5 ingredient pasta recipe made in instant pot!!! It cannot get easier than this Instant pot pasta with pesto cream sauce. Quick, kid friendly creamy pesto pasta that is fabulous for lunch or weeknight dinner served with steamed or roasted veggies.

We are beginning the new year with a brand new series of 5 ingredient recipes.
We kick start the series with my favorite purchase of 2019 - The Instant Pot. It is probably the case for many of you as well. It is such a game changer! My favorite part of the instant pot is cooking pasta in it. No more boiling pasta separately.
Let us chat about this Pasta with pesto cream sauce in instant pot. It is
- Dump and go instant pot pasta recipe
- Requires only 5 ingredients
- Insanely easy
- Fast
- Easy clean up
- Vegetarian
- Kid friendly
The 5 ingredients in this 5 ingredient pasta recipe:
Bow tie pasta
Basil pesto
Chicken stock
Heavy cream
Red pepper flakes
Though the ingredient list is very short, It promises huge flavor since we are using ingredients like basil pesto and chicken stock for packing a punch.
How to make this Instant pot pasta with pesto cream sauce?
Step-1: Add all ingredients into an Instant pot and give a good stir.
Step-2: Cover and cook.
Step-3: Open lid, stir and serve.
Done and DONE.
I told ya, easy peasy.
Serve hot with cheesy broccoli for side.
How can you serve this pasta recipe with 5 ingredients or less?
Serve with some steamed or roasted veggies and/or garlic bread / Soft Garlic Knots for dinner.
Pack for school lunch with baby carrots / sugar snap peas / sliced cucumber, fruit and mixed nuts. Click here for more Lunch Box Recipes that are not boring.
How can I make creamy pesto pasta with chicken?
Turn Instant pot to saute mode. Add a splash of olive oil when hot. Place chopped chicken thighs or breast in single layer. Cook until it gets some color, stir, add all other ingredients, press cancel and cook according to instructions in the recipe.
Instant Pot Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce ( 5 ingredient recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken stock (I used 33% reduced sodium chicken stock)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup basil pesto
- 1 to 2 pinches red pepper flakes
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt, refer notes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces Bow tie pasta
Instructions
- Add all ingredients (except pasta) into the Instant pot and stir well to combine. Place pasta evenly on top (DO NOT STIR), pressing gently so the pasta is immersed in the liquid. Close and lock lid (making sure that valve is set to sealing). Select manual setting (or pressure cooker) for 8 minutes.
- When 8 minutes is done, turn valve to venting, to release pressure. Open lid, 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.
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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.