Neefer's Guide to Making Plain Pasta in an Instant Pot

Many different factors can potentially come into play when making pasta in your Instant Pot: the size of your pot, the amount of pasta and water you are using, the amount of type of pasta and amount of starch in it, the size / shape of the pasta, the altitude you live at, etc.

The directions listed here are the general parameters I've developed through trial-and-error. Your mileage may vary, so experiment until you find what works for you.

Note that many people recommend adding a little oil to the pasta before sealing the Instant Pot (supposedly to help reduce foaming, though I've had no luck with doing this).

If you're planning to eat the pasta as-is, then it should be okay to add a little oil. But if you intend to serve the pasta with sauce, you should be aware that starch is what allows the sauce to cling to the pasta!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cooking time is approximately half the amount of time listed on the box, minus about 2 to 3 minutes.

This "subtraction value" is used to offset the amount of time it will continue cooking during the partial Natural Pressure Release. (So for delicate pasta, you'll likely want to subtract more time so that it will offset the NPR time and hopefully avoid overcooking your pasta.)

Amount of water / broth to use is at least 1 cup, but make sure you use enough to cover most of the pasta. (It is OK if some pasta sticks up.)

If using water, or unsalted broth as your cooking liquid: season the pasta with a little salt before closing the lid.

Make sure you turn the valve to Sealing! :-)

Cooking method is Manual, on High Pressure.

Natural Pressure Release time is about 3 to 4 minutes, or slightly more than your "cooking time subtraction value" above. It all depends on the type of pasta you used, so you will need to experiment until you find what works best for you.

* Less starchy pasta theoretically generates less foam, and needs less time to settle down.

* More starchy pasta theoretically generates more foam, and needs more time to settle down.

* Delicate pasta overcooks easily, so would want a shorter NPR.

Once your cooking time and NPR time has completed, you will now do a "controlled Quick Release".

A controlled QR is when you carefully let the remaining pressure out, in small bursts, to avoid expelling too much starchy foam. As soon as the valve starts sputtering out anything but water, turn the vent back to sealing, and wait a few seconds before releasing in another small burst.

Repeat the small-burst Controlled Quick Release process until all remaining pressure is released, then remove the lid.

Stir your pasta and check for doneness.

If it seems undercooked, and there is sufficient water still in the pot: close the lid and let it sit in Keep Warm mode for a few more minutes, and allow it to finish cooking using the residual heat.

If it seems undercooked, and there is NOT sufficient water in the pot: add some warm (but not hot) tap water and then either bring the IP back up to pressure again for 1 minute, plus Quick Release -- or try using Saute mode to finish cooking it.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This step of "resolving undercooked pasta" is where you start learning from experience what your optimal "subtraction value" and NPR time is. If it is too undercooked, you subtracted too much in the cooking time, and/or did not let it NPR long enough. If it's just a little undercooked, usually a closed lid with the residual heat can help finish it up. Plus -- if you are going to add sauce, it can also finish cooking in the heated sauce.

Once the desired doneness is achieved, press Cancel.

Carefully drain any excess water that was not absorbed during the cooking process. My preferred method is with a turkey baster, so that (a) I do not have to remove the hot pot, and (b) I can transfer to liquid to a measuring cup and use it for thinning the sauce.

Finish simply with some butter and fresh chopped herbs. Alternately, you can now add some pre-made sauce, and/or a pre-cooked protein of your choice, then use Saute mode to warm the sauce and protein. If the sauce needs thinning, use the reserved pasta water.

Make sure to press cancel and unplug your pot when you are finished. :-)

IMPORTANT NOTE #2: Cooking pasta in your IP is one of those events that usually necessitates a careful and thorough cleaning of your lid -- including removing the sealing ring and vent shield. Make sure you find and remove all specks of starchy goo, to prevent clogging and to ensure that your lid continues to seal and vent properly. (I prefer to wash the lid right away, before anything has a chance to dry up and become stuck!)

SUPER IMPORTANT WARNING: If you choose to (or need to) remove the float valve and its tiny silicon ring -- do NOT do so over your sink, or anywhere else that those two tiny pieces could disappear into and become lost forever!

Image Credit: Jovina Coughlin https://jovinacooksitalian.com/2015/05/11/light-spring-pastas/