Instant Pot Ricotta Pasta

I am excited to share with you my first instant pot recipe on Sizzling Nutrition: Instant Pot Ricotta Pasta!

I seriously love my instant pot. I use it multiple times a week. This Instant Pot Ricotta Pasta is creamy and tangy without being too heavy. It is packed with vegetables and protein and super easy to make! You only need a baking sheet and your instant pot to create this delicious meal. 

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Broccoli florets – This would be delicious with other vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers, or spinach. You can really add whatever you have on hand to a baking sheet and roast until crispy. I think this recipe is a tasty way to eat broccoli, though.
• Chicken sausage – You can use any type of pre-cooked smoked sausage that is chicken or beef. You find this type of sausage in the grocery store near the hotdogs. Some common brands are Johnsonville and Aidell’s.
• Cavatappi pasta – Any type of pasta that holds sauce well could work here such as penne or rigatoni.
• Water/chicken bouillon – You can substitute the water and chicken bouillon for 2 cups of broth or 1 cup of water and 1 cup of broth. Cooking the pasta in broth/boullion gives it a little extra flavor.
• Whole-milk ricotta cheese – I recommend sticking with whole-milk ricotta for this recipe. I tried it with part-skim ricotta, and it just doesn’t turn out as creamy and delicious.
• Cream cheese – Gives the dish a little extra creaminess. Add more or leave out if you prefer.
• Fresh grated parmesan – Definitely use freshly grated parmesan so that it melts evenly into the sauce.
• Lemon juice – The lemon juice adds another dimension of flavor to the creamy sauce.

How to Make Instant Pot Ricotta Pasta:

After preheating the oven, slice chicken sausage links into ¼ inch thick slices. Arrange sausage on baking pan and add broccoli florets. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Mix to coat and spread out evenly on the pan. Cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove broccoli and sausage from oven. Add minced garlic to pan and stir to combine. Place back in oven for another 5 minutes until broccoli is crispy and slightly charred. Remove from oven and set aside.

In the instant pot, mix pasta, water, and bouillon cube. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Quick release the pressure.

Once pasta is cooked, drain liquid, reserving a few tablespoons to use to thin the sauce. To the instant pot with cooked pasta, add ricotta cheese, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until cheese is melted. Add in some of the reserved pasta water to help sauce come together if needed.

Add in cooked sausage and broccoli mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Top with red pepper flakes and extra parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy! Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Sizzling Tip:

When reheating leftovers of this pasta dish in the microwave, add a splash of water to help the sauce stay together and keep everything moist and creamy.

For more easy dinner recipes, head over to my Recipes page!!