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Instant Pot Pizza Pasta is an easy recipe made with penne pasta, sausage, pepperoni and your favorite pizza toppings. Ready in 30 minutes! Your whole family will love this kid friendly dinner!
Instant Pot pizza pasta is loaded with Italian sausage, sliced pepperoni and lots of mozzarella cheese. I made this the other night for my kids, and it’s now one of their favorite Instant Pot recipes. If you’re looking for an easy kid friendly dinner, this pizza pasta casserole recipe is for you!
I used to make this pizza pasta bake in the oven, and I even made a one pan pepperoni pizza pasta on the stove. Both of those are delicious, but of course, I wanted to make pizza pasta in my Instant Pot!
This is such an easy recipe, and it’s budget friendly. You can also change it up to suit your own tastes.
If you like Italian inspired pasta recipes, you might also like Instant Pot Pasta and Meatballs, Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta, Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef and Instant Pot Creamy Sausage and Shells .
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Italian sausage or ground pork or ground sausage
- Penne pasta
- Water or beef broth
- Marinara sauce , spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
- Italian seasoning
- Sliced pepperoni
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
How to make pizza pasta in the Instant Pot
Start off by browning the Italian sausage on the saute setting. Make sure to check the bottom of the pot to make sure no browned bits are stuck.
If so, you’ll want to take a little bit of the water and deglaze the pot.
Next, turn of the sauté function, and add your pasta over the sausage. I used mezze penne here, but you can use regular pasta or just about any thick pasta for this recipe.
Rotini pasta and bow ties work, too!
Pour the water over and around the pasta, and then add your marinara sauce or pizza sauce on top. You can spread the sauce over the pasta, but don’t stir it.
Next, add the Italian seasoning, and pressure cook it!
Cook Time
Cook pasta for 4 minutes on high pressure with quick release or gradual quick release. Gradual quick release helps prevent pasta water from spraying out while releasing.
Basically, you want to cook pasta in the Instant Pot for about half of the lowest time recommended on the box. I usually cook pasta for 4 to 5 minutes, tops.
The total cooking time may vary with different pressure cookers and will include time to come to pressure. Still, it’s a 30 minute meal!
Stir in about half of the pepperoni and most of the mozzarella. Then, top with remaining mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices — just like a pizza!
Place the cover back on the Instant Pot for about 5 minutes to help the cheese melt.
If you have the Instant Pot Duo Crisp or any pressure cooker or multi cooker with a crisp lid, you can broil the cheese until melted!
You can add some shredded Parmesan cheese if you want. Then, you’re ready to dig right in.
This is one Instant Pot pasta recipe that’s perfect for cheese lovers and kids of all ages!
Variations
The best thing about this easy pasta dish is how customizable it is–feel free to recreate whatever flavors of pizza your family loves!
Use ground beef instead of sausage. Or, go meatless by skipping the sausage and pepperoni.
Add your favorite pizza topping veggies: green peppers, black olives, fresh basil, cloves of garlic, and even sliced fresh tomatoes are a great way to incorporate vegetables into pizza night!
Throw whatever pizza ingredients you want on top of the pasta: mini pepperoni, red pepper flakes, pepperoncini, and of course, all the extra cheese you please!
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftover pizza pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it’ll keep for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze leftovers in a freezer safe container.
Reheat individual portions of pasta in the microwave.
Instant Pot Pizza Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage ground
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 3 cups water
- 24 ounces marinara sauce or pizza sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup pepperoni thinly sliced divided
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- .5 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Hit SAUTE button on Instant Pot, and when it reads Hot, add olive oil and sausage
- Cook sausage until brown, breaking it up and stirring frequently
- Deglaze bottom of pot, if necessary, using a little bit of of the water, so that no sausage is stuck to bottom of pot
- Hit CANCEL, then pour penne pasta over cooked sausage, and pour water over and around pasta
- Pour marinara sauce on top of pasta, add Italian Seasoning, and spread out so that most of pasta is covered, but do not stir
- Place lid on pot, turn valve to Sealing position, and hit PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes
- Pot will take a few minutes to reach pressure, then begin counting down and cook. When pot beeps, do a quick release by turning valve to Venting
- When pin drops, carefully remove lid, and stir pasta. Keep pot on KEEP WARM mode, and stir in half of the pepperoni and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese until well blended
- Top pasta with remaining cup of mozzarella and remaining pepperoni slices. Place lid on pot for about 5 minutes to allow cheese to melt
- Top with shredded Parmesan cheese, and serve
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe first published in 2019 and updated in 2022.
I hope you enjoy this easy cheesy Instant Pot pizza pasta recipe as much as we do! Between the cheesy combination of sausage and noodles, and the classic pizza flavor, this is one of my family’s favorite Instant Pot recipes for sure!
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Does the meat get drained after browning?
If there is a lot of grease, you can drain it.
If I just use a half a box of pasta, 8oz, how much water should I use? Thank you!
Use 2 cups for 8 ounces of pasta.
Is it high pressure or low? I’m making it now and assuming high….
High pressure. Hope you liked it! 🙂
I made this and it it turned out really watery. I think I followed the recipe exactly. Any tips? Thank you!!
Sounds like the liquid to pasta ratio was off. Did you use the entire 1 pound box of pasta? Did you use a 24-ounce jar of marina with only 3 cups of water? I’ve never had a problem with it being watery, and we make this a lot. It should look exactly like it does in the video.
I added black olives and mushrooms. Delicious!
Those sound like delicious additions!
This is so easy and delicious!
Thank you!
I forgot to select 5 stars. I don’t see how to edit it.
If need be, can you delete it and I can do it again?
That’s fine, Jeff. No worries — just happy you liked it! 🙂
Thank you so much, Jeff! So glad you enjoyed it!