Since we don’t have a dishwasher and we handwash everything, I’m always looking for ways to minimize the number of dishes there are to do in our motorhome. We both love pasta, but what I’ve never loved about pasta (in the motorhome or in our sticks and bricks house) is the extra pot to wash at the end of the meal when you cook the pasta separate from the sauce.
I started investigating one-pot dishes with pasta and was super excited to learn that you can cook pasta in a pressure cooker. Not only would this eliminate a pot to wash, but it would also eliminate a lot of heat building up in the small space of our RV kitchen. Sure there is steam released when you release the pressure from the Instant Pot, but nothing like the amount of steam as a big pot of boiling water sits on the stove for 12 – 14 minutes.
My first time cooking pasta in the Instant Pot was to make traditional spaghetti with meat sauce for us after along travel day. It was delicious and super fast since I used a jar of marinara. Since then I’ve tried a few other ways of cooking pasta in our multi cooker. This one is always a favorite for us with lots of garlic and a hint of heat from the peppers. And Brian never complains about the broccoli in this one. 😉
P.S. If you’re looking to experiment with your own recipes, the rule of thumb for cooking pasta in a pressure cooker is to cover with just enough water to immerse the pasta and cook on high pressure for 1/2 the time listed on the package less one minute (i.e.: if the package says to cook for 10 minutes in boiling water, then you would cook in the IP for 4 minutes on high pressure). As soon as it’s finished, quick release.
One-Pot Sausage, Broccoli, and Orecchiette Pasta
It's easy to make this one-pot pasta in the pressure cooker and will allow you to get a delicious and homemade dinner on the table in under 30 minutes without heating up your house or making a lot of dishes to do after dinner.
- Instant Pot Multi Cooker (or similar)
- 1 tbsp Olive OIl
- 1 pound Italian Sausage (bulk or casings removed)
- 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1 12-ounce Orecchiette Pasta
- 6 cups Broccoli Florets (fresh, cut in small pieces)
- 1/2 tbsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes ((optional))
- Salt (to taste)
- Black Pepper (to taste)
- 1-2 tsp Lemon Zest
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese ((optional))
Heat Instant Pot by starting the "Saute" button on high. When it indicates "Hot," add the olive oil and the sausage.
Stir frequently until the meat is cooked through (about 5 minutes).
Add the garlic to the sausage and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add dry pasta and kosher salt to the sausage mixture and add just enough water to cover.
Seal the Instant Pot and cook on Manual High Pressure for 4 minutes.
When the cooking time has finished, do a quick release. Add the broccoli and reseal for Manual High Pressure for 0 minutes.
When the cooking time has finished, do a quick release again. Stir all together thoroughly and add lemon zest, crushed red peppers (if using), salt, and pepper to taste.
Serve topped with a little parmesan cheese if desired.
