This Instant Pot Pasta Puttanesca Recipe is a quick, flavorful meal packed with bold flavors like olives, capers, and garlic. It's the perfect weeknight dinner when you're short on time but craving something delicious and satisfying!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Full of Flavor: This pasta is brimming with a tangy, savory, and slightly spicy taste.
- Quick and Easy: The Instant Pot makes this vegan dish fast and fuss-free.
- Healthy Choice: Loaded with nutritious ingredients, it's a deliciously guilt-free meal.
📋 Ingredients
- Fettuccini: This thick, hearty pasta is perfect for holding up to the robust flavors of the puttanesca sauce.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds a depth of flavor and richness to the dish, while also helping to sauté the ingredients.
For the Sauce:
- Crushed Red Pepper: Gives the sauce its signature kick, adding a spicy element that balances the tangy and savory flavors.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Deepens the flavor profile of the sauce, adding a complex, umami note.
- Tomato Paste: Intensifies the tomato flavor in the sauce and provides thickness for a richer texture.
- Chicken Broth: Provides a savory liquid base for the sauce, enhancing the overall flavor.
- Capers: Add a punch of briny, salty flavor that's essential to a classic puttanesca.
- Minced Sweet Onion: Offers a sweet counterpoint to the tangy and salty flavors in the dish.
- Minced Garlic: Infuses the sauce with its distinctively pungent, savory flavor.
- Italian Seasoning: This blend of herbs gives the sauce a burst of earthy flavor, enhancing its Italian character.
- Garlic Salt: An extra hit of garlic flavor with added saltiness to perfectly season the sauce.
- Seasoned Pepper: Adds a hint of spice and depth to the sauce, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
- Brown Sugar: A touch of sweetness to balance out the acidity from the tomatoes and capers.
For the Topping:
- Fresh Basil: Adds a fresh, aromatic note that brightens up the finished dish.
- Green Olives: Contribute a tangy, briny flavor and a delightful texture contrast.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Add a juicy, fresh element to the dish, complementing the robust sauce.
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese: The final touch, it adds a salty, creamy finish that ties all the flavors together perfectly.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
- Add Spice: For added heat add some crushed red pepper flakes to the pressure cooker pasta.
- Fresh Taste: Add any fresh herbs and fresh lemon juice if you fancy to the pasta sauce for a hint of freshness.
🔪How to Make Instant Pot Pasta Puttanesca?
Step One: First, open the Fettuccini, break in half and place in the liner of the Instant Pot. Add the olive oil, and toss the Pasta in the oil to coat.
Step Two: In a large bowl, add the crushed red pepper, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, chicken broth, capers, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, seasoned pepper, and brown sugar and stir all ingredients until well blended.
Step Three: Next, pour the mixture over the pasta, and stir, covering the pasta in the sauce. Make sure all the pasta is submerged in the sauce, don’t leave any Pasta sticking up above the liquid/sauce, as it will not cook, and will become hard and dry.
Step Four: If the sauce does not cover all the pasta, add a little more chicken broth, and stir well. You may have to move the Pasta around in the Instant Pot to make sure it’s covered in the sauce.
Step Five: Finally, place the lid on the Instant Pot, and make sure the pressure valve is set to ‘SEALING’. Set to cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
Step Six: Allow the Instant Pot to build and release pressure, don’t quick release. When the Instant Pot is done, it will beep and go off.
Step Seven: Pressure release naturally and allow the pasta to sit in the Pot for 15 minutes.
Step Eight: After 15 minutes, turn the pressure valve to ‘VENTING’, making sure all the pressure has been released.
Step Nine: Open the lid to the Instant Pot, and stir the Pasta in the sauce. Pasta should be completely done and ready to eat.
Step Ten: Serve the pasta plated or in bowls, topped with sliced green olives, chopped basil, sliced cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy your meal!
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Cover With Liquid: Make sure the pasta is completely covered in the liquid, or sauce.
- Milk: Don’t put milk or cheese in the pot with Pasta, as it will curdle while under pressure! Add any milk or cheese after the pasta has cooked.
- Break Pasta: Break pasta in half so it fits in the pot.
💭 FAQs
Spaghetti is the best pasta for Puttanesca, as its long, thin strands effectively capture the robust, tangy sauce. The smooth texture of spaghetti allows the anchovy, caper, and olive flavors to shine through in every bite.
Fettuccine can also be a great choice for Puttanesca, as its flat, wide noodles hold onto the sauce well, ensuring a flavorful bite every time.
There is one huge advantage to cooking pasta in the Instant Pot. This is that You DON’T need to drain it. When you cook pasta in your Instant Pot, you only use the minimum amount of water.
So, once the pasta is cooked, all the water has been absorbed. Thus, you don’t have to drain the pasta. Simply mix in your sauces, cheese, or other ingredients without messing with boiling water.
Store leftover Instant Pot Puttanesca Pasta in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Cool Puttanesca Pasta to room temperature. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for 2-3 months.
Serving Suggestions
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Pasta Puttanesca:
- Steamed Asparagus: Roast asparagus until tender, then drizzle with balsamic glaze for a sweet and tangy twist.
- Caprese Avocado Salad: Mix cherry tomatoes, avocado, and fresh basil, then drizzle with balsamic reduction for a creamy and vibrant side.
- Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower: Roast cauliflower florets with turmeric, cumin, and paprika for a flavorful and golden side dish.
- Zesty Vegan Coleslaw: Shred cabbage, carrots, and red cabbage, then toss with a zesty vegan mayo dressing for a refreshing crunch.
🍜 Related Recipes
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Instant Pot Pasta Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 1 pound Fettuccini
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 can Tomato Paste small
- 2 ½ Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Tablespoon Capers
- ½ cup Minced Sweet Onion
- 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
- 1 teaspoon Seasoned Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Basil Garnish
- 1 tablespoon Green Olives Sliced for garnish
- ½ Cup Cherry tomatoes sliced for garnidh
- 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese for garnish
Instructions
- First, open the Fettuccini, break in half and place in the liner of the Instant Pot. Add the olive oil, and toss the Pasta in the oil to coat.
- In a large bowl, add the crushed red pepper, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, chicken broth, capers, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, seasoned pepper, and brown sugar and stir all ingredients until well blended.
- Next, pour the mixture over the pasta, and stir, covering the pasta in the sauce. Make sure all the pasta is submerged in the sauce, don’t leave any Pasta sticking up above the liquid/sauce, as it will not cook, and will become hard and dry. If the sauce does not cover all the pasta, add a little more chicken broth, and stir well. You may have to move the Pasta around in the Instant Pot to make sure it’s covered in the sauce.
- Finally, place the lid on the Instant Pot, and make sure the pressure valve is set to ‘SEALING’, and press the MANUAL button, and set the time for 4 minutes.
- Allow the Instant Pot to build and release pressure, don’t quick release. When the Instant Pot is done, it will beep and go to off. Allow the Pasta to sit in the Pot for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, turn the pressure valve to ‘VENTING’, making sure all the pressure has been released.
- Open the lid to the Instant Pot, and stir the Pasta in the sauce. Pasta should be completely done and ready to eat.
Notes
- Cover With Liquid: Make sure the pasta is completely covered in the liquid, or sauce.
- Milk: Don’t put milk or cheese in the pot with Pasta, as it will curdle while under pressure! Add any milk or cheese after the pasta has cooked.
- Break Pasta: Break pasta in half so it fits in the pot.
Nutrition
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