Instant Pot Spaghetti Pesto

This Vegetarian Spaghetti Pesto recipe is made with an easy and simple flavor-packed basil walnut pesto sauce, tossed with spaghetti pasta noodles and tomatoes made in an instant pot pressure cooker.

If you are using store-bought Pesto Sauce, then use ¾ to 1 cup for 8 oz of cooked pasta.

How to make Spaghetti Pesto in Instant Pot

How to Cook Pasta

• Stovetop Method: Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions (about 10-11 minutes). Once the pasta is cooked, drain the excess water and keep it aside.
• Instant Pot Method: Add dry spaghetti, oil, water, and salt to the Instant Pot. Most of the spaghetti pasta should be covered in water. If it is not, add some more water. Close the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.
• I used spaghetti pasta in this recipe which has 10 minutes for cooking on the stovetop. So to cook on Instant Pot – Divide the cooking time by half and minus one for al dente pasta. So it's 4 minutes, for softer pasta, do 5 minutes.
• When the instant pot beeps, Quick Release the pressure manually. Open the lid, and drain if there is any extra water.

Make the Pesto Sauce

• Add the basil, garlic, pine nuts, or walnuts to the food processor. Pulse several times until very finely minced.
• Next, add lemon juice, parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper. While the processor is running, slowly pour the extra virgin olive oil and process until the sauce is smooth.

Assemble

• Add ¾ cup of pesto sauce to the pot, and toss well to ensure the spaghetti pasta is well-coated.

Add in the baby tomatoes or roasted tomatoes. Give pesto pasta with tomatoes another toss to combine. Sprinkle over some chili flakes and top with parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

What to Serve with Vegetarian Pesto Pasta

You or your kid can enjoy a big bowl of Creamy Pesto Pasta and call it a meal.

Variations

• You can use spinach or kale instead of basil in this pesto sauce.
• You can add Romano Cheese while making basil pesto sauce.
• Make the pasta more healthy by adding boiled sweet corn, steamed broccoli, and baby mozzarella to this dish.
• To make creamy pesto pasta add heavy cream to the pasta.
• Use any kind of pasta. Try using Whole wheat, Lentils, or Veggie pasta for kids to make it gluten-free.

Tips

• Do not heat the pesto sauce, as it loses its green color and loses its vibrancy.
• The time to cook pasta in an instant pot is usually half of the suggested time on the pasta box and minus one for al dente pasta.
• Make sure you have enough water to cover most of the pasta under water. Depending on the shape and size of the pasta, you may need more or less liquids. BURN ALERT? If your instant pot has shown BURN in the past, add ½ cup of extra water while making the pasta.

Storage

For any leftovers stored in an airtight container, stay fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

The basil pesto sauce will last up to 7 days in the fridge. If you plan to store for longer, add more olive oil on the top, so the pesto is not exposed to any air. 

More Pasta Recipes

• Creamy Tomato Pasta
• Cold Pasta Salad
• Creamy Spinach Pasta
• Butternut Squash Pasta
• Mac and Cheese (Instant Pot)
• White Sauce Pasta

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