Instant Pot Cajun Pasta

Delicious instant pot pasta with a little kick! This cajun pasta is a savory twist on regular pasta. It’s quick, easy, and a family favorite!

Mastering instant pot recipes was one of the best things I’ve ever done. Instant pot chicken and potatoes, cheeseburger macaroni, and instant pot pot roast are on repeat at my house because they’re just so easy!

Why you’ll love this instant pot pasta

• This recipe is incredibly simple and is an easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love so it’s great for the meal planner! There are no crazy cooking skills required to make this cajun pasta. All you will need is basic ingredients, an instant pot, and only 30 minutes! Can you see why it’s one of my go-to easy family dinners?!
• So of my favorite instant pot recipes use tomato sauce. But what’s nice about this one is that it’s a nice switch from the typical meat sauce or marinara sauce pasta recipes!
• It’s easy to cater this recipe to anyone’s eating habits because it’s versatile. You can add celery, peppers, mushrooms, chicken sausage, or use a different type of pasta. To find more about substitutions and add-ins, keep scrolling!
• This is a relatively healthy dinner as-is and can also be healthified even more! This recipe has a serving of protein, carbs, and fat which makes it a great healthy family dinner. There are also simple steps to make this recipe even healthier, just keep scrolling!

Ingredient Checklist

• ½ Tbsp. Butter
• ½ Tbsp. Olive Oil
• ½ lb. Andouille Sausage (this would also be amazing in this sausage casserole!)
• ¼ cup Diced Celery
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Grated
• ½ Tbsp. Minced Onion
• ½ Tbsp. Paprika
• 1 Tbsp. Cajun Seasoning
• 2 Cups Chicken Broth
• 7 oz. Penne Pasta
• ½ cup Half and Half
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1/8 cup Fresh Parsley or basil

Step by step directions

You can find the full list of ingredients and full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, however I love to share tips along the way in case it’s helpful!

1. Heat your butter and oil using the sauté function on your instant pot. After
   your butter is melted, add sausage and celery and cook until your
   sausage is beginning to brown and your celery is soft (Image 1).
2. Add your minced onion, grated garlic, Cajun seasoning, and paprika to your
   pot and mix using a wooden spoon until the sausage and celery are coated.
3. Add your chicken broth and continue to cook while stirring occasionally until
   your chicken broth has reached a slow simmer.
4. Add pasta into your broth mixture, turn off the sauté function on
   your Instant Pot, place your pressure cooker lid on your pot, set the valve
   to the sealing position, and pressure cook on manual high pressure for 6 minutes (Image 2).
5. Once your pasta is done cooking, initiate a quick release on your Instant
   Pot. (“Quick release” or “manual release” means to turn the pressure valve to “vent” to release the steam and pressure. Natural release means to allow the Instant Pot to release the pressure on its own, which takes longer and typically makes the food cook longer inside, since it’s pressurizing for a longer time while naturally releasing.)
6. Once all the pressure has been released, remove the lid and quickly stir in
   your half and half and parmesan (Image 3).
7. Add parsley to the top of the pasta and serve (Image 4).

How to make this recipe healthier

There are a few easy things you can do to make this recipe slightly healthier. You can easily throw in veggies like bell peppers, mushrooms, and/or broccoli when you add in your pasta.

In addition to including more vegetables, you can also use chickpea pasta or another lentil pasta. These types of pasta are more nutrient-dense and have more protein than typical pasta. Those types of pasta cook the same as regular noodles and you can find them at most grocery stores. Or, feel free to use gluten-free pasta as well!

FAQs

How do I store leftover instant pot pasta?

This instant pot spaghetti recipe reheats so well and is great for leftovers the next day! To store this dish, simply put your leftovers in an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, you can add a splash of milk and parmesan cheese to the pasta and cook on the stove or reheat in the microwave. You could also add more pasta sauce if desired!

Substitutions and Add-ins

• Andouille sausage is a slightly spicy sausage that can be hard to find at the grocery store but you can easily swap that out with Polska Kielbasa sausage. For a healthier alternative, you can buy a turkey Polska Kielbasa-style sausage. Or, feel free to change up the meat totally and use ground beef, chicken, ground turkey or leftover meats from the night before!
• If you like your pasta thick, you can use cream instead of half and half. If you’d prefer to stay away from cream altogether, you can use any type of milk and a thickening agent like corn starch.
• I don’t know about you, but I ALWAYS top my pasta with shredded parmesan cheese and fresh basil. I think it gives this instant pot pasta extra flavor and texture which is always welcomed in my recipes!
• If you find that spicy pasta isn’t your favorite, you leave out the cajun seasoning and use seasonings such as garlic powder, paprika, parsley, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and/or onion powder. Simply add these spices along with the rest of the spices in this instant pot recipe.

More Instant Pot recipes

Instant Pot pasta recipes are are comforting, easy and usually a kid and family favorite, especially on busy weeknights. Here are more recipes that you’ll find helpful for busy nights!

• Another one of my go-to pressure cooker dinners is Instant Pot orange chicken. Not only do I love that recipe, but it’s kid-approved too! If you’re not a fan of orange chicken, instant pot pot roast is another great recipe.
• I love serving vegetables as a side dish and the instant pot does a wonderful job of cooking them fast and well. Instant pot spaghetti squash, green beans, and sweet potatoes are all on repeat at my house.