Instant Pot Creamy Sausage and Pasta
With veggies and cheese added, this flavorful sausage and pasta can be made quickly and easily in the Instant pot for a delightful weeknight dinner or lunch.
Ingredients
 | 1 lb (450 g) of any type of pasta like penne, spaghetti, tagliatelle, or even whole wheat pasta. |
 | 4 smoked sausages – any type of thick sausages will do, eg. Italian sausages, pork bratwurst, saucisse de toulouse, etc. |
 | 1 cup of frozen or fresh spinach. (If using fresh spinach, add it into the Instant pot after the Instant pot finishes cooking the pasta, not before.) |
 | 1 white onion sliced or cubed. You can use frozen pre-chopped onions as well. |
 | 1 cup of grated cheese – I’m using parmesan, but you can use any type of grated cheese such as gruyère, cheddar, emmental, pecorino, etc. |
Spices and accents for the sauce:
 | 1 teaspoon of garlic powder |
 | 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika |
 | 1 cup of crême fraiche or any type of heavy cream. You can also use greek yogurt for a lighter version. |
 | Pinch of salt and pepper |
How to make this sausage and pasta dish in the Instant pot
- Slice the sausage into small vertical pieces for even cooking.
- Chop the onion into slices or small cubes.
- Sauté the sausage and onion in the Instant Pot using the sauté function for 2 minutes.
- Add the uncooked spaghetti, along with the sausage, spinach, and onions.
- Pour in enough water to fully cover the pasta.
- Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Close the lid and cook on Manual High Pressure for 2 minutes (add 1 extra minute if using whole wheat pasta).
- Quick release the steam once the timer ends.
- Stir in the crème fraîche and cheese until well combined.
- Let rest for 5 minutes to thicken slightly. (If the pasta is too watery after cooking, let it rest for 10-15 minutes for the water to reduce.)
- Serve warm.
Sausage and pasta are a match made in heaven. With copious amounts of cheese and a hidden dash of spinach, this one-pot pasta dish is exactly what you need when you want something quick and easy.
The sausages and pasta come together quickly, blended with spices and juices from the meat. I then like to make it creamier by adding heavy cream or crême fraiche, but you can also leave it out if you wish.
You can combine any type of sausage with any type of pasta, the only thing I would recommend is using a chunkier sausage rather than one of those thin microwavable ones.
In addition, the key to this dish is to not let the pasta overcook in the Instant pot. Quick release it immediately once the Instant pot bell sounds, and let it cool. And with that, the pasta should still remain al dente.
Cooking tips
- If using fresh spinach, add it into the Instant pot after the Instant pot finishes cooking the pasta, otherwise the spinach will melt into the dish.
- If you use whole wheat pasta, add one minute to the Instant pot cooking time.
- Be sure to quick release the Instant pot immediately after it finished cooking.
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Instant pot creamy sausages and pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb of spaghetti pasta (500 g)
- 1 chopped onion
- 4 smoked sausages
- 1 cup of frozen spinach*
- 1 cup grated cheese eg. parmesan, gruyère, cheddar, emmental, etc.
- 5 cups of water
Herbs and spices
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1 cup of crême fraiche or heavy cream
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Slice the sausage into small vertical slices that make for easy cooking.
- Chop the onion into slices or small cubes.
- In the Instant pot, use the sauté function to sauté the sausage and the onions for 2 minutes. (If you use whole wheat pasta, add one minute to the Instant pot cooking time.)
- Place the uncooked spaghetti into the Instant pot along with the sausage, spinach, and onions.
- Add water until the pasta is covered.
- Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper to Instant pot.
- Close the Instant pot and cook at Manual high pressure for 2 minutes.
- After the Instant Pot timer ends, quick release the steam.
- Open the instant pot and add the crême fraiche and cheese into the mix.
- Stir and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve while warm.
Notes
- If using fresh spinach, add it into the Instant pot after the Instant pot finishes cooking the pasta, not before.
- If the pasta is too watery after cooking, let it rest for 10-15 minutes for the water to reduce.
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve with it?
You can serve this creamy sausage and pasta with a starter like roasted tomatoes with garlic as a starter or a salad with bacon and goat cheese.
How to store it?
Sausage and pasta is not a dish that freezes very well because the pasta gets soggy, so I don’t recommend it. However, if you do want to prepare it in advance to serve a few hours or a couple of days later, let it cool completely and place it in an airtight glass container.
