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!
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.
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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.
Kitchen Prep Tools, Utensils & Appliances
Here is a list of the kitchen prep tools, utensils, and appliances I used to make this recipe.
Prep Tools & Utensils
These are the items you’ll need to prep and make this recipe:
- This is a very simple recipe and you won’t need much. All you’ll need are some measuring spoons, measuring cups, a large liquid measuring cup, and a large wooden spoon for cooking the ground beef and mixing the ingredients together.
- While not absolutely necessary, a few mini pinch bowls are always handy.
Appliances & Cookware
I made this easy pasta recipe in my 8-quart Instant Pot but should also work perfectly in the 6-quart.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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Add the Pasta
Add the pasta to the pot and push it down into the liquid as much as possible. Don’t mix.
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Add the Vodka Sauce
Layer the pasta sauce on top of the pasta without mixing. This will prevent a burn message.
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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’.
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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.
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Serve and Enjoy!
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
Ground beef and bowtie pasta in a cheesy vodka sauce
Equipment
This is a list of the kitchen tools, utensils and appliances I used to make this recipe.
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
Directions
- 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
While every effort is made to correctly calculate these nutritional facts, they should be used as general guidance as they may not be 100% accurate.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make this Instant Pot Beef and Bowtie Pasta recipe your own.
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
Here are a few ideas for serving your Instant Pot Beef and Bowtie Pasta.
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.
Could please send me cooking directions for the stove, I don’t have an instant pot, I do have a crock pot. Thanks.
Hi Hannah! For making it on the stove you would cook the meat separately and season it, and cook the pasta in another pan. Drain it and combine it with the cooked meat, sauce, and cheese. Hope this helps. Send me an email if you still need more info.
Cooking this recipe right now! I swapped the vodka sauce with a can of Sclafani crushed tomatoes. Let’s see how it goes!
Hi Mario! Hope it worked out well for you! Thanks for stopping by!
A good hit at our house. I have a very picky 11 year old and he ate it!
Has anyone tried freezing the leftovers? I didn’t pay attention to serving amounts and it’s just way too much for 2 adults and a child. We all ate large portions last night for dinner. Hubby took a hefty serving for lunch today and I had leftovers for lunch as well. I still have enough for at least 3 if not 4 more servings. Wondering if it will freeze and thaw well?
Hi Amber! So happy to hear your family enjoys this recipe! Let me know if you try freezing it. In a house of 8, we never have leftovers to freeze! Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Quick and easy!This is the 2nd time I’ve made this for my family of 6. Even my daughter who doesn’t like “spaghetti like†pasta enjoys this. The only thing I did different was add 3/4 bag of fresh spinach this time. Thanks again!
Hi Brittany! So happy your family enjoys this! It’s one of our favorite easy meals! Way to add some veggies to it! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi, Valerie, thank you for sharing a great recipe. Hubby bought a pack of ground beef yesterday, making it easier to decide what we’ll have for dinner today. I was looking for an easy, and tasty recipe to make in the IP and “Winner-Winner-Ground-Beef-and-Pasta-Dinnerâ€! After the 2 minute quick-release, then the manual release of pressure, I mixed in a handful of roughly chopped spinach with the pasta and ground-beef, topped with the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses to melt in the IP for a few minutes…magnificent! Will definitely make again for the family.
Hi Carolyn! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! I appreciate you stopping by the blog and commenting your results!
I halved this recipe since there is just the two of us; and still plenty of leftovers. Very tasty. Would make again.
Hi Jill! Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your results!
Oh my goodness! And that’s just what this recipe is…..total goodness! It definitely feeds a small army (said by this chief cook and bottle washer of a household of 2) but was perfect to leave for my husband while I was gone for a week. Valerie, how well does this freeze? Thanks!
Hi Geni! I’m so glad you loved the pasta! My family loves it as well! As for freezing, in this house with an army of 7, sometimes 8, we never have leftovers! I couldn’t let you know for sure how well it freezes. Let me know if you try! Thanks for stopping by the blog!
Hi Valerie. My whole family LOVES this recipe. I’m having a bunch of ladies over for dinner tomorrow night and plan to serve it. Have you ever tried doubling the recipe, and if so, did you make any specific adjustments?
Hi Lisa! I’m so happy to hear your family loves this recipe! If it was me, I would not double it. Instead, I recommend you do two batches. Loading so much pasta in the pot can both lead to it not cooking properly and can cause a mess upon pressure release. Hope this helps. Have a great time with your friends tomorrow! Enjoy!
All I have is vegetable stick or chicken broth both salted can I use either of these?
Hi Shawnda! I would use chicken stock instead. You can reduce the salt just by a bit if you’re using salted broth. I would say use half a teaspoon of salt instead of the full teaspoon the recipe calls for. Happy cooking!
hi…just found this recipe and it looks delicious…there are only 2 of us so I was wondering if I could half the recipe?…thank you
Hi Terry! You can half the recipe ingredients. Do not adjust the cooking time. Thanks for stopping by!
This recipe is amazing!! It’s a weekly staple in my house, so easy and delicious!
Hi Isabel! I’m so happy to hear you love this recipe! My family is a big fan as well! Thanks for stopping by!
I’m afraid of my IP but you make it look easier, THANK YOU!!
I was a stay at home mom for many years with my three, it’s awesome isn’t it?
Hi Connie! Your comment made me smile! I’m so happy to help you be less scared! Yes, staying at home is the best! Thanks so much for stopping by the blog!
This is a hit at our house and one of my favourite dinner recipes. I use ground turkey instead of beef. 🙂
Hi Monika! I’m so glad your family loves this recipe! Ground turkey definitely is a great choice for it. Thanks for stopping by the blog!
Absolutely delicious! I admit I used what I had on hand, jar of Ragu pasta sauce, penne and only parmesan cheese. Definately going on the meal rotation! Thank you!!
Hi! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! That’s what makes it great, you can use what you have! I really appreciate you stopping by the blog and commenting!
Can you make this in a slow cooker
Hi LaTrisha! I’m sure it can be done, but I’d have to try it to be able to give you liquid amounts and time. Thanks for stopping by!
Made this tonight…so delicious and so easy!
Hi Sarah!! So happy to hear you enjoyed it! I appreciate you stopping by and commenting!
Made this today and it was very good! I’m somewhat disabled and this was very easy for me to put together and picky husband loved it and grandkids stopped by and stayed for dinner and they loved it also! Will definitely make again!
Hi Theda! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your results! Your comment made me smile! I’m so happy to hear everyone enjoyed it!!
I have made this twice now. A hit each time! Thanks for something easy, delicious, and kid-friendly!
Hi Rachel!! Thank you for your comment, I’m so glad you and your family enjoy this recipe! I appreciate you stopping by!
This was the best recipe I’ve made in my Instant Pot! My Mr. Man and 2 teens all agreed. I made a few changes:
1) Used 2lbs burger…because MEAT rocks
2) Used 2 jars of vodka sauce
3) Used full box of beef stock
4) Pressure cooked for 10 mins then npr for 20ish mins (unintentionally, because I forgot it beeped 😊)
I followed the rest of the recipe as written. Thank you for a great recipe!
Hi Alison!! I am so happy that your family loved this recipe! It’s now one of my kids’ favorites! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!