This creamy Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Pasta is a delicious twist on the classic dip – best of all, it takes only 15 minutes!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like avocado, grapeseed or canola oil.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic is best but garlic powder will work in a pinch.
- Red onion – white or yellow onion would also work but will have a milder flavour.
- Chicken broth – vegetable broth is the best substitute here.
- Milk – use skim milk or your favourite dairy-free substitute like almond or soy milk.
- Artichoke hearts – leave the artichokes out altogether and double up on the spinach instead.
- Farfalle pasta – rotini, penne, fusilli or another larger-shaped pasta would all be good. Try and stay away from smaller-sized pasta noodles as they’ll turn mushy in the pressure cooker.
- Cream cheese – cut down on the calorie count by using low-fat cream cheese.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice are preferred but lime juice will also work.
- Parmesan cheese – nutritional yeast is a great dairy-free substitute for parmesan.
- Baby spinach – try using another dark leafy green like kale or arugula, although the flavour will be different.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
How to make this recipe
- Sauté the garlic, onion, salt and pepper.
- Add in the broth, cream cheese and milk.
- Cook on high pressure for 2 minutes.
- Mix in the parmesan.
- Stir in the spinach and lemon juice.
- Garnish and serve!
What to serve on the side
This pasta is super filling on its own, but if you’re looking for side dish ideas, there are plenty of options to choose from. I like serving my pasta with a side of crusty bread, garlic bread or even a light side salad. And don’t forget the garnish! These are some of my favourite garnish ideas:
- More freshly grated parmesan cheese
- More chopped red onion
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Lemon wedges
Frequently Asked Questions
Making pasta in the Instant Pot is actually super easy! For this recipe, all you have to do is make the sauce then add everything in order and cook on high pressure for two minutes. The noodles will cook alongside the rest of the ingredients so it’s an easy one-pot meal (and less dishes is always a bonus 😉).
This recipe actually doesn’t use any water! The pasta will soak up the chicken broth and milk in the recipe so it’ll be even more flavourful. For this dish, there are about 4.5 cups of liquid for 1 lb. of pasta noodles.
Artichoke hearts taste similar to asparagus and brussels sprouts. When cooked, they have a slightly blander flavour and a mild nutty, slightly earthy taste.
Storing and reheating
You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days in airtight glass containers. Split them up into individual serving sizes if you plan on taking them as your work or school lunches!
When you’re ready to eat, you can reheat the pasta in a skillet on the stovetop with a bit of olive oil or in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. If you’re reheating in the microwave, I suggest sprinkle some water over top to prevent the pasta from drying out. And of course, don’t forget the extra parmesan on top!
Freezing this recipe
If you plan on freezing this recipe, I recommend leaving the spinach out until you’re ready to heat it, as the spinach won’t freeze very well. You can freeze the pasta without the spinach for up to 3 months in airtight glass containers.
Let it thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat in the skillet or the microwave and stir in the spinach. Remember to sprinkle some water over top before reheating!
More Instant Pot pasta recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- The Instant Pot DUO Plus 60 is the version I use in this recipe.
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this pasta into your weekly lunches.
Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Pasta {15-Minute Meal}
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 3 cups milk
- 12 oz artichoke hearts, quartered
- 1 lb farfalle pasta
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
For garnish:
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
- finely chopped parsley
- finely chopped red onion
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Turn on your Instant Pot to saute mode and add olive oil. When oil is heated and shimmering, add garlic, red onion, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add chicken broth, cream cheese, and milk. Whisk until cream cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
- Add the artichoke hearts and bowtie pasta and stir. The sauce should cover all of the pasta.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 minutes. After the time is up, quick release the pressure.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and chopped baby spinach until the cheese is melted and spinach is wilted. Add more salt and lemon juice to taste.
- Garnish with additional parmesan cheese, parsley, red onion, and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
