This pressure cooker recipe is perfect for a hectic weeknight. Everything is ready in about 30 minutes. The creamy pesto sauce is loaded with flavor, and since all of the ingredients are added to the pressure cooker without being pre-cooked, preparing a simple dinner can’t get any easier.
This recipe was born out of desperation. It was an all too common situation. I’d had a rough day at work. I got home late, and I was tired. I was so tired that all I wanted to do was take a shower and crawl into bed without eating anything for dinner. Unfortunately, my family was hungry. Food critic wanted pasta. Sue Chef wanted garlic bread. What was an exhausted mother to do? It’s simple. I pulled out the pressure cooker, and while it did it’s magic, I made some garlic bread and a salad. The final result was a delicious, creamy and flavorful penne.
While the penne cooked in its sauce, Italian sausage steamed on the rack above it, dripping juices down onto the pasta to add another dimension to the flavor of the sauce. 
Everyone loved my Pressure Cooker Penne with Creamy Pesto Sauce. Food Critic even had seconds. 
I love pressure cooker meals. They’re simple, delicious, and ready in practically no time at all. Give this one a try and you’ll see what I mean.
Thanks for visiting Patty Cake’s Pantry.
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound uncooked penne pasta
- ¼ teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 (8 ounce) jar pesto sauce (or an equal amount of homemade pesto)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup shredded Romano cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 pound Italian sausage links
- Turn pressure cooker to the on position.
- Melt butter in the bottom of the pressure cooker.
- Add raw pasta to the cooker and toss with the butter until the pasta is completely coated.
- Add 1 cup water and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently until the water is absorbed.
- Mix together the pesto sauce, and heavy cream, adding water if necessary so that the liquid volume equals 2¼ cups.
- Pour pesto and cream mixture over pasta in pressure cooker and mix well.
- Add shredded cheese to pressure cooker.
- Stir well to incorporate.
- Place the steamer rack in the pressure cooker.
- Arrange sausages on the rack.
- Close lid to pressure cooker and, lock it into place with the steam valve in the closed position.
- Allow to cook for 10 minutes.
- Release pressure from cooker.
- Serve pasta and sausages with garlic bread and a tossed salad for a complete meal.
| Nutrition Facts |
| Amount Per Serving |
|
Calories 606
|
|
% Daily Value
|
|
Total Fat 41.1g
63%
|
|
Saturated Fat 15.2g
76%
|
|
Trans Fat 0.1g
|
|
Cholesterol 136mg
45%
|
|
Sodium 851mg
35%
|
|
Total Carbohydrates 33.8g
11%
|
|
Dietary Fiber 0.0g
0%
|
|
Sugars 1.9g
|
|
Protein 25.0g
|
|
Vitamin A 12%
Vitamin C 1%
|
|
Calcium 26%
Iron 16%
|