A last-minute meal that’s a crowd-pleaser too.
Last-minute meals are for those hectic days when everyone comes home at six o’clock and wants dinner now. There’s no time to get fancy, so you just whip up something fast and easy, like scrambled eggs or spaghetti. It’s not exciting, but it’s a meal.
Crowd-pleasing meals, on the other hand, are the ones you pull out when you really want to make the whole family happy. They’re meals that you know even the pickiest eaters in your family won’t turn their noses up at. Like, for instance, pizza with pepperoni and sausage.
Of course, what every busy mom would really love is a recipe that does both of these at once: a meal that’s quick to get onto the table, and makes everyone happy when it shows up. But honestly, where are you ever going to find a dish like that?
In your Instant Pot, that’s where!
With the help of the Instant Pot, you can whip up a dinner that’s got all the crowd-pleasing flavor of pizza, and comes together in – no joke – 15 minutes flat. Brown some sausage right in the pot, add the pasta sauce and noodles, give it five minutes to cook, and top it with cheese and pepperoni.
In the time it takes your kids to set the table (after going back twice because they forgot the salt and the napkins), you can have dinner on it. And not just any dinner, but a dinner they’ll love.
Instant Pot Pizza Pasta
Printable recipe directions and ingredient list at bottom of post.
Directions:
- Set the IP on “sauté”. Melt the butter, add the garlic Italian seasoning and sausage. Sauté until the sausage is no longer pink.
- Add both spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce to the sausage mixture . Next add in pasta.
- Add the water. Give a stir and put on the lid, and be sure to set the toggle switch to “seal”.
- Set on Manual for 5 minutes. Do a Quick Release and open the lid after the silver pin has dropped.
- Add HALF the cheese and HALF the pepperoni – mix it into the pasta/meat mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese and pepperoni over the top of the mixture. Replace the lid and let the cheese melt and the pepperoni warm through.
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Instant Pot Pizza Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. sausage Italian, mild,
- 8 oz. pizza sauce
- 16 oz. pasta sauce
- 28 oz. water
- 8 oz. mozzarella
- 20 slices pizza pepperoni
- 1 lb. pasta I used cavatappi
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- as desired salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp. butter
Instructions
- Set the IP on “sauté”. Melt the butter, add the garlic Italian seasoning and sausage. Sauté until the sausage is no longer pink.
- Add both spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce to the sausage mixture. Next add in pasta.
- Add the water. Give a stir and put on the lid, and be sure to set the toggle switch to “seal”
- Set on Manual for 5 minutes. Do a Quick Release and open the lid after the silver pin has dropped.
- Add HALF the cheese and HALF the pepperoni – mix it into the pasta/meat mixture
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese and pepperoni over the top of the mixture. Replace the lid and let the cheese melt and the pepperoni warm through.
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Nutrition Information:
Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Sandy says
I don’t have an IP. Can i just cook this on the stove? Love all your recipes! Thank you!
Dar says
I have the same question as you,sorry I couldn’t answer your question but hoping someone can give us a answer soon.
Crystal Howard says
Made it and let my 3yr old help add all the ingredients to the pot. Only thing we changed was instead of normal pepperoni we used the mini pepperoni and it came out great! Thanks for the recipe!
Abby says
Yes, it’s super simple. Just cook your pasta as normal, then add the sauce and heat it up with the pasta, then mix in pepperoni and cheese, and then add rest on top!
Corey says
You sure can! I would cook the pasta separate, and after the sauce and meat have simmered and cooked.
Lynae says
Just made this in the instant pot, delicious. Definitely could do it on the stove. Follow same steps, only be sure to cover your skillet or pot once you add sauce, water and pasta. Increase cook time from 5 minutes to 15 min on medium stove setting. Very similar method to goulash cooked on stove top. Good luck!
Holly Therriault says
I don’t have an instant pot. Can I make it in an electric pressure cooker? It has saute setting.
Alyssa says
Yes you can. If you just search for one pot pizza a few will pop up. I ve used one from fake ginger. It’s very similar to this.
Marie says
I bet this would be amazing with Hawaiian, Deluxe, or Canadian pizza fixings. We made this the other night with link pepperonis instead, and a pizza mix with provolone was used. So rich and delicious. The pasta was overcooked a bit but that’s easily remedied and it heats up sooOoOoOooOoo nicely the next day. Have breadsticks on hand with a salad to round it out.
Sue Marie says
I was brought back to this page by a FB comment and see I posted in 2018. Scrolling through the comments, I have to say I will try this next. Love pineapple on my pizza.
