One-pot Penne in Tomato Cream sauce made in Instant Pot – A quick and easy meal, perfect for weeknights.  A favorite for both kids and adults, and a great option for gatherings.  It takes maximum 20 minutes from start to finish.  Pair it with a soup or salad for a perfect dinner.

Penne Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce in a white pasta bowl
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I have been using the pressure cooker for a long, long time. But before the instant pot, I never thought of cooking pasta in a pressure cooker.  

However, now that I have tried Instant Pot Pasta, it is hard to return. Perfectly cooked pasta in half the time and fewer dishes to do…it is a win-win for sure!

This is one of the first dishes I tried when I was an instant pot newbie 🙂

Step-by-Step Easy Instant Pot Penne Recipe

In this vegetarian pasta recipe, I used penne pasta and a store-bought jar of marinara sauce.  You can use any type of pasta, such as bowtie, ziti, etc.

 Also, use any type of tomato-based pasta sauce. However, choose the one with no or very, very minimal cheese.  As we are pressure-cooking the sauce and penne together in the pot, we don’t want the cheese in the sauce to get stuck at the bottom of the instant pot insert.  You can also choose to make the sauce at home.

Start the instant pot in sauté mode and add the marinara sauce.  Let it come to a boil.  Then add in any veggies of your choice.  I added green peas in the below images, but you can add others too, such as bell peppers or mushrooms. Stir in the penne. Now we are ready to pressure cook the penne.

Change the setting to manual mode for 4 minutes.  For al dente, cook for 1 minute, less than half the time recommended on the box.  Add one more minute for well-done pasta. For example, if the pasta box says 12 minutes, then I would pressure cook for 5 minutes.  I prefer to cook al dente and then add a minute or so on sauté mode if needed.

When the instant pot beeps, quick release the pressure manually.  Then stir in the cream and cheese to get the rich, creamy flavor.

Steps to make Penne Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce in the Instant Pot

The penne in tomato cream sauce is ready.  If it is not the exact consistency you like, change to sauté mode and cook for a couple of minutes.  It came out perfectly for me and I did not have to cook it any longer.

Instant pot Penne Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce garnished with basil leaves and parmesan cheese

Pair this Creamy Penne with a soup or salad.  Enjoy with a glass of wine 🙂

Penne Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce in a white bowl placed in front of the Instant Pot

Check out more instant pot pasta recipes

4.77 from 78 votes

Penne Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce – Instant Pot

One-pot Penne in Tomato Cream sauce made in Instant Pot – A quick and easy meal, perfect for weeknights.  A favorite for both kids and adults, and a great option for gatherings.  It takes maximum 20 minutes from start to finish.  Pair it with a soup or salad for a perfect dinner.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
  • 5 cloves Garlic, diced (not paste)
  • 9 ounces Penne Pasta, (about 3-4 cups)
  • 12 ounces Marinara Sauce, or similar tomato based sauce
  • 1/2 cup Cream
  • 1/2 cup Cheese, Romano or Parmesan or cheese of your choice
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt, or to taste

Instructions 

  • Start the instant pot in sauté mode and heat oil in it. Add the garlic and cook until it is golden brown. 
  • Add the marinara sauce and let it come to a boil. This will take a couple of minutes. (See notes if you have had a Burn issue in your instant pot)
  • Add a cup of water and then stir in the penne. Scrape if anything is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Most of the pasta should be covered in the sauce and water. If it is not, add some more water. 
  • Close the instant pot lid with vent in sealing position. Change the setting to manual or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 4 minutes. The time to cook is usually 1 minute less than half of the suggest time on the pasta box. This will result in al dente pasta.
  • When the instant pot beeps, quick release the pressure manually.
  • Stir in the cream and cheese, so it is mixed well with the sauce. Add in lemon juice and salt to taste. Penne is ready to be served.
  • Tip: Remove the steel insert from the instant pot, so the bottom does not continue cooking from the heat. 

Notes

  • This recipe was created in a 6qt Instant Pot DUO60 Multi-use Pressure Cooker. 
  • Important: In newer versions of Instant Pot, many readers are facing a Burn message. If you have ever seen a Burn in your instant pot, I recommend skipping step 2 and adding the marinara sauce just before pressure cooking. Just spread the sauce on top of the penne, do not stir it. 

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 14gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 843mgPotassium: 475mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 947IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 152mgIron: 2mg

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Nut-free, Vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Mention @pipingpotcurry or tag #pipingpotcurry!

About Meeta

I strongly believe that each one of us has a chef inside us, we just need to explore the ingredients and create great food. My passion is to share easy, healthy, and wholesome recipes made using Instant Pot & Air Fryer, that are well tested, so you can cook with confidence.

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4.77 from 78 votes (48 ratings without comment)

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69 Comments

    1. Hi Shailu – yes, the cooking time remains the same. However do check if you can fit in that much quantity in the instant pot at one time. Hope you enjoy the pasta!

    1. Hi Vinita – I think half and half will work, but it will not be as creamy. Just stir gently until it is mixed well with the pasta.

  1. Made it today for my daughter and her remote learning pod for lunch! Added finely chopped zucchini to the sauce. It was so great to make pasta in the IP!!!! It was so delicious, easy, and quick!!! A hit for all.

  2. Hi Meeta, I have got IP just a month back and I have been following your recipes for all my cooking. Today is 3rd time I made pasta and it came out perfect.

  3. We had this last night and loved it! I used a whole bag of gluten free pasta (12 oz). I added a can of italian seasoned diced tomatoes to it along with a little extra water. Perfect!

  4. Can I add frozen (already) cooked meatballs to this recipe and if so would I have to adjust the time?
    Thank you.

    1. Hi Jean – I would suggest to add the meatballs before adding marinara and penne. They should cook well in the time it takes for the pasta to cook.

  5. This is a perfect dish to try on a busy day. I have tried this recipe many times. Turned out really well all the time. Thanks for the recipe!

      1. Hi Raman – Yes, you can skip the cream or add coconut milk in place of cream to taste.

  6. Hi Meeta,

    Thank you so much for adding this recipe! I finally have the perfect rose sauce pasta. I used go go quinoa brand fusilli pasta and used Philadelphia cream cheese instead of cream. I pressure cooked for 5 mins and it came out perfect! I literally served this as soon as I opened the pot. Def going to be my weeknight recipe esp after a busy work day.