Pesto pasta is just as versatile as it is flavorful. Make it in your Instant Pot for a quick and filling Vegetarian main course or as a tasty side dish to pair with your favorite protein.

Pesto Pasta served on a square white plate

Why This Will Be Your New Go-To Vegetarian Dish

Fast. A tasty main course that is ready in under 30 minutes.
Easy. Prep the pesto, toss the noodles and water in your Instant Pot, cook, and mix it all together before serving!
Vegetarian. A wonderfully flavorful vegetarian dinner or tasty side dish.

Ingredients To Grab

The ingredient list for this recipe is so simple, you likely won't even have to run to the grocery store to grab anything. Scan over this list to make sure you have everything before getting started:

Rigatoni- You can switch up the pasta in this dish to utilize the pasta you may already have in your pantry. Just remember that cooking times for pasta vary in the Instant Pot. A good rule of thumb is to take the amount of time it says it takes to cook it on the stovetop, divide that time in half, and add one minute to the Instant Pot cooking time
Heavy Cream- Adds a velvety texture and helps the pesto coat the outside edges of all of the pasta.
Olive Oil- This works as the base of the pesto and prevents the noodles from sticking together.
Parmesan Cheese- Adds saltiness and helps bind the pesto ingredients. Plus, who doesn't love a little bit of cheese every so often?
Pesto- Make my delicious Pesto recipe ahead of time to serve with this delicious pasta and keep the leftovers to enjoy with a different meal.

How To Make Pesto Pasta

This Pesto Pasta dish is so simple, you'll wonder why you haven't made it before! Not only is it a breeze to whip up, but it's also all made in one pan, so cleanup is done in a flash!

Add the pasta and water to the Instant Pot.
Close the lid and make sure the valve is set to "sealing".
Press the "manual" or "pressure cook" button and set the timer for 4 minutes.
Once the cooking time is complete, do a quick pressure release by carefully turning the valve to "venting".
Open the lid and drain any excess water from the pasta.
Add the pesto, grated parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper to the Instant Pot with the pasta.
Stir everything together until the pasta is coated in the pesto and cheese.
Serve and enjoy!

Pesto Pasta served on a white plate with a basil garnish

Variations

Add more veggies. Pesto is delicious on so many things, from pasta to vegetables. To boost the nutrients in this dish, grab your favorite veggies, throw them in a steamer bag, and stir them into the cooked pasta with pesto sauce.
Pack in some protein. If you're not living a Vegetarian lifestyle, this dish is a great base recipe to use up any leftover protein you may have. Stir in leftover rotisserie chicken, salmon, or steak.
Make it creamy. As you're stirring the pesto into the pasta, add a splash of heavy cream to turn this Pesto Pasta into a creamy version!

What To Serve With Pesto Pasta

The same side dishes you love to serve alongside your other favorite Italian pasta dishes pair exceptionally well with this Pesto Pasta! Here are a few of my favorite pairings for you to try:

How Long Does It Last?

You have to love a great pasta dish. It is one of the best comfort foods and makes for some of the best leftovers. The longer it sits, the more flavor the pasta absorbs from the pesto.

So, don't fret if you have quite a bit of this Pesto Pasta leftover. Store any you have in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 3-4 days of preparing it.

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes

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