Brittany @ Paw Prints in the Kitchen says
Just pinned this recipe and I cannot wait to try it! I am always looking for new pressure cooker recipes to try out! How awesome is it to be able to get this on the table in under half an hour!?
Leslie says
This is delicious. I will definitely make this again. The whole family loved it. Very easy. I even made it with Tinkyada gluten free penne pasta and it was perfect.
Corey says
Glad to hear the gluten free pasta worked well 🙂
Jen says
Where was the spaghetti sauce used in the recipe… I see it in the list of thing gradients but don’t see it in the recipe
Jen says
Pasta sauce??
Corey says
Spaghetti sauce 🙂
Corey says
I am sorry Jen. The wording was off. It was listed as spaghetti sauce in the ingredients, but “pasta sauce” in the directions. I changed that. Both the spaghetti and pizza sauce go in on step 2.
Jen says
Thank you… I assume the pasta goes in there as well… I did my best before I got your reply and it turned out GREAT! My family loved it!
Sue Marie says
I know this is an old post, but in case it helps someone else who comes across it, I used to buy the Primo pizza sauce that comes in squirt bottles. Super expensive comparted to pasta sauce that is virtually the same thing. I buy the herb ones but if you buy plain, just add herbs you like to it.
Linda says
So, all ingredients go directly in the IP? No pan needed?
Corey says
You are correct!
Ashley says
This was so yummy! Crowd pleaser for sure!
Rhonda says
Just wondering what size pressure cooker this recipe is for. I have a small one and I don’t think it will hold everything! May have to half the recipe. Thanks!
Corey says
6 qt cooker 🙂
Miranda says
Heelo, when do i add the Italian seasoning? And I assume it’s high pressure with the IP? Thank you!
Penny says
I was wondering the same thing. It’s not mentioned in the directions.
Corey says
Yes, High pressure and you add the seasoning in during the meat browning in step 1. I hope that helps ?
Corey says
Yes, High pressure and you add the seasoning in during the meat browning in step 1. I hope that helps 🙂
Donna says
My family loved it, thanks! I used chicken Italian sausage, which needed a little bit of olive oil to help it brown. I also threw in some fresh basil with the cheese. I think next time I will throw in some red pepper flakes to spice it up. So fast and easy.
Lynne says
Thank you for this great recipe! We used Italian seasoned turkey sausage, but kept all other components the same. The kids ate 2 helpings each, so this is a keeper recipe for us!
Lucy says
If I want to halve the recipe, do I need to reduce any cooking times or they remain the same? Thanks
Debbi Campbell says
It halves really well. Just half the ingredients, keep the time the same.
Angie says
Do you cook the pasta first? I’m using bow tie pasta. Thanks!
Corey says
No you do not.
Kels says
Did it, loved it. Son suggested more pepperoni and cut into quarters. Other son suggested garlic powder and onion. Also did 4 minutes because we like our pasta a bit firmer.
Debbi Campbell says
We also add more pepperoni and cut into quarters. That is the nice part of this recipe, you can adjust it to your own personal tastes!
Lucy says
Corey: If I want to halve the recipe, do I need to reduce any cooking times or they remain the same? Thanks
Corey says
I have only made this recipe as written. So I cannot say for sure. Maybe start with a little less time, and if you need more, add it on.
Lucy W. says
I just halved the recipe and cooked it with the same time as originally stated. The pasta came out al dente. It was perfect.
Paula Drew says
Made this tonight and my family loved it! Cooking pasta in the Instant Pot seems to seems to infuse the flavor into the pasta instead of it just sitting on top. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Janet says
Can you add veggies to this (mushrooms, bell peppers, etc) I assume you would put them in with the onions. We make pizza pasta on the stove/in the oven all the time, but prefer a more “supreme” pizza pasta. 🙂
Corey says
Yep! I think those all sound like great add-ins!
Cheyne says
Hey, Janet! Did you end up adding the veggies with the onions? How did it turn out? I was hoping to add in mushrooms too 🤔
Melinda T. says
This looks like a fun one for Sunday NFL days. One thing – I don’t really like pepperoni. Can I use another pizza topping like Canadian bacon (or even regular bacon) in its place?
Corey says
I think bacon would be yummy!
Elena says
This recipe sounds delicious. Is there a way to make it in a slow cooker since I have an instapot? Thanks
Megan says
Does anyone ever have issues with too much grease from the sausage? I’m new to the IP world and haven’t browned sausage in an IP yet.
Sue Marie says
In Canada, lean in one store is very different that lean ground in another. Sometimes I have alot of grease. I drain it by either scooping the meat out with a slotted spoon then empty the IP or dump the contents into a strainer sitting over a bowl to separate the grease from the meat.
