Throw on your favorite flannel and cozy up with a bowl of Instant Pot Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Italian Sausage! The entire recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it the perfect option for busy weeknight dinners. With both gluten-free and dairy-free options included, this recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser! Stovetop instructions also included.
Eight months.
That’s how long my Instant Pot sat in its box after my bridal shower last May.
That’s eight months spent unnecessarily slaving over a hot stove when I could have already been halfway through my meal. Eight months spent frantically thawing meat under cold running water in order to get a last-minute dinner on the table. Eight months spent washing dishes for (what felt like) hours after every single meal.
Eight months.
In theory, I could blame much of my procrastination on our cross-country move (after all, who wants to go through the hassle of unpacking and storing a kitchen appliance, only to box it up again in a few months?) And while there would be some truth behind this statement, the reality is that our IP continued to sit untouched for several months after settling into our new home.
Looking back, I’m not exactly sure why I was so hesitant to give the Instant Pot a try. I think I was concerned that a) it would be difficult to use (spoiler alert: it wasn’t) or b) that I would burn my eyebrows off in the process of releasing the pressure (spoiler alert: I didn’t). Either way, I’m happy that I eventually came to my senses and gave the instant pot a try because it has made weeknight dinners a lot easier and a lot less stressful. And, more importantly, it’s cut back on the number of dishes that are dirtied in the process!
What is the Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot is essentially a pressure cooker, slow cooker, sauté pan, steamer, rice cooker, and warmer all in one. Not only can the IP do the job of multiple kitchen appliances, but it also does so more efficiently than most traditional kitchen appliances – the Instant Pot can cook food in as little as 1/25th of the standard cooking time while using up to 70% less energy. Talk about convenient!
If you’re new to the world of Instant Pots, I recommend starting with recipes specifically designed with the instant pot in mind before branching out and experimenting with your own recipes. While this appliance is relatively easy to use, it does have a little bit of a learning curve – especially if you intend to use the instant pot to cook one pot meals.
If you happen to be in the market for a new Instant Pot recipe, then look no further than my new favorite fall recipe: Instant Pot Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Italian Sausage! As an added bonus, I’m also walking you through the step-by-step process for cooking pasta in the Instant Pot like a pro.
What you need to make Instant Pot Creamy Pumpkin Pasta:
This creamy, dreamy pumpkin pasta can be made in under 30 minutes using a few simple ingredients:
- Spicy Italian sausage (chicken, turkey, or pork), uncooked and casings removed
- Your favorite pasta (see below for recommendations and cooking instructions)
- Vegetable (or chicken) broth
- Pumpkin puree
- Dry white wine
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ricotta (sub full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free option)
- Spinach
- Dried herbs & seasonings (sage, rosemary, nutmeg)
What type of pasta should I use?
Take a stroll down the pasta aisle of any major supermarket these days and you’ll find all different sorts of pastas: white pasta, whole wheat pasta, chickpea pasta, gluten-free pasta, lentil pasta, quinoa pasta.. the list goes on! And while I would like to tell you that this method works with every single pasta out there, the truth is that I still have a lot of recipe testing to go until I can make such bold claims.
That said, I have tried this pasta with white pasta, whole wheat pasta, and my favorite chickpea pasta (shout out to Banza) and all of them worked like a charm. In fact, I think I actually enjoyed the chickpea and whole wheat varieties the most, as they seemed to hold up best when reheated as leftovers. No matter what pasta you choose, be sure to check out my cooking instructions below.
What kind of wine is best for this recipe?
I recommend using a dry white wine, such as a chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, in this recipe. I’ve tried this recipe with both and they were equally fabulous. Just be sure to choose something that you enjoy, given that you’ll have almost a full bottle leftover (and it’s not going to drink itself..)
If you don’t want to open a bottle of wine (or if you can’t bear to part with 1/2 cup), then you can omit it entirely and add more broth or water in its place.
How spicy is this Creamy Pumpkin Pasta?
The hot Italian chicken (or turkey/pork) sausage does give this recipe a bit of a kick, though the combination of creamy ricotta and pumpkin do a good job of balancing it out. In the end, I’d equate it more to a love tap than a full-blown sucker punch. You know, just enough of a kick to remind you its there, but not so much that you’re laid up on the couch for the rest of the night.
If you can’t handle the heat.. well, then get out of the kitchen. KIDDING. If you want to make this milder, then you can replace the hot Italian sausage with mild or sweet, or use plain ground turkey or chicken and adjust the red pepper flakes to your liking.
Can this recipe be modified to be vegetarian?
Of course! But, I should warn you that you will inevitably lose some flavor in the process. To compensate for the missing sausage, I would recommend upping the herbs and spices to taste and adding between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on your heat preference.
If you do choose to go the vegetarian route, I also recommend choosing a high-protein pasta to add a little extra staying power and balance out the meal. If you happen go with a chickpea pasta (such as Banza), this will also make the recipe gluten-free.
Can this Creamy Pumpkin Pasta be made dairy-free?
