Learn how to make a delicious penne pasta and sausage from scratch in an instant pot. This Instant Pot Penne Pasta is cooked perfectly in a creamy tomato sauce. It's loaded with savory sausage. It’s the perfect weeknight meal!
Press the “Sauté” function key. When Instant Pot displays “Hot", add 1½ tablespoon of oil. Add Italian sausage, cook undisturbed for 1 minute, stir for another minute, then add onion. Cook for 3 minutes.
Add garlic, cook until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes, bring to a boil for about 2 minutes, add the Italian seasoning, and dried basil. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to keep it from burning. Turn the instant pot off.
Add penne pasta and press evenly on top of the sausage mixture. DO NOT STIR! Add chicken broth, press the pasta down gently to make sure it is submerged in liquid. DO NOT STIR!
Put the lid on, sealed, and set to manual for "4 minutes". After thecooking cycle finished, wait for 5 minutes then quicklyrelease the pressure.
Open the lid and turn on the “Sauté” setting. You will see a lot of juices but it's normal. Stir and simmer the pasta and sauce for about 2-3 minutes. Note: If you find the texture is too hard to your liking, just simmer the pasta a bit longer until you reach the desired consistency. Stir occasionally.
Add heavy cream. Stir lightly for 1-2 minutes or until the liquid is thickened. Add parmesan cheese, stir to combine. Add salt and pepper if necessary.