Instant Pot Rigatoni with jar sauce is an effortless recipe that gets dinner on the table quickly! Like our Instant Pot Pasta with Jar Sauce this one is fuss free!
My Instant Pot Pasta with Jar Sauce teaches you how to cook penne pasta with jar sauce. The Instant Pot Spaghetti Bolognese and Instant Pot Penne Pasta take further steps to cooking pasta dinner recipes in your Instant Pot.
What's for dinner? These recipes are!
If you are an Instant Pot novice, this is the perfect recipe for you as it simplifies the steps to make an easy pressure cooker recipe!
Rigatoni recipe with Jar Sauce (use your favourite sauce!)
To cook rigatoni with jar sauce using the Instant Pot, you need a delicious pasta sauce.
My favourite is a vegetarian sauce that is packed with flavour.
Some nights you don't have time for detailed cooking and this recipe takes away all the tiny details!
Rigatoni versus Penne
Rigatoni is a large tubular pasta that has a ribbed texture to the surface. It is easy and fun to cook!
It is very similar to penne pasta (but larger) and smaller than cannelloni (common for stuffing). Like this recipe Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni.
How much water do I put in my Instant Pot for rigatoni pasta?
The method I am going to show you for this recipe came about after using my Instant Pot time and time again and learning how to use it how I would my stove top.
My method uses both the pressure cooker function and the saute mode.
We need enough water to cover the pasta. The ratio of water to pasta is that you will need more water than pasta.
Add the dried rigatoni to the stainless steel inner pot and then use a glass measuring jug to pour in water so that it comes up to the top of the pasta
My Instant Pot is the 8 litre version and I generally need 2 ½ cups of water to cover. You can also poke any pasta pieces that are sticking up down into the water as it will keep the pasta firm and al dente.
Instant Pot Rigatoni with jar sauce ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are shown in the photo below, you can refer to this on your phone at the shops, so you get everything you need in 1 go!
As you can see we need:
- dried rigatoni
- pasta sauce (use your favourite)
- cracked pepper
- parmesan cheese
- parsley
Your pasta sauce can be tomato based, creamy or meat, whichever you prefer!
The sauce I am using for this recipe is ajvar sauce. It is a vegetarian relish combining roasted red peppers, eggplant and hot fefferoni (full of flavour!)
Can you boil Pasta in the Instant Pot
Stove Top pasta cooking generally involves letting a pot of salted water come to the boil before adding pasta and cooking according to the packet instructions.
To cook pasta in the Instant Pot, we pressure cook it.
This is as easy as adding a few things, pushing a few buttons and walking away.
You will likely sit and contemplate how easy it is to cook pasta in the pressure cooker and you will be right my friends!
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Step by Step Rigatoni with Jar sauce
We start the recipe by adding the dried rigatoni to the inner stainless steel bowl as shown in the photos below:
- Add dried rigatoni to the Instant Pot stainless steel bowl (photo 1)
- Pour in enough water to just cover the top of the pasta (photo 2)
- Add a pinch of salt (photo 3)
- Press the pressure cook button (high pressure) and set the timer. Once the pasta has cooked, quick release, then drain and add back to the Instant Pot (photo 4)
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My rigatoni packet indicates a 14 minute cook time. I divide this by 2 (7) then subtract 1 (6) to know it will take 6 mins to cook.
Press the sauté mode as you add the cooked rigatoni back to the pot.
- Add pasta sauce to the cooked rigatoni (photo 5)
- Stir till both pasta and sauce is heated through (photo 6)
One of the reasons why this is my preferred method for pasta and sauce in the Instant Pot is that it sautes very quickly as the pot is already warm from the pressure cooking.
Instant Pot Jar Sauce Rigatoni
I don't add oil to this recipe, as soon as the cooked pasta goes in, I add the sauce and get my wooden (non scratch) spoon ready to stir a couple of times.
There is a notable sizzle as the ingredients saute and you will be amazed how effortless and easy it is!
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All that is left to do is plate and garnish as you wish!
My favourite pasta toppings are fresh Parmesan cheese, cracked pepper and parsley (from the garden if you grow it).
