This tasty Instant Pot Penne with Sausage in Tomato Cream Sauce is a quick and easy recipe perfect for busy weeknights. The best part about this recipe is that the pasta and sauce are cooked together, from scratch. So there’s no need for jar pasta sauce.
[This post was first published in February 2017 and was one of my first Instant Pot recipes! It was completely updated in February 2019 with new photographs and modified instructions to help you avoid the Burn message.]
Table of Contents
Introduction
Can you cook pasta in a pressure cooker? The answer is a resounding ‘yes.’ And it’s so convenient because everything gets done in one pot. This is one of the first recipes I developed when I first got my Instant Pot.
The really interesting thing about cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is that you don’t drain the pasta water. You pressure cook the pasta, and the cooking water gets absorbed into the dish.
You may be familiar with stovetop pasta recipes where reserved pasta water is added at the end to make the dish creamier. Well, that’s essentially what happens when you pressure cook the pasta, except you use less water and all of it gets incorporated.
I combined two different stovetop recipes – Homemade Pasta Sauce and Penne Pasta with Sausage – to make this recipe.
On a really busy day, you can make a homemade Instant Pot sausage pasta recipe within 30 minutes from scratch (no jar sauce in sight!) and the hands-on time is less than about 10 minutes. This recipe easily feeds four people.
Here are some other Instant Pot Pasta recipes you might like to try out!
– Instant Pot Garlic Shrimp Pasta
– Instant Pot Vegetarian Rigatone Bolognese
– Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup
– Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Tips and Substitutions
Flavor
If you like things spicy, add extra crushed red pepper or use spicy Italian sausage. I do both when I make this recipe.
The recipe gives you the option of using broth or water. Using broth makes the penne more flavorful because the broth is absorbed by the penne.
Pasta
To avoid the Burn error message, add the pasta at the end right before pressure cooking and don’t stir it. Just push down on it with a spatula until the pasta is submerged in the liquid.
Penne, farfalle, and ziti would all work for this recipe but you may need to change the cooking time. The rule of thumb for pasta cooking times is to take the cooking time on the box, divide by 2 and add 1. e.g. if the pasta stovetop cooking time is listed as 8 minutes, the Instant Pot cooking time for the pasta would be 5 minutes (8 divided by 2 = 4; 4 + 1 = 5)
Cream
Substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream to make the recipe healthier. Keep in mind that you will sacrifice some flavor!
Substitute cream cheese or mascarpone cheese for the cream to get a creamier consistency and different flavor.
Parmesan
For maximum flavor, try to use good quality, freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Meat
If you want to substitute chicken for the Italian sausage, use boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces. Or use chicken sausage. Keep the pressure cooking time the same.
You can make the recipe meatier by adding another 1/4 lb of sausage.
Crushed Tomatoes
The recipe calls for a large can of crushed tomatoes. That makes this dish have a pretty strong tomato flavor. The reason for this is that the cream balances out the tomatoes. If you want to reduce the tomato flavor, use 1/2 to 3/4 can e.g. if you’re using less cream.
The tomatoes are also added at the end and not stirred. Again, this is to help avoid getting the Burn error message.
Sweetness
The recipe adds a touch of sugar to balance out the sourness of the tomatoes. You can substitute sugar with some grated carrots, which add sweetness.
Releasing Pressure
Doing a quick release (QR) of pressure when cooking pasta can result in food particles spewing out of the steam release valve. When releasing pressure, do it in bursts.
This means you release steam for 1 second and stop. Repeat multiple times until the steam coming out is less forceful. At that point, you can release the remaining pressure in a steady stream.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, please read the Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Quick Start Guide, Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Quick Start Guide, or Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus Beginner’s Quick Start Guide first and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.
Instant Pot Pasta with Sausage – Ingredients
- Penne pasta
- Salt
- Cream
- Bell peppers
- Parsley
- Dried basil and oregano
- Garlic
- Parmesan
- Sugar
- Crushed tomato
- Onion
- Black pepper
- White wine
- Olive oil
- Sausage
How to Make Penne with Sausage in the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)
- Turn on Saute mode
- Saute sausage
- Saute onions and garlic
- Add spices and pasta
- Pressure cook the sausage and pasta
- Quick-release pressure
- Stir cream and parsley
Turn on ‘Saute’ Mode
- Instant Pot DUO: Select the Saute function.
