Instant Pot Pasta Carbonara Recipe – the easiest pasta dish you can make in your pressure cooker! Spaghetti noodles tossed with bacon, grease and egg and Parmesan mixture to make the sauce, make this pasta dish a huge favorite!
If you want to serve it with sauce, try my Homemade Alfredo Sauce and serve it all with a simple salad with my Italian Dressing.
I took the concept of one-pot pasta and made one of my Hubby’s favorite pasta dishes, Pasta Carbonara, in my Instant Pot pressure cooker. It’s unbelievably easy to make and you will have only the IP insert to clean. Win-win!
INSTANT POT PASTA CARBONARA
This Instant Pot Pasta Carbonara is one of the easiest meals you can make in your Instant Pot. It’s creamy, flavorful and satisfying. Toss cooked spaghetti noodles in crispy bacon, add the mixture of Parmesan cheese and egg and stir until creamy. Garnish with chopped parsley and devour!
HOW TO MAKE PASTA CARBONARA IN INSTANT POT?
- Start by chopping bacon and garlic. Set aside.
- Place pasta, water and butter in Instant Pot, close lid, set valve to sealing position, press “manual” or “pressure cook” setting and set timer to 7 minutes. The IP will take about 10 to come to pressure. Once the timer is done, wait 1 minute, then switch the valve to venting to release pressure. Carefully open the lid away from your face. Spoon out 1/2 cup of pasta water into a measuring cup. Set aside. Drain pasta and discard rest of the pasta water. Keep spaghetti in the colander.
- Place IP insert back in the IP and press “saute” setting. Wait 1 minute, then add olive oil. Add chopped bacon and cook until crispy. Add garlic to IP and stir. Add one tablespoon of butter and let melt. Press “cancel/off” button. Add spaghetti back to the Instant Pot. Stir well, coating with bacon and grease.
- Slowly add egg and cheese mixture, stirring constantly, to prevent the egg from scrambling. It should turn into a creamy sauce with the spaghetti. Add reserved pasta water, a little bit at a time, and stir well.
- Serve garnished with more shredded Parmesan, chopped parsley. For a little bit of spice, sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over each serving.
HOW LONG DO YOU COOK SPAGHETTI IN THE INSTANT POT?
That’s my favorite part of this easy dish! You cook the spaghetti noodles right in your Instant Pot in just 7 minutes! Arraning it in a criss-cross pattern and adding 1 tablespoon of butter on top prevents the noodles from sticking to each other. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water after cooking, drain the rest. When the bacon is nice and crispy, you add the pasta back to the IP and toss with bacon and the grease. Talk about flavor!
INSTANT POT PASTA CARBONARA VARIATIONS:
- add more meat: add cubed chicken, ham or Italian sausage and cook with bacon, before tossing in the pasta.
- add veggies: spinach, sweet peas, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, even broccoli and cauliflower.
- use different noodles: angel hair, fettuccine, linguine or even bow tie pasta can be used to make this dish. The rule is to cook it for half the time mentioned in instructions on the box.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS INSTANT POT PASTA CARBONARA:
Instant Pot pressure cooker (I have the DUO60 6qt and Ultra 6qt <<— affiliate links)
wooden spoon
cutting board and knife
colander
measuring cup
MORE INSTANT POT PASTA RECIPES:
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
For more IP recipe, feel free to browse our Instant Pot category.
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀
INSTANT POT PASTA CARBONARA RECIPE
Instant Pot Pasta Carbonara Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz. spaghetti noodles
- 4.5 cups water
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 slices of bacon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Grab a handful of spaghetti noodles at a time, break in half and arrange in a criss-cross pattern. Add water. Do not stir. Place one tablespoon of butter on top of pasta. Close the lid. Set valve to "sealing" position. Make sure the IP is set to cooking on HIGH pressure. Press "manual" setting and set timer to 7 minutes. The IP will take up to 10 minutes to come to pressure.
- Once the timer is done, press "cancel/off" button. Wait 1 minute, then switch the valve to "venting" position to release pressure. Once the pin drops and pressure is released, open the lid carefully away from your face. Spoon out 1/2 cup of pasta water into measuring cup and set aside. Drain pasta over colander, discard remaining pasta water. Keep spaghetti in colander.
