Pizza + Pasta = The Ultimate Dinner Heaven! This Pizza Pasta Bake can be made in your Instant Pot and will be ready to enjoy in under 15 minutes!
It’s the age old question… would you rather have pasta or pizza? I never knew the answer to that question when I was a kid and still don’t to this day.
I love that you can have big forkfuls of pasta, but I also love the big layer of cheese that comes with pizza!
Well here it is, everyone. The answer to your problem. What if we…. Hear me out…. Turn pasta into pizza? Or pizza into pasta? What if we took the best parts about each dish and made, ultimate pizza-pasta speciality?!
This dish will show you how to make an Instant Pot Pizza Pasta Bake that you will LOVE. An 8 minute cook time, a big bowl of pasta, and a delightful layer of mozzarella cheese across the top. Is anyone else drooling?
Why Make this Recipe
- 8 Minute Cook Time: Making pasta in the Instant Pot is SO easy. It’s perfect every time! This 8 minute cook time will make your pasta perfectly al dente without having to hover over the stove
- Great for Kids (and Adults): If you want your picky eater to finish their plate this is the meal for you! (Though the 8 year old in me is telling me to remind you that omitting the pepperoni is also an option)
What Ingredients Do I Need to Make this Recipe?
- Pasta: I use penne noodles, though you could choose to use whatever you’d like. Mostaccioli and rigatoni would also be great options
- Marinara Sauce: You can use whatever store bought or homemade sauce you would like.
- Pepperoni: I used normal-sized pepperoni but you could also use mini pepperoni
- Mozzarella: You can use pre-shredded mozzarella or even an Italian blend
- Spices: You will need oregano, sage, rosemary, marjoram, salt, and pepper
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
Place all of the ingredients except the pepperoni and the cheese in the Instant Pot. Make sure the noodles are covered in the liquid but do not stir.
Put the lid on the Instant Pot and pressure cook on HIGH for 8 minutes. When the timer finishes, perform a Quick Release.
Step 2: Add Cheese and Pepperoni
Open the lid of the Instant Pot and stir. Mix in ½ cup mozzarella and ½ of the pepperoni, and stir again until the cheese is melted.
Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella and pepperoni on top of the pasta. Close lid and turn to keep warm for 2 minutes until the cheese on top melts. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use mini pepperoni if you want pepperoni in every bite!
- I like using an Italian blend in place of shredded mozzarella because I think it gives the pasta more depth in flavor
- If you would like to add sausage, turn the pot to SAUTE before cooking the pasta. Add the sausage and brown in the pot. Turn off SAUTE and remove the sausage. Finish cooking the recipe according to the instructions, then add the sausage in at the same time as pepperoni.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Add Other Toppings Into the Pot?
Of course! Add whatever other pizza toppings you want to this pasta dish! Some great options would be:
- Green Peppers
- Olives
- Pineapple
- Sausage
- Mushrooms
- Bacon
- Onions
How Long Will Leftovers Last?
Store the pasta in an airtight container, and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How Can I Reheat the Pasta?
To reheat, simply place in the microwave. Alternatively, you can fry the pasta in butter on the stove to reheat.
Did you enjoy this recipe for the Instant Pot Pizza Pasta Bake? If so, check out these other recipes that I picked out just for you:
Instant Pot Penne Pasta Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ lb dry penne
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1.5 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp rosemary
- ½ tsp sage
- ½ tsp marjoram
- 3 oz Pepperoni
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients except the pepperoni and the cheese in the Instant Pot. Make sure the noodles are covered in the liquid but do not stir.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and pressure cook on HIGH for 8 minutes. When the timer finishes, perform a Quick Release.
- Open the lid of the Instant Pot and stir. Mix in ½ cup mozzarella and ½ of the pepperoni, and stir again until the cheese is melted.
- Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella and pepperoni on top of the pasta. Close the lid and turn to keep warm for 2 minutes until the cheese on top melts. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pasta: I use penne noodles, though you could choose to use whatever you’d like. Mostaccioli and rigatoni would also be great options
- Marinara Sauce: You can use whatever store bought or homemade sauce you would like.
- Pepperoni: I used normal-sized pepperoni but you could also use mini pepperoni
- Mozzarella: You can use pre-shredded mozzarella or even an Italian blend
- Use mini pepperoni if you want pepperoni in every bite!
- I like using an Italian blend in place of shredded mozzarella because I think it gives the pasta more depth in flavor
- If you would like to add sausage, turn the pot to SAUTE before cooking the pasta. Add the sausage and brown in the pot. Turn off SAUTE and remove the sausage. Finish cooking the recipe according to the instructions, then add the sausage in at the same time as pepperoni.
- Add any other pizza toppings you’d like, including, peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives, ham, sausage, pineapple, or whatever else you want
Melissa Torres says
I doubled the recipe (but not all the spices) and lowered the cook time to 4 minutes with a QR (just learned my IP brand/size cooks too fast) and it was a hit with the fam! The marinara was a little thick on the pasta, we’re used to homemade spag sauce but I grabbed a jar of RAOs, so I thinned it with some water and was great!