Bow Tie Pasta made in the pressure cooker is the perfect weeknight meal – quick, easy and delicious! The pasta cooks in the sauce so you only have one pot to clean up.
I’ll admit it. I was nervous about cooking pasta in the pressure cooker. Laura, Hip Pressure Cooking, asked me if I’d had problems with cooking pasta in the electric pressure cooker, and I had to admit that I hadn’t tried it yet. I envisioned soggy overcooked noodles.
Luckily, Cook’s Illustrated recently did a story on pressuring cooking and they included a ziti pasta recipe. That gave me the little push I need to try cooking pasta in the pressure cooker. And I’m so glad I did. Now I’m in love with cooking pasta in my pressure cooker.
The Cook’s Illustrated recommends simmering the pasta for a few minutes after it’s been pressure cooked so there’s no worry about overcooked noodles. I combine the CI recipe with pressure cooking pasta tips from Laura, Hip Pressure Cooking, and my quick pasta sauce recipe.
Pressure cooked pasta is going to make a regular appearance at our house. I hope you’ll give it a try too.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground sausage (I used chicken sausage)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes in puree
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 16 oz. Farfalle (Bow-Tie Pasta)
Directions
- Put olive oil in the cooking pot and select browning or sauté. When oil begins to sizzle, sauté sausage, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender, about 10 minutes, drain if necessary. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Select High Pressure. Set timer for 5 minutes. When beep sounds turn pressure cooker off and use a quick pressure release. When valve drops carefully remove the lid.
- Stir mixture. Select Simmer and cook, stirring often, until pasta is tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
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Today's pressure cookers aren't the scary pressure cookers you may remember. I'll share what I'm cooking up in my pressure cooker and I hope you'll share what you're cooking too.
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This recipe looks great and I’ll probably try it soon. However, do you have any recipes for sauce that don’t involve tomatoes or lots of cheese? My great-grandson likes pasta but he doesn’t seem to like tomato/spaghetti sauce and he gets way too much mac and cheese. What else could one make like this recipe (one-pot) only without the tomato? He’s only two so it’s a little early for the “take one bite before you say no” business. Maybe I’ll just have to wait until he is old enough for that but if I could find a sauce he would eat that is healthier than a bunch of melty cheese and could be cooked like this recipe, I’d be very happy.
Hi Gayle – picky eaters are tough. Laura has a couple of recipes he might like http://www.hippressurecooking.com/2011/10/pressure-cooker-pasta-pipe-cacio-e-pepe.html or http://www.hippressurecooking.com/2011/09/pressure-cooker-pasta-casarecce-ai.html although kids often don’t like green things either. Good luck!
What a great quick meal this will make-especially during the final countdown to Christmas……..which is comin’ TOO fast for me.
I would have never thought of cooking pasta in the pressure cooker-what a super idea! If it’s thumbs up from Cook’s Illustrated and you? I’m convinced-can’t wait to give it a try. I’m still using my stove top pressure cooker so will cut back a little on the time the first time to see how it goes….hopefully as delicious as yours.
Thanks Barbara-and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
My kids love bowtie pasta! I knew I should’ve put pressure cooker on my wish list!
Looks delicious Barbara! Can’t wait to try your recipe. That’s a good idea to cook the pasta less and then simmer it. 6 minutes does seem to overcook some pasta just a tad sometimes…
How do I convert this recipe to a non-electric pressure cooker? I’ve used a p.c. for years, but am now just seeing recipes for electric cookers. Thanks so much!
Hi Beverly – based on the Cook’s Illustrated recipe, here’s how I’d cook it in a stovetop pressure cooker: Cook the sausage, onion and garlic over medium high heat until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender, about 10 minutes, drain if necessary. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Lock pressure-cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as pot reaches high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
Do a quick pressure release.
Bring mixture to simmer over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until pasta is tender, 2 to 5 minutes.