Try this Instant pot pasta recipe, or contribute your own.
Suggest a better descriptionHOW TO COOK PASTA IN THE INSTANT POT – THE MAGICAL FORMULA
Let me leave a caveat here and say that this method may not work on every single pasta variety out there. There's lentil pasta, quinoa pasta, buckwheat pasta, and so on. HOWEVER! I do think this is a perfect starting place for all of these kinds of pasta. If you find your favorite version of pasta was slightly under or overdone, then just make a note to add or subtract a minute the next time. Easy Peasy.
Add pasta to the pressure cooker pot
Add liquid: 1 cup of liquid for every 4 ounces of pasta
Add salt: 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt for every 1 cup liquid and 4 ounces of pasta
Add fat: 1/2 tablespoon oil or butter for every 4 ounces of pasta
Cook pasta for half the lowest package time, minus 2 minutes (examples below). When pressure cooking is complete, do a quick release of pressure (see below for what to do if starchy liquid spurts through valve)
Reserve some of the starchy pasta water if you're combining it with a sauce, then drain the pasta. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process if you're not using it right away. A light drizzle of oil will keep it from sticking
collage of how to cook pasta in the pressure cooker
And there you have it! Perfectly cooked pasta without the mess!
HOW TO DETERMINE COOK TIME FOR INSTANT POT PASTA
To determine the best cook time, check the suggested package cook time. Take the lowest package time, divide it in half and subtract two minutes. Here are some examples so you can feel confident in choosing the best time.
The Whole Wheat Spiral Pasta here says to cook for 7-9 minutes. Take the lowest time (7 minutes), decrease it to 6 to get an even number, divide in half (3 minutes) and subtract 2 minutes = 1 minute cooking time
The Brown Rice Macaroni Pasta here calls for 15-16 minutes. Take the lowest time (15 minutes), decrease it to 14 to get an even number, divide in half (7 minutes) and subtract 2 minutes = 5 minutes cooking time
The Whole Grain Penne pasta here has a cook time of 10-12 minutes. Take the lowest time (10 minutes), divide in half (5 minutes) and subtract 2 minutes = 3 minutes cooking time
HOW TO REDUCE PASTA FOAM
I've learned some great tips and tricks from all of you in the comments below, here is a summary of the knowledge I've gathered over time:
Add Fat
Oil or butter will reduce foaming. I add about 1 tablespoon per 8 ounces of pasta
Rinse pasta
Rinse the pasta 2 – 3 times before you cook it – I wouldn't say this is the perfect solution, but it does seem to help
Place a trivet over the pasta
As bubbles start to rise, the trivet will pop them and keep foam from reaching the valve. This doesn't work perfectly every time either, but again, it seems to help espeically if you use a slow pressure release (discussed below)
Intermittent Pressure Release
Turn knob to quickly release the pressure. If starchy water starts to spray through the valve, switch the knob to a sealed position, wait 30 seconds, then switch the valve back to release, repeating this process as many times as needed – usually 2 -3 times
Slow Pressure Release
Turn the knob only slightly so the pressure is released slowly. This will take a bit longer but will cut down on foaming considerably and prevent over cooked pasta
My personal go-to method
Add fat, place a trivet over the pasta, use a quick release of the pressure and wait and see if there is going to be enough starchy water spraying out for me to want to close the knob again. Then I use the intermittent or slow-release method to release the remaining pressure.
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BEST TYPES OF PASTA FOR THE PRESSURE COOKER
Short cut pasta is ideal. Examples are elbow macaroni, penne, cavatappi, small to medium seashell, rotini, rigatoni, ziti, wheels, farfalle (butterfly), and cavatappi
Small, delicate pasta like alphabet pasta will overcook too easily
Gnocchi, stuffed pasta, and homemade pasta will fall apart. Add these varieties after pressure cooking is complete, then use “saute” to simmer for a few extra minutes to cook the pasta
Long strand pasta like fettuccine and spaghetti work okay, but you need to break them in half, scatter them unevenly into the liquid so they're not in one big clump, and know there is a risk that they might stick together a bit
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Bowls of instant pot pasta on a work surface
BEST COOKING LIQUID FOR PASTA
The best liquid for cooking pasta is water and broth, with perhaps a splash of lemon juice for flavor. Recipes that call for cooking pasta in marinara sauce or milk need to be diluted with water or broth to avoid the starch and sauce from burning to the bottom of the pot.
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FAVORITE PASTA BRANDS
Favorite Everyday Brand: De Cecco
This brand has great flavor and the most perfect al dente chew. It also comes in a huge variety of shapes and sizes
Favorite Whole Wheat Brand: Simply Balanced
This brand can be found online or at Target. They have the greatest shape and size variety of whole wheat pasta for a good price
Favorite Gluten Free Brand: Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta
This is actually my all-time favorite pasta. It is whole grain, but mildly flavored with a wonderful soft chew
Favorite Bean Pasta: Banza
This is by far the best tasting and textured bean/legume pasta out there with a nice variety of shapes and sizes
View line-by-line Nutrition Insights™: Discover which ingredients contribute the calories/sodium/etc.
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Serving Size: 1 (341g) | ||
Recipe Makes: 1 | ||
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Calories: 1008 | ||
Calories from Fat: 110 (11%) | ||
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Amt Per Serving | % DV | |
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Total Fat 12.2g | 16 % | |
Saturated Fat 1.7g | 8 % | |
Monounsaturated Fat 2.2g | ||
Polyunsanturated Fat 5.6g | ||
Cholesterol 245.3mg | 75 % | |
Sodium 87.4mg | 3 % | |
Potassium 602.7mg | 16 % | |
Total Carbohydrate 184g | 54 % | |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 0 % | |
Sugars, other 183.9g | ||
Protein 38g | 54 % | |
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition. |
Calories per serving: 1008
Get detailed nutrition information, including item-by-item nutrition insights, so you can see where the calories, carbs, fat, sodium and more come from.
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