Menu Close

Instant Pot Penne Pasta Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Jump to Recipe Watch Video Print

This Instant Pot Penne Pasta recipe is fresh, saucy, and loaded with vegetables! Ready in about 15 minutes, an easy one-pot dinner the whole family will love.

This is a simple and hearty meal, and perfect for those nights when you are too busy to cook. The pressure cooker does all the work!  Serve this delicious Instant Pot pasta with easy homemade garlic knots, a delicious side salad, and enjoy.

5 minute instant pot pasta recipe penne noodles in instant pot cooked in pressure cooker gluten free healthy homemade suace italian family dinner recipes for big families and kids hungry
 
I love a good saucy pasta, and this Instant Pot Penne Pasta recipe is so delicious, simple, and packed with flavor. Loaded with fresh veggies: garlic, tomatoes, zucchini, and kale. 
 
This is one easy meal, that is perfect for you next pasta night!  Luscious, velvety, and dripping with sauce… the perfect vehicle for homemade garlic bread or a crusty sourdough slice. The sauce gets it’s flavor from fresh garlic, sweet tomatoes & tomato paste, and a little balsamic vinegar for a kick.

This Vegetarian Instant Pot Pasta Recipe Is:

  • Bright
  • Fresh
  • Saucy
  • Hearty
  • Satisfying
  • Versatile
  • Vegan, Vegetarian
  • Ready in about 15 minutes
vegetarian instant pot pasta recipe vegan gluten free tomato sauce pasta in the pressure cooker electric instant pot due ultra recipes easy homemade weeknight meals for families

Easy Weeknight Pressure Cooker Pasta Recipe

This recipe for pasta in the Instant Pot is what I call an Easy Weeknight Meal – which is on your table in about 30 minutes.  These quick and simple recipes are perfect for those nights when you want a tasty homecooked meal but don’t hours to spend in the kitchen. Browse all our Easy Weeknight Meals, that are great for the whole family.

From soups and stews, to pastas and proteins – a quick meal can be on your table in no time.  Even faster than ordering takeout!

Cooking Pasta in the Instant Pot

Of all my kitchen appliances, and I mean ALL of them, my Instant Pot pressure cooker is my most-used! I cook everything in it from beans and legumes, to soups and pasta dishes.

You can get Instant Pots in many sizes, but I like my 8-quart model, which is ideal for batch cooking and meal prep. It also has a quicker pressure-release feature which saves me even more cooking time. I love that everything can cook in one pot, which makes for way less dishes and hands-off cooking. The Instant Pot is hands-down my favorite kitchen appliance, and actually makes my life so much easier.

can you cook pasta in the instant pot healthy recipes for pressure cooked pasta homemade fresh vegetarian pasta recipes from scratch easy gluten free meals for veganuary

What’s In This Meatless Instant Pot Penne Recipe?

See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

  • Penne Pasta: I used a regular white penne for this recipe. 
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh garlic cloves
  • Zucchini: I chopped up a zucchini for this recipe, but you can use any fresh chopped vegetable you have on hand.
  • Kale: Also picked some kale for the garden to go in this pasta, but you can use spinach or another leafy green instead of kale.
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Reduced Sodium Vegetable Stock or Bouillon: I love this Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base for my recipes because it has a great flavor and is lower in sodium. I only develop my recipes with low sodium ingredients so the ingredients shine.  You can always add salt to a recipe if it needs it, but it’s almost impossible to take it out!  Start with a low sodium broth or bouillon, and add more salt later if needed. 
best italian pasta intant pot vegan gluten free vegetarian meatless dinner ideas penne pasta recipes pressure cooker garlic tomatoes onion kale zucchini herbs spices fresh produce

One Pot Vegetarian Pressure Cooker Pasta for the Win!

This vegetarian one pot pasta recipe is so simple to cook, all it takes is a few pushed buttons are you are done!  It’s a versatile recipe too: if you don’t have zucchini or kale, you can substitute any other fresh vegetable of your choice: roasted red peppers and spinach, or peas and arugula would be delicious combinations too!

How Do I Make This Vegan Instant Pot Pasta Recipe?

  1. Set your Instant Pot to Sauté Mode. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, bell pepper, and zucchini. Sauté for 6 to 7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
  2. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, spices, and stir.
  3. Add the pasta to the Instant Pot. Pour the vegetable stock over the pasta. Do not stir.  Lock lid, and set to Pressure Cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Quick release the steam, taking care not to put your hands or face near the steam valve.
  5. Once steam has vented and the pressure valve has gone down, stir the pasta.  It will continue to thicken for a few minutes.
  6. Serve with a side of fresh garlic bread and top with parmesan cheese if desired.  Enjoy!
instant pot penne pasta vegetarian pressure cooker recipes meatless vegan instant pot dinners with pasta and vegetables healthy one pot noodles

Dietary Modifications

  • This penne pasta recipe is naturally vegan, gluten free, vegetarian, and refined sugar free!
  • To make this oil free, simply leave out the olive oil and add some white wine or vegetable stock instead.
  • For a low sodium version, make sure the tomatoes are no salt added (we only buy no salt added canned vegetables!) and skip the salt in the sauce.  Between the aromatic spices, fresh vegetables, and the richness from the tomatoes you won’t miss the sauce!  You could also stir in a scoop of homemade pesto to boost the flavor.

More Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love!

Instant Pot Noodles with Peanut Sauce (Vegetarian)

Instant Pot Tortellini Soup Recipe (Vegetarian, High Protein)

Quinoa in the Pressure Cooker Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, High Protein)

Pinto Beans Instant Pot Recipe (Vegan, High Fiber)

Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)

perfect pasta in instant pot cook noodles in pressure cooker vegan vegetarian gluten free homemade easy fast quick dinner recipes and ideas

Share This Vegetarian Instant Pot Penne Pasta Recipe!

If you loved this recipe, please feel free to share on Facebook or with your family & friends. Make sure to follow us on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok too – I’d love to connect with you there.

And let’s keep in touch – subscribe to my monthly newsletter to get free recipe inspiration. 

Instant Pot Penne Pasta Recipe Healthy Vegan Gluten Free

Instant Pot Penne Pasta

Kelly Jensen
This Instant Pot Penne Pasta recipe is fresh, saucy, and loaded with vegetables! Ready in about 15 minutes, an easy one-pot dinner the whole family will love. This is a simple and quick meal, and perfect for those nights when you are too busy to cook.
4.84 from 12 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Quick Release Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Dinner, Pasta
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 304 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup diced zucchini
  • 1 cup bell pepper chopped
  • 1 (14 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning Spice Blend
  • 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 8 ounces dried penne use gluten free
  • 2 cups Vegetable Stock

Instructions
 

  • Set your Instant Pot to Sauté Mode. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, bell pepper, and zucchini. Sauté for 6 to 7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, Italian spices, and stir.
  • Add the pasta to the Instant Pot. Pour the vegetable stock over the pasta. Do not stir.  Lock lid, and set to Pressure Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Quick release the steam, taking care not to put your hands or face near the steam valve.
  • Once steam has vented and the pressure valve has gone down, stir the pasta.  It will continue to thicken for a few minutes.
  • Serve with a side of fresh garlic bread and top with parmesan cheese if desired.  Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Doubling The Recipe

  • I tested doubling this recipe (with 16 ounces/1lb) of pasta in my 8 quart Instant Pot, and it came out fantastic! 

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 9gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 262mgPotassium: 437mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1965IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 2mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below, let us know what you loved about it!

This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn from qualifying purchases from affiliate programs, at no additional cost to you. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

Sharing is caring!

Posted in American, Dairy Free, Dinners, Easy Weeknight Meals, Fall Recipes, Favorites, Gluten Free, Instant Pot Recipes, Italian, One Pot Recipes, Pantry Recipes, The Herbeevore Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Winter Recipes

21 Comments

  1. Pingback:38 receitas de massa instantânea para quando você precisar de refeições prontas - Auditório Botucatu

  2. Mildred Voll

    4 stars
    The recipe was very good but I had trouble with the timing. After the 5 min and quick release my penne was not cooked. With the suggestion of my sister, I pressured cooked for another 5 min with natural release. I live at 6700 ft.

  3. Pingback:Garlic Bread in the Air Fryer Recipe

  4. Brooke Chrzanowski

    4 stars
    I doubled the recipe (have a teenager and husband who eats like one) and unfortunately had a burn warning and pot never came up to pressure. I did finish cooking it on saute and tasted delicious!

  5. Pingback:30 Easy Gluten-Free Instant Pot Recipes - Insanely Good

  6. Alex

    5 stars
    I liked this recipe, but I think the word “saucy” in the description is a little misleading. Regardless, it’s always nice finding a veggie packed pasta recipe.

  7. Tianna

    5 stars
    My toddler and I both LOVE this dish! It’s my new go to when I need something quick and want to make sure the little one eats. Won’t go back to store bough pasta sauce and that’s saying a lot coming from me!

  8. Pingback:38 Instant Pot Pasta Recipes For When You Need A Meal | Arena - Easy dinners / Dinner ideas: foodtesta.com

  9. Pingback:38 Instant Pot Pasta Recipes - Fine Radar

  10. Pingback:Instant Pot Penne Pasta ? #short #recipes #pasta – Easy Instant Pot Recipes

  11. Pingback:Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese Recipe

  12. Pingback:Italian TVP Meatballs (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan)

  13. Laurie

    Do you think I could double the recipe or would make the pasta overcooked since it would take longer to come to pressure?

    • The Herbeevore

      Hi Laurie – I haven’t tried to double this yet – however you may run into issues with the pasta being overcooked (especially at the bottom of the pot). I think it’s worth giving it a shot though, if you do, let me know! Next time I make this, I’ll double it and let you know 🙂

  14. Pingback:Silken Tofu Ricotta (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

  15. Pingback:Instant Pot Pantry Pasta Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Pantry Staple)

  16. Pingback:Instant Pot Baked Ziti (Vegetarian, Gluten Free, High Protein)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.