Abby says
Curious as to why some things were labeled in ounces and not cups. Had to figure out the conversions. Why does it say 28 oz of water and not 3.5 cups of water for example?
Ab says
I agree! Can you concert the oz for us? The spaghetti sauce we buy is in a 24 oz jar, and pizza sauce comes in 14 oz jar. Cup conversions would be greatly appreciated!
Sandy says
I have a newer model IP and there isn’t a manual button. What should I do?
Christina says
On the new instant pot the “pressure cook” button is the same as the “manual” button on the previous models.
Gillian says
Is there a way to use zoodles instead of pasta? Just not big pasta people here – but the recipes sounds fantastic!
Sue Marie says
That sounds like a good idea. I wonder though if the zoodles would disintegrate. I’d think they’d have to be added last or cooked separately. If you’ve tried it, I’d love to know if it worked. I love zoodles.
Kris says
I’ve made this several times and my kids love it. Wondering if I could make this at home, leave in my Instant pot, and bring to a potluck to be eaten a couple hours later? I’m concerned things might get mushy that way. Thoughts?
Corey says
I think that would be fine Kris. You might just need to warm it up a bit before serving though
Kelly Pelicaric says
Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe. The whole family loved it. So super simple but packed with flavor. I used veggie penne pasta. Definitely adding this to our recipe rotation!
Susan S. says
Great meal and so easy! We all loved it, and my 10-year-old son is already excited for leftovers. He puts habanero pepper flakes on it! ? Thanks for the recipe.
Nicole says
I only have whole wheat pasta. Would I need to increase cooking time?
Corey says
I don’t think you would have to adjust the time for whole wheat pasta.
ANH says
I used whole wheat elbow pasta and followed the recipe exactly and it worked great.
Dave says
If you wanted to skip the sausage and make this without meat, would you completely skip step 1 and exclude the butter?
Corey says
I have only made the recipe as written Dave. If you give that a try, please let us know how it turns out. Thanks!
Beth says
I just made this meal tonight with no meat (my first ever instant pot meal!!) and it worked just fine. It looked a little soupy when it first stopped cooking, but I left it on “warm” for a little while and it firmed up just fine. My three boys LOVED it! Next time I will try the sausage, since I know my husband would love that. I just didn’t have any on hand and was in a rush to get to baseball practice!
Athea says
I followed your directions to the letter, but my pot came up “burn.” Any idea what I’m doing wrong?
Corey says
That is the message your IP read?
Debbie Kindle says
I made this tonight and I got the burn message also.
Mac MacKenzie says
Personally, I would deglaze the pot after the sausage with a little bit of the water and then I would put the pasta, followed by the sauces, and then the rest of the water. No stir, just try to make sure all the pasta is submerged. That’s just me — I’m paranoid about getting a burn notice!
Kelly Howell says
I’ve made 3 times. Last time I got burn notice. I tried everything, even dumped contents into another bowl & scrubbed pot 2xs. Thankfully, it was alrdy soft enough at that point
Amy says
Wondering if anyone has used ground beef instead of sausage?
Kate says
Yes- it is very good with ground beef!
Lauren says
Can you freeze this please? Made this today and it was absolutely beautiful, my two kids are the pickiest eaters in the world and they both devoured it! Thanks
Corey says
Yes you can Lauren.
Donna says
I am a newbee to the instant pot and going to try this recipe. When you say 1 lb sausage, is this cut in chunks and browned or like ground beef?
Kristin says
This was delicious. Our whole family gobbled it up! Has anyone ever frozen after cooking? We have lots of leftovers and a baby coming soon so I thought two birds with one stone. Thank you!!
amy says
can i double this recipe in the insta pot?
Corey says
I depends on what size IP you have.
Kate says
I have not successfully doubled pasta to 2 lbs in my 8 qt instant pot (not sure on liquid amounts), but today I made a recipe and a half… didn’t double meat; used 48 oz spaghetti sauce and 48 oz water (no pizza sauce) and 1 1/2 lb pasta. Same time, and it turned out perfect.
CC says
Do you need to drain the sausage after browning?
Kelly Howell says
Hope this helps someone (may just be coincidence). I got burn notice the last 3xs I tried to make this. Husband pointed out that it was about the same time I read that the seasonings go in w the sausage. So I held off until I add cheese. No burn notice! (I scrap pan, always before I pressure cook)
Sakshi Kukreja says
I need to make it for a gathering..would it still work if I double this up ?
