If you’re looking for a quick and delicious Instant Pot dinner idea, this Easy Cheesy Beef and Bowtie Pasta is it! This pasta recipe will be an instant hit with your family. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and my kids love it!
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A Simple Dinner Solution
I know how it goes with most of us – dinnertime creeps up and we have no clue what to make!
This super easy pasta dish is one of my go-to meals whenever I’m running short on time and the kids are starving! They’re always starving, aren’t they? I have 5 kids and every single one of them loves it when I make this Instant Pot Beef and Bowtie Pasta recipe. They never tire of it.
A Great Option, Even For Picky Eaters
My kids get so excited when I tell them I’m making this cheesy beef pasta. To them, it’s as gourmet as it comes! In reality, it’s so easy to make thanks to the Instant Pot! You will love how easy it is and your family will devour it!
I like to keep things easy in the kitchen, and this delicious pasta is no exception. My older kids help me make it since there’s really no prep involved. There’s no chopping required and all you need is some basic ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Out of all the recipes on the blog, this easy pasta recipe is the one that gets the most votes for “kid-friendly” on social media. Toddlers love it!
And you will love this recipe because you’ll have dinner ready on time, you won’t have a sink full of dishes to clean afterwards, and your entire family will love it!
What Ingredients Do I Need for Instant Pot Beef and Bowtie Pasta?
This easy cheesy beef and bowtie pasta recipe only requires a few ingredients. Here’s a full list with a description of everything.
- Farfalle Pasta: You will need one pound of pasta. I use Farfalle, or bowtie pasta for this recipe. Any brand will do.
- Vodka Sauce: This is by far my favorite pasta sauce. There are many brands, and I love all of them. You’ll need one 24 oz jar of pasta sauce.
- Ground Beef: You will also need one pound of ground beef. I always use 90/10, therefore there is no draining of fat needed.
- Seasonings: You’ll need a few seasonings. This pasta calls for Italian seasoning, dried minced onion, garlic powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
- Beef Stock: You’ll need 3 cups of unsalted beef stock. My brand of choice is usually Kitchen Basics.
- Cheese: As far as cheeses, you’ll need one and a half cups of mozzarella and half a cup of parmesan cheese.
What is Vodka Sauce?
Vodka Sauce is a pasta sauce that you can find in the pasta sauce aisle of your local supermarket. It’s a little creamier than other sauces, and it’s more pink/orange than red. It’s absolutely delicious, and no, it won’t make your kids go to sleep faster! I like to use Vodka Pasta Sauce for this recipe. I think it’s perfect when combined with the cheeses. My kids especially love it on their pasta. If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend it.
Substitutions for this Instant Pot Beef and Bowtie Pasta Recipe
I usually get many questions about substituting items in recipes. Below are the questions that you may be wondering about, so I’ve answered them for you. If you have any more questions, please leave them in the comments below.
Can I use a different pasta sauce?
You can definitely use your favorite pasta sauce. We are big fans of vodka sauce, so we usually have it on hand. For this recipe, you can use any sauce you’d like, but I highly recommend you try it with vodka sauce.
Can I use Chicken Stock?
You can use unsalted chicken stock instead of beef. I use chicken stock in many of my beef pasta recipes.
Can I use fresh onions and garlic?
Yes, you can use fresh onions and garlic if you have the time. You can mince 4 cloves of garlic and chop half of a medium onion. You would add the onion after browning the ground beef and cook it until the onion is soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Essential Items
Here are some essential prep tools, utensils, and appliances I used to make this recipe.
Appliances & Cookware
These are the appliances and cookware that I used to make this recipe:
Prep Tools & Utensils
Here are the prep tools and utensils that you’ll need:
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Bowls
- Stackable Measuring Cups
- Wooden Utensils
- Pinch Bowls
28 Must-Have Instant Pot Accessories
Make sure to check out my Ultimate List of Instant Pot Accessories! I’ve included everything you could ever need to help make your pressure cooking quicker, easier, and even more convenient.
How To Make Instant Pot Beef and Bowtie Pasta
Gather and measure your ingredients and let’s get started making this easy Instant Pot pasta recipe. Here, I’m providing step-by-step instructions for this recipe to help ensure you end up with the best pasta dish possible. If you’re well versed in using your Instant Pot, you can skip this part and go straight to the recipe card.
Step 1: Cook the Ground Beef
Set your Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ and allow it to heat up. When the display reads ‘Hot’ you can add the ground beef. Brown the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks.
Step 2: Season the Ground Beef
Once the meat is cooked through, add the Italian seasoning, minced onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and mix everything well. Cook the beef for a few more minutes.
Step 3: Add the Beef Stock
Now, cancel out of the ‘Sauté’ mode. Then add the beef stock and deglaze the bottom of the pot by scraping it to make sure there’s nothing stuck at the bottom.
Step 4: Add the Pasta
Add the pasta to the pot and push it down into the liquid as much as possible. Don’t mix.
