Instant Pot Penne Pasta Recipe
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Jump to Recipe Watch VideoThis 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 vegan Greek side salad, and enjoy.
This Vegetarian Instant Pot Pasta Recipe Is:
- Bright
- Fresh
- Saucy
- Hearty
- Satisfying
- Versatile
- Vegan, Vegetarian
- Ready in about 15 minutes
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.
What’s In This Meatless Instant Pot Penne Recipe?
Be sure to visit 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.
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?
- 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, 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!
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)
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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Instant Pot Penne Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin 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!Â
Nutrition
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Healthy ingredients with a delicious taste
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.
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!
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.
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!
We’ve made this sooo many times. super easy and delicious
This Italian girl gives this pasta An A+
Do you think I could double the recipe or would make the pasta overcooked since it would take longer to come to pressure?
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 🙂
I love pasta and adding those healthy vegetables adds to this delicious recipe
Thank you so much!