Spicy Vegan Instant Pot Pasta
by: claire cary
Craving pasta but don't really feel like cooking?! This instant pot pasta is a virtually hands off recipe made with pantry staple ingredients. It's perfectly spicy, full of flavor and incredibly easy to make.
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne or fusili pasta* by weight, not volume
- 28 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes*
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less to taste
- 1 ½ cups chopped white or yellow onion about 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh
- 2 tablespoons cashew parm or nutritional yeast
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion and finely mince the garlic (I like to use a garlic press and vegetable press to get them small) and add to the instant pot with the olive oil.
- Turn on the saute function and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onion begins to soften and look translucent. Add a bit more oil to the pan and stir (about 1-2 tbsp). This will ensure the pasta doesn't stick and burn on the bottom while cooking.
- Add the tomatoes to the blender and process until smooth.
- Add in all remaining ingredients including the tomatoes and stir well to combine. All of the pasta should be submerged in the sauce, but the sauce shouldn't cover the pasta by too much (it should be just covering).
- Put on the lid, set the valve to sealing and turn on manual high pressure for 6 minutes.
- Once done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes (time this so you don't let it go for longer), then set the valve to venting to let it release any extra pressure. Remove the lid and stir. It may seem a bit saucy at this point, but as it sits, the liquid will continue to absorb into the pasta. See notes if the pasta is not cooked fully yet. Cook time can vary a lot by brand, shape, type etc.
- Add more chopped basil, cashew parm, red pepper flakes and salt if desired and enjoy!
Notes
You can use regular diced tomatoes if you prefer, but fire roasted adds more flavor. If using regular, add a touch more black pepper to the recipe.
Different types of pastas cook differently. If the pasta is undercooked after the venting has released, add more veggie broth and cook on the saute function until cooked through. You can always bring it back to high pressure on manual mode and cook for 2 minutes if it's really undercooked, adding more broth as needed.
Be sure to use plenty of oil or butter in this recipe to prevent the pasta from sticking. I do not recommend making this oil free.
To make on the stovetop: Finely chop the onion and garlic and add to a large pot with the olive oil. Saute over medium/low heat until the onion looks translucent. Add all remaining ingredients plus 1 extra cup of veggie broth (so 3 cups total) and stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 12-15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and pasta is cooked. Stir halfway to avoid burning. If the heat is too high, the liquid will cook off faster, so keep it low and covered and add more liquid and cook for longer if you find the pasta isn't cooked all the way through. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Serving: 1bowl / Calories: 435kcal / Carbohydrates: 68.9g / Protein: 14.3g / Fat: 7.5g / Fiber: 6g / Sugar: 6.1g
