Pesto Pasta.  Pesto Pasta Is As Versatile As It Is Tasty

Pesto Pasta. Pesto Pasta Is As Versatile As It Is Tasty

Pastas

Pesto Pasta. Pesto pasta is as versatile as it is delicious. Make it in your Instant Pot for a quick and satisfying vegetarian main dish or as a tasty side dish to pair with your favorite protein.

Why this will be your new favorite vegetarian dish

  • Fast. A tasty main dish that is ready in less than 30 minutes.
  • Easy. Prepare the pesto, throw the pasta and water in your Instant Pot, cook and mix everything together before serving!
  • Vegetarian. A wonderfully flavorful vegetarian dinner or savory side dish.

Ingredients for Pesto Pasta

The ingredient list for this recipe is so simple that you probably won’t even need to run to the grocery store to buy anything. Review this list to ensure you have everything before you begin:

  • rigatoni- You can change the pasta in this dish to use pasta you already have in the pantry. Just remember that pasta cooking times vary in the Instant Pot. A good rule of thumb is to take the time it takes to cook it on the stove, divide that time in half, and add a minute to the Instant Pot cooking time.
  • Sour cream- Adds a velvety texture and helps the pesto coat the outer edges of the entire dough.
  • Olive Oil- Works as the base for the pesto and prevents the pasta from sticking.
  • Parmesan cheese- Adds salt and helps bind the pesto ingredients together. Plus, who doesn’t love a little cheese every now and then?
  • Pesto- Make my delicious Pesto recipe in advance to serve with this delicious pasta and save 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 didn’t make it sooner! Not only is it easy to prepare, but it’s all made in one pan, so cleanup is a snap!

  1. Add the pasta and water to the Instant Pot.
  2. Close the lid and make sure the valve is set to “sealing”.
  3. Press the “manual” or “pressure cook” button and set the timer for 4 minutes.
  4. Once the cooking time is complete, do a quick pressure release by carefully turning the valve to “venting”.
  5. Open the lid and drain the excess water from the pasta.
  6. Add the pesto, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper to the Instant Pot with the pasta.
  7. Stir everything until the pasta is covered in pesto and cheese.
  8. Serve and enjoy!
Pesto pasta served on a white plate with basil garnish

Pesto pasta variations

  • Add more vegetables. Pesto is delicious on so many things, from pasta to vegetables. To boost the nutrients in this dish, take your favorite vegetables, throw them in a steamer bag, and toss 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 basic recipe to use up any leftover protein you may have. Add leftover roast chicken, salmon or steak.
  • Make it creamy. While mixing the pesto into the pasta, add some cream to transform this pesto pasta into a creamy version!

What to serve with pesto pasta

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

How long does this last?

You have to love a great pasta dish. It’s 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 worry if you have some of that Pesto pasta leftover. Store whatever you have in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 3 to 4 days of preparation.

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes

If you love this Pesto Pasta as much as we do, be sure to share the recipe with your friends on Facebook and Instagram so they can try it too! Don’t forget to Pin it so you can do it again soon.

Pesto Pasta served on a white square plate

Pesto Pasta | Instant Vegetarian Pasta with Pesto Recipe

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 4 minutes

Total time: 9 minutes

Course: Core Courses

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: instant pesto pasta, pesto pasta, vegetarian pesto pasta

Servings: 4

Calories: 434kcal

Click on the highlighted ingredients or equipment to see exactly what I use to make this recipe

Instructions

  • 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 the excess water from the pasta.
  • Add the pesto, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper to the Instant Pot with the pasta.
  • Stir everything until the pasta is covered in pesto and cheese.
  • Serve and enjoy!

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Nutrition

Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 21g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

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