• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Simple Sumptuous Cooking
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • My Cookbooks
  • Privacy Policy
  • Free Ebook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • Recipes
    • My Cookbooks
    • Privacy Policy
    • Free Ebook
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot Pasta

    Instant Pot Pesto Pasta

    Published: August 14, 2020 · Modified: September 13, 2020 by Uma Raghupathi · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 14 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Card

    Here’s a fresh summer recipe for pasta lovers...Instant Pot Pesto Pasta! I call this a sequel to my older recipe for preparing your own pesto sauce with pine nuts and kale.

    A plate of food on a table, with basil and pesto pasta this recipe

    I have had a lot of reader feedback on that. So I thought a follow-up recipe showing how you can prepare this with the Instant Pot would be very helpful too. This Instant Pot Pesto pasta is vegan, nutritious, and made with homemade vegan pesto sauce. 

    I call it a summer recipe because now is when you get the freshest looking basil and any greens for that matter.

    Basil and Kale are my top ingredients for the homemade pesto sauce that I am using for this recipe.

    A sumptuous serving of pasta paired with breadsticks and marinara sauce can be one filling lunch option for your entire family. 

    If you are thinking about ways to incorporate greens in your kid’s diet or if you just need a dump and start an Instant Pot recipe, this one-pot pesto pasta is one good option for you.

    Your kids will not say no to the inviting aroma of basil and roasted pine nuts!

    Jump to:
    • How to cook pasta in Instant Pot
    • Tips and variations
    • Related recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Comments

    If you are an avid gardener like me, with a lot of herbs in your backyard you will have fun working on this recipe! There’s something about homemade pesto that takes the flavor to the next level.

    But store-bought pesto works beautifully, too if you are tied up with work on a weekday. All you have to do is dump and start!

    How to cook pasta in Instant Pot

    Cooking pasta in an instant pot cannot be any easier. Just dump the pasta, add water, and cook for just half the time that is mentioned on the pasta box. If you prefer al-dente style then you’d slash the time by one more minute.

    Be sure to add 2.5 cups water for every 8- 9 oz of pasta, along with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and seal.

    When the timer expires, use the ‘Quick Release’ option before opening the lid.  Add the pesto sauce to the same pot and mix well.

    That’s all there is to it unless you want to add accompaniments to pesto-like cherry tomatoes, spinach, roasted kale, or roasted broccoli.

    A box filled with different types of food, with Penne pesto pasta.

    I hope you really try this with your own homemade version of Pesto sauce instead of a store-bought version. It can be a uniquely satisfying experience when you prepare it from the herbs in your garden, not to mention it can be substantially cheaper on your wallet too. 

    I hope you try this out today and that you find your new favorite pasta dish here.

    Tips and variations

    • I used penne but you could use any shaped pasta you like, including gluten-free pasta
    • Use store-bought pesto sauce or prepare your own homemade pesto sauce. Check my special pesto recipe here.
    • Add your favorite vegetables like peas, roasted broccoli, or roasted kale. The choice is yours. 
    • Another optional step is to add vegan cheese to the pasta to add flavor.
    An instant pot is with vegan pesto pasta

    Related recipes

    • Vegan Kale Pesto Recipe
    • Instant Pot Masala Pasta
    • Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
    • Tikka Masala Pasta
    • Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta
    • Vegan Mac and cheese
    • A bowl of vegan pumpkin flavored pasta is on the table.
      How To Make Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
    • A lunch box is filled with masala pasta.
      Masala Pasta Recipe (Indian Style)
    • head shot of broccoli and mushroom pasta dish.
      Vegan Creamy Mushroom And Broccoli Pasta
    • A plate is filled with sun dried tomato pasta.
      Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

    Just subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious vegan recipes such as this sent directly to your inbox.

    Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
    And let me know what you loved about it in the comments.