I’m happy to report that this recipe can easily be made dairy-free by simply swapping out ricotta for equal parts full-fat canned coconut milk or coconut cream. If using coconut milk, you’ll want to be sure to discard any liquid and only utilize the thick portion. My guess is that you could also substitute a dairy-free ricotta (store-bought or homemade), however I have not tested this yet.
How to cook pasta in the Instant Pot
This was my first time cooking pasta in the Instant Pot and honestly, I was a little intimidated straight up terrified. I truly had no idea what I would find when I removed the lid. Would I find myself face-to-face with a dried up clump of half cooked pasta? Or perhaps a soupy mess? Neither option seemed especially appealing.
Fortunately, through a bit of research and some trial and error, I discovered a tried and true method for cooking pasta in the Instant Pot. It all boils down (pun intended) to a few things..
Instant Pot pasta-to-liquid ratio
The best thing about cooking pasta in the instant pot is that you cook everything, including the pasta AND the sauce, at the same time. The worst thing about cooking pasta in the instant pot is that you cook everything, including the pasta AND the sauce, at the same time. This means that you need to get the pasta-to-liquid ratio down to a T in order to avoid either of the unfortunate scenarios described above.
When cooking pasta in the instant pot, you want to ensure that you have just enough liquid to cover the pasta. I’ve found that 1 cup of liquid for every 4 ounces of pasta seems to be a good starting point. However, if you’re looking to use some of the cooking liquid as the base for a sauce (as is the case in this recipe), then you may want to increase the liquid by about 1/4 cup per 4 ounces.
How long to cook pasta in the Instant Pot
Similar to traditional stovetop cooking methods, the amount of time it takes to cook pasta in the instant pot will vary based on the type of pasta you choose. However, I recently discovered a handy dandy formula (thanks Tidbits!) that can be used to easily calculate the amount of time needed to cook pretty much any type of pasta.
To calculate how long to cook pasta in the instant pot, take the lowest cook time listed on the package instructions, divide it by two, and subtract two minutes. If the lowest cook time is an odd number, you’ll want to add one minute to get it to an even number, then divide by two and subtract two minutes. For instance, if the package says to cook the pasta for 7-9 minutes, you’ll want to take the lowest time listed (7 minutes), add one minute to get to an even number (8), divide by two (which gets you to 4), and subtract 2 minutes. So, for this pasta, the cook time will be 2 minutes.
* Side note: Keep in mind that it takes time for the instant pot to reach pressure before it actually begins the cooking process. So even if the cook time is calculated to be 2 minutes, it will likely take at least 8 minutes to reach pressure before it begins cooking.
And there you have it – my failproof process for cooking pasta in the Instant Pot! I hope you’ll give it a try with this recipe and let me know what you think. If you do, be sure to snap a picture and tag @rootstorisenutrition on Instagram so I can see!
PS – If you don’t have an Instant Pot, no worries.. I’ve included stovetop instructions in the recipe as well!
Instant Pot Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Italian Sausage
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage uncooked, casings removed (see note for substitutions)
- 1 small yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 8 ounces pasta (see note)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2-3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth see notes
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup ricotta cheese (see notes for dairy-free option)
- 3 cups spinach chopped, loosely packed
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn the Instant Pot on and set to "saute". Once hot, add oil, sausage, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned and onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
- Press "cancel" on Instant Pot to stop cooking process. Carefully pour in wine and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pot, scraping any bits of onion and sausage from the bottom.
- Add pasta, pumpkin, vegetable broth, spices, and herbs. Use a wooden spoon to press down gently to ensure all ingredients are covered with liquid. Secure lid on Instant Pot and set valve to "sealing" position. Cook on high pressure for 1-5 minutes, using instructions outlined in notes section.
- Carefully turn valve to "venting" position to quickly release the pressure. Stir in ricotta and spinach until thoroughly combined. If sauce is still liquidy, turn Instant Pot to "saute" and cook uncovered for a few minutes to thicken, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Stovetop Instructions:
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, sausage, onion, herbs (sage, rosemary) and spices (nutmeg, salt, pepper). Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned and onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Add pasta, pumpkin, broth, and wine and press gently with a wooden spoon to ensure all ingredients are adequately covered with liquid. Increase heat to high and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, set the timer for 9 minutes (or as indicated on package instructions) and cook on high until pasta is tender and liquid is absorbed. **NOTE: You will need to stir frequently for the first few minutes and then constantly for the final 5 minutes to preventing the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan!! Add additional broth (1/4 cup at a time), as needed, if pasta is not yet tender by the time the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and stir in ricotta and spinach. Serve hot.
Alright, I found this recipes some years back and it has been in regular rotation ever since! Either cooking method is great and it also freezes well. I make a batch, eat a bowl for dinner and put five more in the freezer! Great for nights I don’t feel like cooking and really filling too.
Hi Lauren,
Thank you so much for taking the time to review. I’m so happy that this recipe has made it into your regular meal rotation and it’s great to know that it freezes well 🙂
This is one of our favorite fall dishes. It’s also a great and easy dish to make for a crowd. Yum!
Thanks for taking the time to comment – I’m glad you love it!
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