Imagine a mouthwatering Italian dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes, packed with flavor and minimal cleanup. This Instant Pot Italian Sausage and Pasta recipe is your ticket to a restaurant-quality meal without leaving your kitchen. Perfectly browned Italian sausage, al dente pasta, and rich marinara sauce combine to create a one-pot wonder that will have your family begging for seconds!
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups penne pasta
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Remove Italian sausage from casings and break into small pieces. Pat sausage dry with paper towels to ensure proper browning.
- Set Instant Pot to "Sauté" mode and add sausage. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned and no longer pink. Break larger chunks into smaller pieces while cooking.
- Add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the browned sausage. Stir to distribute seasonings evenly.
- Add uncooked penne pasta directly into the Instant Pot on top of the sausage.
- Pour marinara sauce and water over the pasta, ensuring pasta is mostly submerged. Do not stir at this point to prevent pasta from sticking.
- Close Instant Pot lid, set valve to sealing position, and select "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" mode. Cook on high pressure for 5-6 minutes.
- Once cooking cycle completes, perform a quick release by carefully turning the pressure valve to "Venting".
- Open lid and stir pasta thoroughly to combine with sausage and sauce. Let sit for 2-3 minutes to allow sauce to thicken.
- Serve hot in individual bowls, garnishing with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Optional: Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or basil for added freshness and color.
Tips
- Pat the sausage dry before browning to ensure a beautiful golden-brown color and maximum flavor development.
- Do not stir the pasta when adding liquid - this helps prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Use fresh, high-quality marinara sauce for the best results. Homemade is great, but a good store-bought sauce works perfectly too.
- For extra richness, consider using a mix of mild and spicy Italian sausage.
- Allow the dish to rest for a few minutes after cooking to let the sauce thicken and flavors meld together.
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese is key - avoid pre-grated cheese for the best taste and texture.
- If you prefer a lighter version, you can use turkey Italian sausage instead of traditional pork sausage.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 630kcal
Carbohydrates: 60g
Protein: 27g
Fat: 25g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 70mg
