Pressure Cooker ("One Pot") Pasta

[Mother Fussbudget]

When I started the journey to FIRE, my three sons wanted to go to Olive Garden for "Endless Pasta Bowl".  I told them we could have a BETTER "endless pasta bowl" right at home!

They were skeptical, and asked me to prove it...

I came up with this!

In an electric pressure cooker:
Combine:
 - 2 cups of water
 - 1 package of frozen veggies (we like "frozen stir fry veggies")
 - add meatless meatballs (or the traditional meatballs)
 - 2/3 bottle of your favorite marina sauce
 - rinse the marinara bottle with 1 more cup of water, and pour this over the mixture.

Set the electric pressure cooker to cook for TWO (2) minutes.  While it boils and comes up to pressure, the pasta mostly cooks.  Once the steam seals the pot, everything cooks VERY quickly.  Once the timer goes off, release the steam manually.  Stir, and enjoy.

[For stovetop... bring to a boil.  Reduce to 'simmer'.  Cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally]

All The Best!
Mother Fussbudget

[Glenstache]

I'm always looking for a new easy instapot meal. How much pasta are you using in this recipe? Any feedback on if penne, rotini, spaghetti are preferred or to be avoided here?

[OzzieandHarriet]

I hope you don’t mind my jumping in here, but I have made one-pot pasta on the stove top, and when I do, I cook the sauce first and then add pasta and water and continue cooking for the recommended time for the pasta (usually about 10 minutes). This works better with short pasta shapes. Cooking any pasta for 25 minutes would turn it to mush.

[LD_TAndK]

Oh man I gotta try this and save myself some effort.

I've been joking recently most nights dinner is "just a simple ten pot meal tonight!"

[LD_TAndK]

Made this last night, it scalded in the instant pot so I'd make it on the stove next time. Overall not bad though and wow was it zero effort.

[uniwelder]

Made this last night, it scalded in the instant pot so I'd make it on the stove next time. Overall not bad though and wow was it zero effort.

How much dry pasta did you put in?  Were you following OP's instructions or something else you found online?

[LD_TAndK]

I used:
1 lb penne
2 lbs frozen meatballs (Overkill, should have used 1 lb)
20 oz frozen stir fry veggies
entire 24 oz jar of marinara
Probably 20 oz of water

I put the pasta on the bottom, then other ingredients over the top. I added water until it covered the pasta and didn't stir the pot, so the pasta was sitting on the bottom. My theory being I wanted the pasta to be sitting in water to ensure it cooked. It took about 40 minutes to get up to pressure and cook for 2 minutes.

The pasta was overcooked as well as the veggies. Stove top would work better to get the pasta done right (and not scorch the bottom) and can add the veggies later in the process.

[Rural]

I put the pasta on the bottom, then other ingredients over the top. I added water until it covered the pasta and didn't stir the pot, so the pasta was sitting on the bottom. My theory being I wanted the pasta to be sitting in water to ensure it cooked. It took about 40 minutes to get up to pressure and cook for 2 minutes.

Pasta shouldn't go on the bottom; it'll scorch every time. Meatballs on the bottom, and the whole thing works better with whole wheat pasta because it doesn't get soggy.


That said, pasta's objectively better on the stovetop. But it's not bad this way and is almost zero work, so it's good for when you're tired and just want food.

[rantk81]

I wouldn't make pasta in a pressure cooker.  I can't imagine one would get any control over the tenderness of it.  It's so fast and easy on the stove top in a pot of water anyway.

[GuitarStv]

I wouldn't make pasta in a pressure cooker.  I can't imagine one would get any control over the tenderness of it.  It's so fast and easy on the stove top in a pot of water anyway.

That's kinda what I'm thinking.  It takes me 15 minutes (tops) to make pasta in a pot of water and comes out perfect every time.

I could maybe see making some types of sauce this way to save time though.  (I usually time when ingredients go in my sauce though, so wouldn't do it myself but I can see how it might work for some.)