- Instant Pot ULTRA: Select the Saute function and press Start.
Saute Sausage
- Once the inner pot has preheated, add oil to the inner pot and let it heat up.
- Add sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
- If the sausage browns too quickly, press Cancel until the Instant Pot cools down a bit and select Saute again. Deglaze as needed with a tablespoon of broth.
Saute Onions and Garlic
- Add the onions and saute until translucent.
- Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Deglaze with white wine, stirring until the liquid has nearly evaporated.
- Press Cancel to turn Instant Pot off.
Add Spices and Pasta
- Add in bell pepper, sugar, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and broth or water. Stir to combine.
- Add tomatoes and pasta on top, but don’t stir in.
- Gently push down with a spatula till the pasta is submerged. This helps avoid the Burn message.
Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 5 minutes
- Close the lid and make sure steam release handle is in ‘Sealing’ position
- Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and + or – until the display reads ‘5′ (5 minutes).
Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 5 minutes
- Close the lid.
- Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 5 minutes (00:05).
- Press Start.
Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)
- Instant Pot display will change to On.
- Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
- The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display ‘L0:00’ or ’00 00′ and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.
How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the DUO
- Move the steam release handle to Venting. Steam will come out of the steam release handle.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the ULTRA
- Press down on the Steam Release Button until it locks into place, and steam begins to come out of the Steam Release Valve.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
[Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]
Pro Tip
For some foods such as noodles, I find it helpful to release the steam in small bursts: less than 1-second intervals. Once the steam coming out is less forceful, I release the remaining pressure in a steady stream. Read more about the different pressure release methods.
Stir in Cream and Parsley
- There might seem to be more liquid than you’d like, but don’t worry, the liquid will get absorbed by the pasta as it rests.
- Carefully stir in cream.
- Select Saute and simmer the pasta and sauce for a couple of minutes until heated through.
- Let the Instant Pot pasta rest for a few minutes and it will thicken up.
- Sprinkle each serving with grated parmesan, parsley, and crushed red pepper (if using).
Instant Pot Pasta | Penne with Sausage in Tomato Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage – casing removed, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 Tbsp garlic – minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup bell peppers – 1 inch cubes
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt – or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth – or water
- 28 oz. (1 can) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 lb dry penne pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- parmesan cheese – shredded
- Chopped parsley to garnish
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper – or to taste, optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Select 'Saute' and add oil to inner pot of Instant Pot.
- Add sausage, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Break up the sausage if the pieces are too large. (If the sausage browns too quickly, press 'Cancel' until the Instant Pot cools down a bit and select 'Saute' again.)
- Add onions and garlic. Stir until onion is translucent.
- Deglaze pot with white wine, stirring until liquid has nearly evaporated.
- Turn off Instant Pot.
- Stir in bell peppers, sugar, dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and broth or water.
- Add in the tomatoes and pasta. Don't stir but just gently push down to submerge in the liquid.
- Close Instant Pot Lid, and make sure steam release handle is in the ‘Sealing’ position.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Do a Quick Release of steam, and open the Instant Pot.
- Select 'Saute'.
- Stir in cream and simmer the pasta for a couple of minutes until heated through.
- Turn off Instant Pot and if desired, let the pasta rest for a few minutes to absorb any remaining liquid.
- Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan and parsley, and crushed red pepper, if using.
Notes
- Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. chopped onions, minced garlic, diced chicken, etc.
- To lighten the dish, you could substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream.
- The sugar adds a nice balance to the flavor of the tomatoes, but feel free to leave it out or add some grated carrots.
- See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips.
Nutrition
I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
If you loved this recipe, please give it a five ⭐ rating in the comment section below and please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!
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Nick
Maybe a pound and a half of meat, but very good dish
Paint the Kitchen Red
Great to hear, Nick, and thank you for commenting and rating the recipe!
