid it cooking any longer; you can always rinse it with cool water to be sure.

When calculating meal prep time, be sure to include the time it takes to build pressure before the cooking begins. Mine takes 10-12 to build the pressure before the cook time begins. 

Tip: if softer or firmer pasta is desired, simply add or take away one minute.
Softer pasta – cut the package recommended cook time in half plus one minute.
Firmer pasta – cut the package recommended cook time in half then subtract one minute.

Pressure Cooker Pasta

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Pressure Cooker Pasta | How to Prepare Pasta in the Instant Pot

How to efficiently make pasta in an Instant Pot or a Pressure Cooker. No boiling, hovering or stirring required.

Ingredients

• Pasta
• Water
• Olive Oil
• Salt if desired

Instructions

1. Pour pasta into cooker then add enough water to just barely cover the pasta.
2. Stir in 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil and salt (if desired).
3. Close the vent then cover and seal the cooker lid.
4. Set pasta to cook on high for half of the suggested boil time on the package.
5. When the cooker beeps at the end of the cook time, release the valve. Allow all of the steam to escape before removing the lid. (I do not open the valve all the way; I only open the valve enough for the steam to release.)
6. Remove the lid then stir the pasta to break up any sticky pieces.
7. If softer pasta is desired allow pasta to rest in the cooker on low for 5 – 10 minutes. If needed use a strainer to remove any excess water.
8. Remove pasta from the cooker to avoid it cooking any longer; you can always rinse it with cool water to be sure.