You can use your favourite toppings too!
It doesn't get much easier to get dinner on the table than this recipe and it tastes delicious at the same time!
Pasta recipes:
If you love pasta and trying new flavour combinations, give the following a go:
- Instant Pot Penne Pasta
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Bolognese
- Garlic Spaghetti
- Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Ground Beef Casserole
- Tomato Mac and Cheese
- Blue Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Tuna Spaghetti
- Tomato Spaghetti
- Smoked Salmon Spaghetti
Freezer friendly, kid friendly and easy, there is no secrets to making this recipe!
To indulge your waistline with carbs, take the time to find your favourite flavour here > pasta recipes.
Instant Pot Rigatoni with Jar Sauce quick info
About the recipe:
- rigatoni is a tubular pasta with a ribbed texture
- use your favourite sauce
- add a pinch of salt to the water to season the pasta
- this is an easy recipe!
FAQs about cooking rigatoni with jar sauce in the Instant Pot
- Add the dried rigatoni, then pour in just enough water to cover
- Refer to the packet instructions (pasta), divide by 2 & subtract 1
- It will take 5 -10 mins for the pot to pressurize (this is normal)
- The saute mode will be quick as the pot is already warm
- you can freeze this recipe
- this is a kid friendly recipe
Here are Quick and Easy recipes which will get dinner on the table FAST!
Instant Pot Rigatoni with easy sauce Pro tips:
These additional tips are so that you can master pasta in your instant pot from the 1st time you cook it:
- Make sure the rigatoni is flat (not heaped in one area)
- You can poke any sticking up bits of pieces down into the water
- Don't be worried if you push the button and it doesn't seem like anything is happening, it needs to heat up 1st.
- Work quickly stirring the jar sauce through the cooked pasta so it does't stick to the pot (more cleaning up!)
- It will take 2-3 mins for the sauce to cook and pasta to reheat
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Can I freeze this recipe?
Yes, this is a freezer friendly meal!
To freeze your rigatoni and sauce, let it cool down 1st.
Once cool, portion into zip locked bag and lay flat in the freezer.
Simply remove from freezer (use the saute mode again) allow to defrost and then heat and eat!
For pasta it is better to defrost before trying to reheat (so it doesn't break apart).
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Instant Pot Rigatoni with Jar Sauce
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Instant Pot Rigatoni with Jar Sauce
- 500 grams rigatoni Note 1
- 200 grams pasta sauce Note 2
- Parmesan cheese to garnish
- parsley finely chopped
- cracked pepper to garnish
Instructions
Instant Pot Rigatoni with Jar Sauce
- Add dried rigatoni to inner Instant Pot bowl and pour in enough water to just cover the pasta
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn it to seal
- Press the 'pressure cook' (high pressure) button and set the timer for 6 mins (the pot will automatically heat in 3-4 mins)
- Once the pasta has cooked, press the quick release button to depressurize the pot.
- Use oven mits to remove the inner pot, drain pasta into colander (discard water).
- Return inner bowl to inner to Instant Pot, add cooked rigatoni and press the saute button.
- Add pasta sauce and stir till heated through
- Top with parmesan cheese and cracked pepper
Video
Notes
- Note 1 Rigatoni is a large tubular pasta that will be found with the regular pasta in the supermarket. You can use your favourite pasta for this recipe, or another tubular pasta such as macaroni.
- Note 2 There are plenty of pasta sauces sold in jars these days, that taste amazing! Grab your favourite and keep it on hand for those nights when you want a quick, home cooked pasta that doesn't take hours to prepare.
Nutrition
Dinner tonight
This one is for the beginner's, for the busy and for the hungry!
Fly through the week with recipes you know work and the whole family will love.
Please give me a shout if you have questions or make the recipe as I would love to hear your feedback.
Rigatoni, your fav sauce - we are set x
Adrianne
Quick, Easy and a delicious pasta meal is right up my alley.
Great to hear Julie!
This is so great for those hectic weeknights when you just don't have time to cook -- and everyone loves pasta.
Thanks Lisa, I enjoyed reading your feedback.