Of all of the Instant Pot pasta recipes, this Instant Pot sausage pasta is one of our all-time favorites. One pot pasta recipes are great, and they are made even easier using an Instant Pot.

This Instant Pot pasta recipe is more than just adding any old pasta in the pot with water and turning it on. This sausage pasta recipe pulls it all together with seasoning, sauce, and sausage – without the need to cook the pasta beforehand. This saves you time and it’s super flavorful. We really love serving this with our favorite no knead bread and a kale salad to round out the meal. Add a martini maybe?

overhead of Instant Pot Pasta with sausage and parsley garnish in a white bowl with a kale salad and fork on the side

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We usually use macaroni because that’s what we often have on hand to create this Instant Pot pasta and sauce dish. We do love baked pasta too, like Ham And Pea Pasta Bake of course, but cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is really easy and you can have this dinner made for your family in no time!

How to Cook Pasta in the Instant Pot

People always ask: Can you cook pasta in an Instant Pot? How long do you cook pasta in an Instant Pot? Can you cook dry pasta in Instant Pot? Let me tell you, cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is effortless. I learned how to cook pasta in the Instant Pot when I first made Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. The basics are:

  1. Add liquids to the Instant Pot
  2. Add pasta to the Instant Pot, making sure it is covered by the liquids
  3. Add other ingredients on top of the pasta
  4. Set it*, forget it, natural release, and then quick release to serve

*typically pasta will take half of the listed cook time, or 1-2 minutes less.

The key is to add all the wet ingredients with the pasta and the other ingredients (like the sausage) on the top. The starch from the pasta helps to emulsify and thicken the sauce creating an amazing texture and taste. Some pasta recipes ask you to save some of the water that is used to cook the noodles so that you can add it to the sauce. With the Instant Pot, you don’t have to worry about this step and you get the same delicious results.

closeup of Instant Pot Pasta with sausage and parsley garnish on a fork with a white bowl filled with Instant Pot pasta blurred in the background

The real question is not how to cook pasta in the Instant Pot, but what Instant Pot pasta dishes should I make and what kinds of proteins should I use? Instant Pot pasta and sauce (a dish loved by every kid I know!) is very easy and versatile.

We also love Instant Pot pesto chicken pasta, Instant Pot Italian Chicken and Noodles, and Instant Pot Italian sausage pasta. Try Instant Pot Cajun pasta or Instant Pot Italian pasta for something zesty! One of our favorite, which is as easy as this dish, is the Instant Pot Spaghetti Bolognese. Variety is the spice of life so try them all!

How Does the Instant Pot Cook so Quickly?

The Instant Pot is a multi-cooker: a pressure cooker; steamer; rice cooker; Crock Pot (slow cooker), and other functions all in one, invented in 2008 by 3 Canadians. What allows this dish to cook in less than 10 minutes is the pressure cooker function of the Instant Pot. If you don’t have one already, you can check out Instant Pots here on Amazon!

The pressure cooker has been around for over 400 years and uses steam in an airtight container to increase the water temperature higher than the boiling point, so food cooks faster and locks in all the vitamins and nutrients in the dish. This results in a healthy and tasty Instant Pot pasta dish – no matter what you variety you of pasta dish you decide to make.

Instant Pot Pasta with sausage and parsley garnish in a white bowl with a salad and fork on the side

Enjoy this Instant Pot pasta recipe. When we first made this, our two year old boy ate three servings, so we know it’s a winner!

overhead of Instant Pot Pasta with sausage in a white bowl and a salad on the side
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Instant Pot Pasta With Sausage

This Instant Pot pasta with sausage is one of our all-time favorites. 
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Instant Pot Release and Resting Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author Candace

Equipment

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Turn Instant Pot to sautee and add sausages. Cook until browned and remove from Instant Pot.
  • Put broth, cream, garlic powder, pepper and macaroni pasta in Instant Pot, making sure macaroni is covered by liquid (no need to stir). Add sausage on top of noodles.
  • Using Manual setting, set for 3 minutes. Once complete, natural release for 3 minutes, then quick release.
  • Stir well. Add sauce to macaroni and sausage and stir.
  • Add about ¼ of the cheese and stir until combined. Repeat until all cheese is incorporated. Allow to rest for 3 minutes to thicken then serve! Add parsley garnish if desired.

Notes

If it seems like it has curdled, with a good stir, it will be perfect.
Because the Instant Pot is hot (from cooking the sausage), this recipe takes only 3 minutes for perfectly cooked macaroni (for macaroni with a cook time of 7-8 minutes).
Other types of pasta may take different amounts of time.
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Nutrition Information

Calories: 500 | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 1100mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 955IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 1.6mg

Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American

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overhead of Instant Pot Pasta with sausage and parsley garnish in a white bowl with a kale salad and fork on the side

close up of Instant Pot Pasta with Sausage on a fork
close up of Instant Pot Pasta with Sausage in a white bowl garnished with parsley
Instant Pot Pasta with Sausage in a white bowl, Instant Pot Pasta with Sausage on a fork

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About the author

I am a wife, mother of two, and professional accountant. I love fantastic food, and it is so often the center of our lives, from everyday dinner, to family gatherings, and special evenings at fabulous restaurants. I have always loved cooking and baking, with my mom and grandma, and now, with my daughter and son. I love trying new recipes while enjoying my favorites too. I’m so happy to share them with you.
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  1. 5 stars
    I made it a little different (took the sausage out of the skin), added in some reduced wine and left out the mozzarella… was amazing! Also cooked on the stove as I don’t have a pressure cooker.

  2. 5 stars
    I can’t wait to make this, I have been looking for more Instant Pot recipes since I got mine for Christmas! Thank you so much!