Instant Pot Cajun Pasta is made with andouille or kielbasa sausage, vegetables, and pasta.  It’s another all-in-one instant pot pasta recipe that my family loves!  

Interested in more all-in-one Instant Pot Recipes? Some of my family’s favorites include Instant Pot Chicken and RiceInstant Pot Pasta with Meatballs, and Instant Pot Stroganoff.

A white bowl with cooked farfalle pasta with sausages and diced red bell pepper in a creamy cajun sauce, with a fork in the bowl.

Instant Pot Cajun Pasta

I get so excited every time I successfully create an instant pot recipe that’s a “dump it and forget it” type of dinner!  These type of meals are what I love to use my instant pot for the most, but I’m really picky that the end result has to taste just as good as if I took the time to make it in a skillet on the stove. Learn all of my instant pot tips and tricks!

For this easy instant pot pasta recipe you simple sauté the veggies and sausages in the bottom of the pot first, and then add the liquid and dry pasta. In one click of a button you have a delicious meal ready to go, and only one dish to wash!

How to make Instant Pot Cajun Pasta in 8 Steps:

  1. Prepare your ingredients.  Chop the vegetables and sausage into bite sized pieces.
  2. Turn your Instant Pot to sauté and cook the sausage, bell peppers, celery and onion in a little bit of oil, and then add cajun seasoning and garlic.
  3. Turn Instant Pot OFF.  
  4. Add chicken broth, milk, and dry pasta.  Make sure to press down the pasta to submerge it in the liquid.
  5. Cook on high pressure (manual)n for 4 minutes.
  6. Quick release.  Start slowly and then fully release the pressure.  Give the pasta a gentle stir.
  7. Turn the IP pot to Sauté. Stir in the parmesan cheese and parsley.
  8. Add cornstarch and milk that have been stirred together.  Stir it gently until the sauce starts to thicken.

Four process photos with text instructions on the photos for cooking cajun pasta in the instant pot including sausage browning in the pot, veggies added, dry farfalle pasta and broth added, and the dish after cooking, with parmesan cheese and parsley sprinkled on top.

Can I double this recipe?

  • Yes, you can double this instant pot pasta recipe by doubling ALL of the ingredients, including the pasta and liquid!  The cook time will STAY THE SAME.  You will notice your pot will take a little longer to come to pressure because of the higher volume of ingredients inside.

Ways to Adapt this Recipe:

  • Add or substitute different kinds of meat. Chicken would work if you cut it into bite-size pieces first (you can sauté it in the pot, just like the sausage, but don’t cook it all the way through.) Ground turkey, sautéed at the beginning, or different type of sausages would also work. Use what you have.
  • Add more vegetables. I like to add seasonal vegetables to this dish as well, like zucchini, summer squash, broccoli, and peas. I think it tastes best to sauté additional vegetables in the pot at the beginning, until tender, and then remove them to a plate and stir them at the very end, after the Instant Pot has finished cooking. That way you avoid them being overcooked and mushy.

The inside of an instant pot filled with a cooked cajun pasta recipe made with bowtie noodles and sausage and a wooden spoon to serve it.

You really don’t need a side dish with this instant pot pasta, but if you’d like to stretch it to feed more people you could serve it with a big green salad and crusty bread.

Don’t Have an Instant Pot? Make it on the stove!

Heat the oil in a large pan on the stove. Add the sausage and veggies and sauté. Add the seasonings. Add the dry pasta, chicken broth and milk but add an extra 1 cup of chicken broth, and an extra ½ cup of milk. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer.

Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once or twice during this time. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese, parsley and cornstarch slurry. Cook just until sauce begins to thicken.

Close up photo of Instant Pot Cajun Pasta made with bowtie noodes, on a white plate.

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Recipe

A white bowl with cooked farfalle pasta with sausages and diced red bell pepper with a fork in the bowl.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 40 minutes
Save Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • Tablespoons  olive oil
  • 12  ounces  smoked andouille sausages  , cut into small rounds*
  • cloves  garlic  , minced
  • 1 bell pepper , chopped
  • 2 ribs celery , chopped
  • 3 green onions , chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 - 3  teaspoons  cajun seasoning , to taste
  • 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk , divided
  • ounces  farfalle pasta (or your favorite type)
  • 1/2  cup  freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley , for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Turn IP to Saute. Add olive oil to pot. Add sausage and brown on both sides.
  • Push the meat to the side and add the chopped bell peppers, celery and onion and saute 1 minute.
  • Add garlic and cajun seasoning.
  • Turn IP OFF.
  • Add chicken broth, ¾ cup of the milk, and dry pasta, pressing the pasta down to submerge it.
  • Cook on high pressure (manual for 4 minutes).
  • When timer beeps, turn the valve to quick release the pressure/steam. Start slowly to be sure only steam comes out, and then fully release it.
  • Remove lid and give the pasta a gentle stir. Turn the IP pot to Saute. Stir in parmesan cheese.
  • Stir cornstarch into remaining ¼ cup milk and add to the pot. Stir gently until sauce has slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Recipe can be doubled in a 6qt or larger IP.
*any type of sausage will work!

Nutrition

Calories: 737kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 39gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 1535mgPotassium: 833mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 4535IUVitamin C: 46.3mgCalcium: 453mgIron: 3.9mg

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Very tasty! This recipe is great to make ahead of time and then eat throughout the week. I added a can of Rotel to my mix, which was a great addition.

  2. 4 stars
    I’m a 75 year old man enjoying life and learning to cook. I accidentally reviewed my internet recipes and found that I had 3 of yours. Now that I’ve printed a few more to try, this one is my latest in a long line of hits. Thanks for making my life more fun and delicious.

    1. Yum!!!! Just made this! Delish! Even two of my picky kids ate it! That says A LOT! 🙂 I absolutely CANNOT wait until I get your cookbook. Just checked today and it says it’s coming end of Sept. WOOT WOOT! I use your recipes as my go to! Thank you, for simplifying my life with your website!

  3. 4 stars
    The recipe was good but it is spicy. I used andouille sausage and half the amount of seasoning and it was very spicy for our family.

  4. 5 stars
    So fast, so easy, SO delicious! This is a constant on my dinner rotation list. My kids gobble this up! Only modification I did was I used kielbasa sausage instead of Cajun to take away the heat for my littles but the flavor is still very much there!