Step 5: Add the Vodka Sauce
Layer the pasta sauce on top of the pasta without mixing. This will prevent a burn message.
Step 6: Cook the Pasta
Close your pot and set it to ‘Sealing’. Set it to cook on ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’, ‘High Pressure’ for 5 minutes. After the cooking time is finished you will allow for a 2 minute NPR (Natural Pressure Release). After the two minutes are up, you can manually release the rest of the pressure by moving the knob to ‘Venting’.
Step 7: Add the Cheeses
When the pin drops, open your pot. Add the mozzarella and parmesan cheese and continue mixing until the cheeses fully melt into the sauce.
Serve and Enjoy Your Beef and Bowtie Pasta!
Now it’s time to get those hungry kiddos fed! You can serve each plate with parmesan sprinkled over the top of the pasta for a little extra yumminess. Enjoy!
I hope you make this easy cheesy Beef and Bowtie Pasta. I know you and your family will love it! So, now it’s your turn to give this recipe a try. Oh, and in the recipe card, I have included some tips and tricks to help you make this delicious bowtie pasta recipe your own. So don’t forget to check those out.
Did you make this Instant Pot Beef and Bowtie Pasta? I know you will absolutely love this pasta recipe as much as we do! Please, let me know in the comments when you try it.
More Quick, Easy, and Delicious Recipes
More bowtie pasta recipes that you may enjoy:
Looking for even more pasta recipes to make in the Instant Pot? If you want to try making a creamy pasta dish in the pressure cooker, check out my recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo. And for a restaurant-quality pasta recipe, try my Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta.
For a full list of all the pressure cooker pasta recipes on this blog, make sure to check out my Easy Instant Pot Pasta Recipes post.
Need a side to go with this pasta dish? If you’re looking for a perfect side dish for this recipe, then try my Homemade Garlic Bread and Easy Oven Roasted Broccoli recipes. They’re so delicious and perfectly complement this Instant Pot Beef and Bowtie Pasta!
Instant Pot Beef and Bowtie Pasta
SEASONED GROUND BEEF AND BOWTIE PASTA IN A CHEESY VODKA SAUCE
Essential Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound farfalle pasta
- 1 pound ground beef I use 90/10 ground sirloin
- 1 jar vodka sauce 24 ounce
- 3 cups unsalted beef stock may substitute chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Cook Ground Beef: Set the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' and allow it to heat up until the display reads 'Hot'. Then, add the ground beef to the pot and sauté, breaking into small pieces, until fully cooked, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Season Ground Beef: Add the Italian seasoning, dried minced onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the ground beef and mix well. Cook for another couple of minutes.
- Add Beef Stock: Cancel the 'Sauté' mode and then add the beef stock. Stir well and deglaze the bottom of the liner.
- Add Pasta & Sauce: Add the pasta to the pot and only push it down into the liquid but do not mix it in. Layer the jar of Vodka sauce on top of the pasta, do not mix. Important: Just layer the sauce on top without mixing it into the pasta.
- 5-Minute Cook Time: Close the Instant Pot, set it to 'Sealing', select the 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' function and cook on 'High Pressure' for 5 minutes.
- 2-Minute NPR: Once cooking has finished, allow for a 2 minute NPR (natural pressure release). Release the remaining pressure after the two minutes have completed. Once all the pressure has been released and the pin has dropped, open the pot.
- Add Cheeses: Add the mozzarella and parmesan cheese and mix well into the pasta until the cheese has fully melted into the sauce.
Nutrition Facts
Tips & Tricks
Add fresh, chopped onions. If you’re not in a hurry, add some chopped onions instead of minced.
Use your favorite pasta sauce. I highly recommend using Vodka sauce for this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite sauce instead. Any marinara or spaghetti sauce would work perfectly.
Add your favorite cheeses. If you don’t have mozzarella on hand, use what you have. I’ve made it with Mexican blend and Cheddar when I was in a pinch. I prefer the Mozzarella and Parmesan combo but the kids ate it just the same!
Make it Mexican. To give it a Mexican twist, use a Mexican/Taco Blend shredded cheese and add some taco seasoning instead of Italian seasoning. Or, check out my recipe for Taco Pasta.
Serving Suggestions
Make it Cheesier. We like to top each serving with extra shredded parmesan cheese.
Serve it with some greens. A salad would make a perfect side to this pasta.
Add some crusty bread. Nothing better than a side of crusty, buttered bread with your pasta. You’ll also want to check out my homemade garlic bread.
Hi Valerie, I have a stupid question. I just bought my Instant Pot and I’m going to try this recipe as my first recipe, but I am wondering, it doesn’t say anything about pre-cooking the pasta first. Do I put the pasta into the Instant pot right out of the box or do I boil it seperately first?
Hi Peter! Definitely not a stupid question! You will use uncooked pasta. Good luck on your first run!
Thank you, trying tonight, will let you know! 🙂