Last Updated on September 16, 2023 by Harry & Johan. This post may contain affliate links, see privacy policy
Making an Instant Pot pasta with jar sauce is the best way to make pasta in an Instant Pot! Use jarred pasta sauce to instantly add flavor to this quick and easy instant pot pasta recipe! A creamy tomato pasta ready in 20 minutes!
Have a spare jar of pasta sauce in your pantry and some pasta that needs to be used - whip up this creamy tomato pasta in your Instant Pot, it makes clean up a breeze!
If you love making simple pasta recipes in your Instant Pot, you have to try our 15 minute Instant Pot creamy pasta! It's a pasta with a rich, lemony and garlic sauce ready in minutes!
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🥬 Ingredients
Making this Instant Pot pasta recipe with jar sauce uses only 12 ingredients to make - most of which you could already have on hand! We love making recipe that use mostly pantry staples, it just makes it easier to get lunch or dinner on the table!
- Olive oil
- White onion
- Garlic cloves
- Italian seasoning
- Red chili pepper flakes (optional)
- Water
- Penne pasta
- Jarred pasta sauce
- Salt & pepper
- Heavy cream
- Cream cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
See recipe card for precise quantities and instructions.
📖 Instructions
Step 1: Press the saute button and then press the adjust button to set saute to "less". Once it displays hot, add 2 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic saute until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and stir.
Step 3: Add 1 cup water (you might need 1.5 cups water for 8 qt IP). Then add 8 oz penne pasta, marinara sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well and push pasta down into the liquid before closing.
Step 4: Close the pot and press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Once the time has elapsed, quick release the pressure by releasing the pressure valve from sealing to venting position. Be careful not to burn yourself with the steam.
Step 5: Open the pot and stir. Press the saute button and use the adjust button to set saute to "less". Add in the heavy cream and stir. Add the 2 oz cream cheese and stir. Keep stirring until the cream cheese melts and mixes well with the sauce. Taste test and adjust seasonings at this point.
Serve this creamy tomato basil pasta garnished with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
🙋🏻♂️ FAQs
Yes, you can put many types of sauce in the Instant Pot. But I do recommend that you water it down slightly as sauces can be thicker and cause a burn notice on the Instant Pot.
Jarred pasta sauce is already cooked so you just need to heat it through and toss it with pasta for a quick meal! Or use it in other recipes like this one!
Jarred pasta sauce can sometimes taste a bit bland. Adding fresh herbs like chopped basil or oregano can really improve the flavor. If the sauce is lacking in flavor, you can also add a pinch of salt or two, stir, and taste. A bit of black pepper and red pepper flakes can also give your jar of sauce a good kick.
Yes, you can use the marinara sauce as a pasta sauce. Marinara sauce is slightly thinner and has less flavor than pasta sauce, while pasta sauce can also have meat added. With some additions, you can easily substitute marinara sauce as a pasta sauce.
Yes, when making pasta in the Instant Pot it has to be submerged under the liquid. If it isn't completely submerged then it will dry out and not cook through properly.
🥣 Substitutions
With a couple of simple substitutions and an adjustment to the cooking times, you can make this recipe gluten-free or vegan too!
- Gluten free - use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free! If using gluten-free pasta, I would recommend only cooking the pasta for 2 minutes on high pressure and then heating the sauce with the lid open. You will be able to see when the gluten-free pasta is fully cooked
- Vegan - use vegan cream cheese and plant-based cream to make this recipe 100% vegan!
🥘 Variations
Use a jar of pasta sauce for this recipe to add a lot of flavor but keep the effort minimal. It instantly adds flavor and you can switch up the flavor of your pasta by changing what pasta sauce you use.
You can use bolognese sauce or spicy pasta sauce for some variation to this recipe. As long as the ratio of liquid to pasta remains the same, the recipe should come out perfectly!
- Want more spice? - add the optional chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish, add them when cooking the onions and garlic for even more spice!
- Added protein - you can add protein to this dish by chopping up some cooked chicken breast or other cooked meats and adding them to the sauce. Allow the meat to fully heal through before serving
- Want extra cheesiness? - You can add shredded cheddar or mozzarella to the pasta after adding the cream cheese. Mix it well and allow it all to melt together for a cheesy pasta dish!
⏲ Equipment
This recipe has been developed and tested using an 6 quart (5.5 L) Instant Pot. I love making quick pasta recipes in my Instant Pot. I know cooking pasta recipes in your Instant Pot can be frowned upon but getting a healthy lunch or dinner ready so quickly in one appliance saves the day sometimes.
If you want to make this recipe on the stove top, then follow these steps:
- add 1 cup of water as needed while cooking the pasta and sauce until the pasta is cooked perfectly
- you need to cook the pasta in the sauce for about 7 - 10 minutes until the pasta is al dente
- stir the dish often after adding the dry pasta to the dish, this prevents the pasta sticking together
🍶 Storage
You can store leftover pasta in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top on low heat. Stir well and enjoy! Garnish with some fresh herbs to freshen up the dish!
This dish doesn't stand up well to freezing.
❗️ Top tip
If the sauce is too thin or not coating the pasta well enough after adding the cream cheese, then you can easily thicken it up! Press the Sauté function on your Instant Pot and adjust it to "less".
The sauce will heat up and start to thicken. Mix it continuously until the sauce is the perfect consistency for you!
🍝 CHECK OUT THE RECIPE HERE AND LET'S GET COOKING!
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Instant Pot Pasta with Jar Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil 30 ml
- 1 white onion chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1.5 teaspoons italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
- 1 cup water a 8 qt Instant Pot might need 1.5 cups (12 oz)
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 14.5 oz marinara sauce
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ cup heavy cream 4 oz
- 2 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup chopped basil
Instructions
- Press the saute button and then press the adjust button to set saute to "less". Once it displays hot, add 2 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic saute until fragrant.
- Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and stir.
- Add 1 cup water (you might need 1.5 cups water for 8 qt IP). Then add 8 oz penne pasta, marinara sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well and push pasta down into the liquid before closing.
- Close the pot and press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Once the time has elapsed, quick release the pressure by releasing the pressure valve from sealing to venting position. Be careful not to burn yourself with the steam.
- Open the pot and stir. Press the saute button and use the adjust button to set saute to "less". Add in the heavy cream and stir. Add the 2 oz cream cheese and stir. Keep stirring until the cream cheese melts and mixes well with the sauce. Taste test and adjust seasonings at this point.
- Serve this creamy tomato basil pasta garnished with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Freshly cracked black pepper and torn mozzarella pieces area other great garnish ideas!
Emily B
This was my first time trying pasta in the instant pot and it was perfect!
Courtney
Creamy and delicious! Will make again for sure.