    Follow me on social media Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    📖 Recipe

    An instant pot is with vegan pesto pasta

    Instant Pot Pesto Pasta

    Uma Raghupathi
    If you are thinking about ways to incorporate greens in your kid’s diest or if you just need a dump and start Instant Pot recipe, this one-pot pesto pasta is one good option for you.
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prep Time:5 minutes mins
    Cook Time:5 minutes mins
    Total Time:10 minutes mins
    Course :Main Course
    Cuisine :Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 291 kcal

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot Duo Plus

    Process Shot

    Check above for step-by-step pictures (most of my recipes include pictures)

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 oz penne pasta
    • 2.5 cups of water
    • Salt
    • 2 teaspoon olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ cup pesto sauce
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • ¼ cup roasted kale or fresh spinach - optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Add penne pasta water and olive oil to the Instant Pot. Pressure Cook for 5 minutes, followed by a quick release.
    • Stir the pasta well and add pesto sauce, black pepper, a little salt, vegan cheese.
    • This is also a good time to add in any quick-cooking veggies at this time, such as spinach, roasted kale, roasted broccoli. Toss well to get an even mix of the pesto sauce on all the pasta.
    • Optionally, you could add lemon juice, red chili flakes, or vegan cheese to add flavor.
    • Instant Pot Pesto Pasta is complete! Here’s to another family dinner with the Instant Pot!

    Video

    Notes

    The nutrition values I show here are my best estimates. Please be sure to check your preferred nutrition calculator, if you are relying on accurate calculations in your diet.

    YOUR OWN NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 312IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @simplesumptuouscooking or tag #simplesumptuouscooking!

    Pin this recipe for later use

    A plate of food with basil, with Pasta and Pesto

    More Related Recipes

    • A plate of vegan Cajun Pasta is on the wooden table.
      Vegan Cajun Pasta (Instant Pot)
    • An instant pot is with tikka masala pasta on the surface
      Tikka Masala Pasta
    • A plate of lemon orzo is on the table with lemon
      Lemon Orzo With Peas (Instant Pot)
    • a bowl of vegan mac and cheese is placed on the table with golden fork.
      Instant Pot Vegan Mac And Cheese
    65 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment Cancel reply

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

      Recipe Rating




    1. Georgina | Culinary Travels

      August 24, 2020 at 7:25 am

      Pesto pasta is one of my favourite go-to recipes for a light, easy, quick supper. This recipe looks so tasty,

      Reply
    2. Nicole

      August 23, 2020 at 7:42 pm

      I LOVE instant Pot recipes, but I've never made pasta in it before (now's the time to change that). And pesto is one of those things I just can't get enough of. Your recipe for the Kale pesto looks incredible - I love making pesto without parm and basil to switch things up.

      Reply
    3. Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli

      August 23, 2020 at 5:57 pm

      We love our pasta with pesto!. It looks very creamy and for sure it would be nutritious with the added kale or spinach. Great weeknight dinner.

      Reply
    4. Veronika

      August 23, 2020 at 8:28 am

      Love making pasta in my Instant Pot! So easy to prep and you don't have to stay next to the stove to cook.5 stars

      Reply
      • Uma Raghupathi

        August 23, 2020 at 8:37 am

        Yes absolutely! Thank you

        Reply
    5. Leslie

      August 22, 2020 at 9:13 am

      Look at all this green goodness! This is a classic pesto pasta dish! Looks so simple to make too! Total win!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Candice

      August 20, 2020 at 7:23 pm

      Such a great idea to make this in an instant pot... The flavor of the pesto is amplified since it basically infused into the pasta... genius! Will be making this again.5 stars

      Reply
    7. Marta

      August 19, 2020 at 10:26 pm

      This pesto pasta is such a great weeknight meal! It's filling and comes together so easily!5 stars

      Reply
    8. HEATHER PERINE

      August 18, 2020 at 8:06 pm

      I have a huge bag of kale in my fridge that I don't know what to do with! Until now 🙂 This will be great for a weeknight dinner!5 stars

      Reply
    9. Amanda

      August 18, 2020 at 3:26 am

      I love that this pasta is made in the Instant Pot. It makes it super convenient to prepare during the busy weeknights, and the pesto is delicious!5 stars