Corey says
I have only made the recipe as written, so I can’t say for sure.
Karen says
So, what about draining the grease from the sausage?
Shela says
This took way longer then 15 mins. Also it didn’t say how long to sauté the meat.
Corey says
Shela, You simple saute the meat until it is browned.
Kelly Howell says
While my sausage is browning, I measure out ingredients. It’s so much easier & makes it faster, works with every recipe I’ve tried so far.
Kelly says
I made this last night; it has a lot of flavor. My teenage sons gobbled it right up! Thanks for the great recipe! It’s the easiest thing I’ve made so far in my Instant Pot.
Mariah says
Mine came up with the same burn error. Did you use whole wheat pasta? I’m wondering if that is what cause it for me. Maybe try adding more water
Sue Marie says
Absolutely incredible! I saw another recipe and used some variations from that one. I used broth instead of the water and rotini, both because I had some open and wanted them used up.I also added 1/2 tsp of oregano. I was expecting a Hamburger Helping type dish but this was so much more. The flavours were so enhanced and it did taste like pizza. Thanks for sharing!
barbara english says
can you cook these recipes in the crock pot also? and hi or low and for how long ?
thank you
Holly says
What size instapot did you use?
Corey says
I used a 6qt 🙂
Barb says
I made this last night. I am fairly new using IP. My favorite IP recipe so far! I added onions when sauteing the sausage. We don’t care for large pieces of pepperoni, so I finely chopped 15 pieces & stirred them in. I quartered the remaining 5 slices. BTW they are GENEROUS 6 servings.
Hannah says
I love this dish, but my instant pot always says burn when I make it! What am I doing wrong?
Sue Marie says
If you haven’t heard of deglazing, you have to make sure the bottom of the liner (inner pot) is free from bits that might have gotten stuck. After browing the meat, use some water or broth and a flat edged utensil and scrape the bottom clean. As a note, I make chiili using the same recipe all the time and even though I deglaze, the odd time I will get a burn message for some reason.
Justin says
I really enjoyed this recipe although I made a few substitutions as follows:
I removed the pepperoni and butter altogether.
I replaced the Italian sausage with Al Fresco Chicken sweet Italian sausage (6 links, removed the casing and cut up)
I replaced the pizza sauce and tomato sauce with a 24 oz jar of Newman’s Marinara.
Otherwise, I made it the same without having to cook the sausage (it’s fully cooked) which made the whole recipe a little faster to put together.
Everyone loved it! Thanks for sharing this.
DebofJeddo says
Made this today exactly as written and it was very good! Next time I will do as other reviewers suggested and quarter my pepperoni so that they are more evenly distributed in every bite. Will probably add onion and pepper flakes too. Thanks for an easy, delicious recipe.
Kels says
The rule for pasta is 1/2 the cooking time on the box. I go 1 minute less than that even because my kids like it more al’dente. If box says 12 min… pressure cook at 6 min (I go 5).
Kels says
Sorry I replied to wrong post. Thanks stupid phone.
Christina Oliver says
I made this a few nights ago and my kids love it! I’m wanting to make again tonight, but all I have on hand is spaghetti. Has anyone tried with spaghetti noodles? Does the cooking time need to shorten?
Kels says
The rule for pasta is 1/2 the cooking time on the box. I go 1 minute less than that even because my kids like it more al’dente. If box says 12 min… pressure cook at 6 min (I go 5).
Whitney says
Do you do this on high pressure or normal pressure?
Cassa says
I made this tonight and OMG!!!! It was soooo delicious. I already want to make it again. I have an 8 quart IP. Would I be able to double this recipe or does it have to be as written. I know noodles & rice swell so, I just wanted to know before I tried it.
Corey says
I’ve never tried to double it before Cassa, so I can’t say for sure.
Alex says
In regards to people receiving the BURN reading. That can be common with tomato-based recipes. My suggestions would be to pour in the pasta and water, stir, and pour the tomato products on top and NOT stir them in. That will prevent the tomato from burning on the base of the Instant Pot. I will be making this recipe tonight- looks delish!
Karen says
Still wondering about how to drain the grease from the sausage? No one has answered my question from 3/19/18. Anyone?
AJ says
If you need to drain it a little just lift out the insert and do so before adding the other ingredients.
Kelsey says
We cook our sausage in a skillet, place on a dish with paper towels and squeeze the grease out. Then we add to the pressure cooker.
Mary says
Sorry no one answered you, I always drain my meat when using the IP. Otherwise it has a greasy effect. I have made this it’s really good.
Sarah says
Hi! About much is in 1 serving?
Thanks so much!