Cate
I made some changes to double the recipe and it came out amazing!! I’ll post the changes in case anyone is looking to double it. I used 2 lbs of sausage, one hot one sweet and 1 lb of pasta. I doubled all the spices, kept the tomato amount the same, and just added an extra cup of water before starting the pressure cook. I cooked for 6 min but I think 5 would’ve been fine! When it was done I only put a dash of cream in, some extra asiago and Romano along with the parm and stirred in a whole bag of spinach to let it wilt. So so awesome, will definitely be making again!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Cate, thanks so much for your comment – so glad that you liked the recipe! And thanks also for giving details on how you doubled the recipe. I’m sure others will find the info helpful. Spinach sounds like a healthy addition.
Tara
How big are the servings (½ cup, ¾ cup…)?
What size Instant Pot did you use?
Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Tara, your second question is easy – 6 quart. Your first question is harder, because it’s the whole quantity divided into 6 equal servings – I would guess it’s about 1 cup.
Theresa
I’ve made this dish four times now. One time I substituted the heavy cream for something lighter and it didn’t taste the same. I made this for my mother when she came over once and she said it was the best Italian dish she’s ever had. It’s definitely a favorite in our house!! I’ve shared this recipe with so many people who own instapots.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Theresa, thanks for the feedback; that’s so great to hear! I’m glad you enjoyed the pasta recipe and thank you for spreading the word – that means so much to me!
Laurie Donahoo
Wow! Just made this today and it was super easy and amazingly delicious! I made it in the 8 qt and kept waiting for the burn notice…it never came. I used the half n half instead of heavy cream. Great recipe! Family approved.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Laurie, I’m happy to hear your family liked the recipe and glad you escaped a burn error! I use half and half sometimes too 🙂
Laura
I made this tonight. Very easy to put together. I used a heartier Italian pasta I picked up from HomeGoods ( ‘e Fidanzati Capresi ). I’ve used this pasta before and it took a very long time to boil so I added 5 minutes to the cook time (just in case)………. The extra 5 minutes worked! Pasta was Aldente, heavy cream at the end made it smooth and lushous. It’s a beautiful dish and it came out perfectly. The taste, OMG AMAZING ! I will be doing this again!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Awesome, Laura! Thanks for the info, it might be useful to other readers who use the same type of pasta. The rule of thumb is divide the stovetop cook time by 2 and add one minute.
Brittany
I made my own version of this recipe tonight. I didn’t use a pepper, used 4 oz cream cheese and 2 cups heavy cream. I also addrd a can of petite diced tomatoes. The sauce was SO delicious but I was disappointed with how soggy the pasta turned out. I used cavatappi so maybe I shouldn’t have cooked it as long. It still was totally delicious and my boyfriend LOVED it (I’m just really picky about how my pasta is cooked :))
Paint the Kitchen Red
Brittany, it could be that your Instant Pot runs hotter than mine, the type of pasta you used needed to be cooked less or it could be that you just like your paste more al dente. I think next time, you could easily reduce the pressure cooking time by 1 minute. The general rule of pressure cooking pasta is to take the cooking time on the box, divide by 2, and add a minute. If you end up with a fraction, round down. Hope you’ll give it another shot. Thanks for your feedback.
Kathy
Very good. I’ve made a few IP pasta recipes with mixed results, but this one was great. Added a few spoonfuls of tomato paste to make a richer sauce, but great recipe!!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks, Kathy! Yes, I can see how tomato paste would make it bolder. Glad you liked the recipe.
Jon Bassinger-Flores
Made this tonight and it’s delicious! I halved the salt and used mild sausage. The sauce is plentiful…maybe I’ll reduce the water to one cup next time. Any thoughts about doing that?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Jon, the main concern is that you need enough water or broth to cook the pasta and have it be covered AND for the food to not stick to the bottom (so you prevent sealing issues). I would experiment: try 1 1/4 cup next time and see how it goes for you. I find that letting the pasta rest for some time usually thickens it up. Thanks for your comment.
