Instant Pot penne pasta with sausage and peppers is a delicious one pot dinner. This pressure cooker pasta recipe is perfect for busy weeknights! This Instant Pot Pasta with tomato cream sauce can be ready in 30 minutes with just 10 minutes hands-on time.
Select Saute mode 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 the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
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. Remove the inner pot from the base to keep the pasta from cooking further.
Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan and parsley, and crushed red pepper, if using.
Stovetop Instructions
Make the marinara sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté briefly. Stir in crushed tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in sugar, dried basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for another 15 minutes. [See Note 1]
Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain and set aside.
Brown sausage in 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, for about 5 minutes. Deglaze as needed.
Add bell pepper and sauté until crisp-tender.
Deglaze with white wine, simmering until the liquid is nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Stir in pasta, 2 cups marinara sauce, and cream. Simmer until heated through. Add more sauce to taste.
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.
Note 1:The sugar adds a nice balance to the flavor of the tomatoes, but feel free to leave it out or add some grated carrots.
Note 2: Substitute a jar of marinara sauce for the crushed tomatoes, if you wish. Adjust the salt accordingly.
Note 3: Add 12 ounces of pasta for a thicker dish and less sauce.
To lighten the dish, you could substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream.
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