This Instant Pot Pesto Pasta is an easy, dump-and-go pasta dish made with just 5 ingredients and ready in 20 minutes. It’s surprisingly flavorful, comforting, and totally satisfying.
If you are looking for more easy instant pot pasta dishes, try my instant pot penne alla vodka or the instant pot shrimp pasta recipe next!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Instant Pot Pesto Pasta Recipe
🕒 Ready In: ~20 minutes
👪 Serves: 3 Servings
🧑🍳 Main Ingredients: penne pasta, basil pesto, chicken stock, half-and-half and seasonings.
📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, meatless
📌 Difficulty: Easy, dump-and-go pasta dish
Why you’ll love this instant pot pesto pasta?
I can confidently say this basil pesto pasta is one of the simplest yet most flavorful dishes you’ll ever make. Just add everything to the pressure cooker and let it do the work—no complicated steps. With only 5 ingredients and minimal cleanup, it’s ready in about 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy days or when you just want something easy.
As the pasta cooks in the pressure cooker, the starchy liquid creates a naturally creamy sauce. And don’t let the simplicity fool you—this dish is full of flavor. The key is using bold ingredients like good-quality basil pesto and chicken stock, which bring everything together beautifully.
- maria doss
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Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Pasta – I used penne pasta in this recipe, as with all our penne pasta recipes. However, you can also use any medium-sized pasta such as fusilli, farfalle, rigatoni, or even spaghetti.
- Pesto sauce – I prefer using store-bought pesto from Costco. Of course, you can use your favorite brand or make it homemade if you prefer.
- Half & Half - We use a full cup of half and half. For a richer dish, you can substitute heavy cream, or opt for a lighter version by using one cup of whole milk instead.
- Stock - I use 33% reduced sodium chicken stock. Adjust the salt if you are using regular sodium stock.
- Red pepper flakes - A dash of red pepper flakes adds a subtle heat that enhances the flavor, but feel free to omit it if you prefer.
Tips for Success
- Salt - The amount of salt needed may vary based on the type of stock and pesto sauce you use. I used 33% reduced sodium chicken stock and added 1 teaspoon of salt. However, feel free to adjust the salt to suit your taste preferences.
- Pasta - You can use other pasta shapes such as fusilli, farfalle, rigatoni, or spaghetti instead of penne.
- Stock - Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock to keep it vegetarian.
More Instant Pot Pasta Ideas
Instant Pot Pesto Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Half & half (use whole milk for a lighter version)
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock (I used 33% reduced sodium chicken stock)
- ½ cup basil pesto
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt refer notes
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 ounces Penne pasta
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except the pasta into the instant pot. Stir well to combine.
- Add the pasta on top and gently press it down with the back of a spoon so it’s mostly submerged in the sauce. DO NOT STIR after adding the pasta.
- Close the instant pot, making sure that the valve is set to seal. Cook on manual for 5 minutes. Let it be in warm mode for an additional 5 minutes.
- Release pressure, give a good stir and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
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Step 9 - Release pressure, open and give a good stir. Serve hot!
🌿 If you are looking for more ways to use jar pesto, then try my creamy chicken pesto pasta or the rotisserie chicken pesto pasta salad next!
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Hi, I’m Maria! I share easy, flavor-packed dinners, high-protein meals, and irresistible baking ideas. If you’ve ever asked, “Don’t know what to cook tonight?” you’re in the right place. And yes—there’s plenty here for breakfast, snacks, and dessert too. More about maria ->
Anitha
Thank you Hema for this quick fix recipe. Serves perfectly to box for school-lunch for my 3 kids. I tried with whole milk instead of heavy cream, and it came out just as creamy I'd wanted it to be.
Michael Reid
This looks great going to try this one