Description
This Instant Pot Pizza Pasta is a cheesy, saucy, family-friendly one-pot dinner that combines all your favorite pizza flavors with pasta. Quick, customizable, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
For the Base
16 oz penne or rotini pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
For the Meat & Flavor
1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup pepperoni slices (optional)
For the Sauce
3–4 cups pizza sauce or marinara
3 cups water or broth
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & black pepper to taste
For the Cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Optional Toppings
Bell peppers or mushrooms
Olives or banana peppers
Fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
Sauté Meat & Aromatics: Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Add olive oil, cook ground meat with onion until browned. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
Add Pasta & Sauce: Turn off Sauté. Layer pasta, pizza sauce, water, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Do not stir.
Pressure Cook: Seal lid, cook on Manual High Pressure for 5 minutes. Quick release.
Add Cheese & Toppings: Stir in mozzarella, parmesan, pepperoni, or other toppings until melted.
Serve: Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Make-ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance; refrigerate until ready to cook.
Freezer-friendly: Freeze assembled (unbaked) for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen with extra 10–15 minutes.
Vegetarian: Omit meat and add hearty vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Pasta
- Method: Instant Pot, Pressure Cook
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 880 mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g52 g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: instant pot pizza pasta, cheesy pasta, one-pot dinner, family-friendly pasta