20-Min Creamy Tomato Pasta (2024)

Don't we all love a bowl of pasta with tomato cream sauce? Everyone needs this delicious, comforting, and satisfying pasta in their dinner rotation. This easy Instant Pot Pasta is ready in under 20 minutes and is something the whole family will enjoy!

This simple Italian recipe is perfect for those days when you don't feel like chopping vegetables or washing extra dishes. The kid-friendly dish uses basic pantry ingredients that are simply layered in the Instant Pot. Top with some freshly grated parmesan for a restaurant-quality vegetarian meal that will be ready in no time.

Note: Original post published in July 2018 has been updated with new photos and a video.

EASY 20-Minute Pasta Dinner

Tomato cream sauce pasta can be prepared by novice as well as expert cooks. It perfectly fits my goal of enabling everyone to cook!This month I was approached by several mothers requesting cooking lessons for their teenagers.The more I understood how hectic and crazy their college schedules could be, the more I continued to develop simple recipes.

This recipe is created with the purpose, that making sure that all of us can put together a quick meal that is fast, inexpensive, and yet satisfying. I am so proud that this creamy tomato pasta has now become so popular not only with teenagers but with their families as well.

Basic Ingredients

• Pasta - I have used penne pasta in this recipe but you can use any shape including gluten-free pasta
• Sauce - Marinara sauce or use your favorite jarred tomato sauce
• Cream - Heavy whipping cream adds the perfect creaminess to this pasta and you can also substitute it with coconut cream or cashew cream

Tips to make perfect Instant Pot pasta

1. Make sure that most of the pasta is submerged in liquids
2. Pressure cook time = Half the cooking time on the box minus 1 minute
3. Always layer thicker liquids like tomato sauce on top
4. Quick-release after the pressure cooking cycle is complete
5. Always stir in cream, cheese, etc after the pressure cooking cycle

How to Make The Best Creamy Tomato Pasta

Step 1: Add pasta to the Instant Pot, add broth, and water.Layer garlic powder, red chili pepper, salt, and tomato sauce. Make sure to push all the pasta under liquids (photos 1 - 4).

Step 2: Close the Instant Pot lid and Pressure cook. Quick Release and then stir in the cream, grated parmesan, and basil or parsley (photos 5 - 8).

Serving

Serve pasta with a side of Air Fried Garlic Broccoli or String beans or Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Pair it with the Instant Pot Fudgy Brownies or Almond Flour Brownies for a fun meal that the entire family will enjoy.

Variations

• Saute fresh garlic and half a cup of diced onions in olive oil before adding the pasta
• Stir in a cup of frozen peas after the pressure-cooking cycle
• Stir in a handful of fresh or frozen chopped spinach or kaleafter the pressure-cooking cycle
• Use milk instead of heavy cream to lighten up the dish
• To make the pasta spicy, add extra red chili flakes or skip them altogether for a non-spicy pasta

Recipe

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