Meaghan Knowles
I loved loved the flavours in this dish! I got the Instant Pot Max for Christmas and tried this recipe with that. Although I adored the flavours my pasta was really mushy as were the peppers. I wonder if 5 min on pressure cook in the IP Max was too much? Going to try to reduce the time next time!
Thank you – flavours were great!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks, Meaghan, for taking the time to comment. I think your instinct is correct. I believe that the Max reaches a slightly higher PSI for high pressure. I would experiment with a basic recipe and then you can adjust by a certain percentage for all recipes (if that makes sense?)
Brittany
I totally agree- 5 minutes was way too long when I made this…pasta was so mushy but flavor was delicious. I am using the instant pot nova plus.
JIM BASTING
Fantastic Made it for many guests and have given the recipe to many.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Jim, thank you so much for spreading the word! And thanks for commenting.
Elise
Made the pasta with Italian sausage, peppers and penne. I already had roasted and peeled peppers and used mini penne so cooked for 4 minutes. It came out perfectly.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Elise, thanks for your comment and review and for sharing your modifications!
John
I made your red beans and rice recipe last Sunday, and tried this one today. Both were so good! I’m so glad I found your site! Clearly, “Paint the Kitchen Red Sunday” is going to have to be a tradition in my house so I can try all of your recipes. Thanks!
Christine Winters
I made this for dinner tonight. I didn’t have the sausage so used ground beef and followed the recipe exactly as printed. I couldn’t believe how easy it was and it turned out great. This recipe is a keeper. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you, Christine. I’m glad you found me and I hope you like my other recipes!
linda mcintosh
how do you cook this on the stove if you don’t have a instant pot …thanks
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Linda – this is an adaptation of a stove top recipe. I use this sauce.
– Cook 1/2 lb pasta separately
– Saute sausage and veggies
– Add herbs and spices (optional since sauce has all these spices and herbs)
– In a separate saucepan, heat 1.5 cups of sauce and .5 cup cream
– Add sauce and cooked pasta to sausage mixture
– Garnish
Enjoy!
linda mcintosh
so good and thank you so much
Paint the Kitchen Red
You’re welcome, Linda!
Theresa Spreiter
Hi sorry if this has been asked already but there were a lot of comments. Do you put the uncooked pasta in after the first pressure cook and then pressure cook again? Or put cooked pasta in and let it boil a bit? Or put uncooked pasta in and boil?
To me it sounds like the third option from your directions but I feel like that wouldn’t cook the pasta.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Theresa, your guess was right. You put in uncooked pasta, and it will pressure cook for 5 minutes. And yes, it will cook 🙂 Good luck!
J
Very easy and tasty recipe! Makes plenty and even enough for leftovers!😋
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Cierra
Delicious! I mixed in some chopped spinach and mozzarella cheese at the end. My 2 year old twins couldn’t shovel it into their mouths fast enough!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hi Cierra – thanks for taking the time to comment. It’s always a good day when I hear that kids love my recipes because I know (from experience) how picky they can be at times 🙂
Karen Smidt
This was easy to make. Tastes great! I added 1/2 c of water when I added pasta. This recipe was great because I’m diabetic and many are too high in carbs, fat, and calories. It fit into my meal plan ?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks, Karen, for your comment – I’m so glad you liked it.
Donna
You might want to check the pictures on your pins. Several have the coq au von picture, including this pin.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thank you Donna – that’s so kind of you to take the time to let me know! Pinterest can be buggy sometimes, or I’ve made a mistake – I’ll take a look.
John
Wow! This was a big hit with everyone in our family. Even our picky 10 year old. One thing – is there a typo in the recipe? It says “1 tbsp” of garlic, but the picture looks more like 1 teaspoon and you usually follow the convention of capitalizing the ‘T’ for tablespoons (i.e. Tbsp).
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hey John, good catch! It is tablespoon, I’ll capitalize the T. For my tastes, 1 tsp of garlic does nothing especially in the pressure cooker 🙂 I’m glad you liked the recipe.