      Reply
    10. Bernice Hill

      August 18, 2020 at 2:02 am

      Very cool! I have never made pasta in the Instant Pot. It would make things a lot easier...like everything else that gets cooked in this awesome appliance.5 stars

      Reply
      • Uma Raghupathi

        August 18, 2020 at 2:20 am

        Yes true Bernice! Thank you

        Reply
    11. Shelley

      August 17, 2020 at 10:08 pm

      What a great post! Can you believe I'd never actually cooked pasta in my beloved Instant Pot?!? How crazy, right? You totally inspired me - it's so easy and there are so many variations I can try! Even better, though - I have a huge, gorgeous potful of basil growing on my deck, so I've got the perfect makings of a summer-y basil to specifically make this pesto pasta variation for the rest of the summer! Yay!5 stars

      Reply
      • Uma Raghupathi

        August 17, 2020 at 10:33 pm

        Thank you, Shelley. Hope you will try this soon:)

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    A lady Author of the blog standing near the plants.

    About Uma

    Namasthe, I'm Uma. I'm the cook, writer, and photographer behind Simple Sumptuous Cooking. I'm a mother of two girls.

    I aim to show you that you can create delicious, healthy meals with simple, affordable ingredients. More about me

    New e-book

    Ebook of vegan sir fryer recipes.
    E-book - Vegan Air Fryer Recipes

    Popular Recipes

    • A bowl is with tofu spinach curry.
      Easy Tofu Curry Without Coconut Milk
    • A bowl of Bengali masoor dal is on the table and topped with cilantro.
      Bengali Masoor Dal Recipe
    • chapati side dishes are filled with different bowls on the table
      43 Chapathi Side Dish Recipes
    • A white cup is filled with lemongrass tea and is on the table
      Lemongrass Tea Recipe
    • A bowl of food on a plate, with Millet and Upma
      Proso Millet Upma - Instant Pot & Stove Top
    • A plate is with cubed tofu.
      How To Tell If Tofu Is Bad
    • A bowl of instant pot khichdi is on the table with spoon inserted.
      Instant Pot Khichdi
    • A plate of vegetable poha is on the wooden board and a spoon is inserted.
      Vegetable Poha Recipe

    Popular Fall Dishes

    • A bowl is full of avarekalu curry.
      Avarekalu Sagu Recipe (Hyacinth Beans Curry)
    • A bowl of vegan malai kofta curry is on the plate with chapati.
      Best Vegan Malai Kofta Curry (Air Fryer)
    • A bowl of barley mushroom risotto is on the table.
      Instant Pot Vegan Barley Risotto With Mushrooms
    • Zucchini soup is in a bowl topped with parsley.
      Vegan Zucchini Soup In Instant Pot
    • A blender is filled with soaked nuts.
      Best Blender for Indian Cooking (The Ultimate Guide)
    • A bowl of carrot halwa is with a spoon inserted.
      Easy Gajar Halwa In Instant Pot (Vegan Carrot Pudding)
    • A bowl of kale curry is on the table with a cloth by the side.
      Kale Curry Recipe Indian
    • Head shot of bowl with Bengali moong dal.
      Bengali Moong Dal Recipe

    Must Try Recipes

    • Air fryer roasted turnips is inside the air fryer basket.
      Air Fryer Turnips
    • A bowl of spinach corn curry is on the table with a spoon.
      Palak Corn (Spinach Corn Curry)
    • A strainer is filled with cooked sorghum on the table
      How To Cook Sorghum
    • A bowl of cauliflower sabzi is on the white table
      Cauliflower Sabzi
    • A copper bowl is with potato kurma and placed it on the table.
      Potato Kurma For Chapathi, Biryani, Poori
    • A bowl of barley soup is on the table with golden spoon.
      Instant Pot Vegetable Barley Soup

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Contact
    • Tip Jar

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    More recipes

    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Soup Recipes

    AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

    COPYRIGHT © 2022 - 2023 SIMPLE SUMPTUOUS COOKING

    65 shares