- Place the insert back in the Instant Pot. Press "saute" setting. Wait 1 minutes. Add olive oil to insert. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Add garlic and saute with bacon for 1 minute. Add one tablespoon of butter and let melt. Press "cancel/off" button. Add pasta back to the IP. Toss well with bacon, garlic and grease.
- In a small bowl, beat egg and Parmesan together. Slowly add the egg and Parmesan mixture, stirring constantly to make sure the egg does not scramble. It should turn into creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water, a little bit at a time, stir well. The pasta should be creamy.
- Season with black pepper. Serve garnished with chopped parsley and more grated Parmesan.
Sam says
Delicious. I add more cheese though 😛
Tze Hui says
Fantastic recipe & the portion was just right for 4 people. So easy to cook and prep. I love that it doesn’t require cream so its healthier. Added sliced white button mushrooms which added more texture & flavor. Have cooked this a few times and love it. So much easier than stove top.
Tze Hui says
Fantastic recipe & the portion was just right for 4 people. So easy to cook and prep. I love that it doesn’t require cream so its healthier. Added sliced white button mushrooms which added more texture & flavor. Have cooked this a few times and love it. So much easier than stove top!
Nina Garner says
This pasta is very flavorful and super easy to make, definitely a winner in my book, the family enjoyed it as well…Thank you 😁
Anna says
I am so glad the pasta was a hit! Thank you for making my recipe, Nina!
Ann Moore says
Can this be made ahead and frozen? Are there any tips or modifications that are needed if freezing?
Thank you
AMC
Katie C says
I made this tonight, and it is DEFINITELY a keeper. So easy, and delicious!
Anna says
Awesome! Thank you, Katie!
Jamie says
I made this tonight using spaghetti squash instead of pasta and it turned out great!! I cooked squash in IP then did the rest on a pan. I used heavy whipping cream since I didn’t have any leftover pasta water and it was deliciously creamy!! I also added some Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes for pizzaz. Yum and easy!
Anna says
Hi Jamie! That sounds amazing! I love spaghetti squash so I definitely want to try it too!
Sage says
Thank you for this! Our stove broke this week and all stores have them on back order so we won’t have one anytime soon.
I was craving pasta and googled instant pot pasta and here I am-enjoying a bowl of carbonara thanks to you.
Rose says
Hi Anna,
If I want to use 16 oz linguine, do I double all the ingredients, including water and the IP time (or the cook time stays the same)? Thank you! This is my daughter’s bday dish request so I want to make it right. Thank you!
Chrissy says
Hi do I use grated Parmesan or shredded? I have grated parm or shredded mozzarella, excited to try!
Anna says
Hi Chrissy! Freshly grated Parmesan is the best. The pre-shredded is often coated in starch to prevent clumping. Grated Parm (in a green bottle) is okay but you may want to check the ingredients list.
Tanya says
Made this tonight with fettuccine and added a dash of cream as it was going waste (though not traditional). Was a great quick tasty meal. Thanks!
Anna says
Thank you so much, Tanya!
Louise says
I made this tonight with a pulse style gluten free pasta and without bacon because I didn’t have any and it was delicious. I look forward to trying it with bacon.
Natalie says
This sounds so good! Have you or anyone ever tried an eggless versión in the IP maybe using cream? My daughter is allergic to egg but this is my favorite pasta of all time!
Anna says
Hi Natalie! You can skip the egg no problem. Adding cream will help to get the creamy texture. Let me know if you make it!
Joy says
I NEVER comment or rate recipes I find on Pinterest, but THIS…oh my goodness, too darn good not to give it a rating. So creamy and delicious. My husband and I scarfed it down!
Anna says
Hi Joy! Yay! That’s wonderful! I am so glad you both love the carbonara! Thank you so much for the sweet comment!
Elizabeth Ann Birt says
I plan to triple this recipe for 16–do I then quadruple the amount of water to cook the spaghetti?
Anna says
Hi Elizabeth! As long as it fits in your Instant Pot, it should be fine. Definitely let me know how it goes!
Jennifer says
Hi Anna! Did you hear back from Elizabeth on how tripling the recipe worked? I’ve found most recipes call for 12 oz of pasta but I’m always needing 16oz or more. The pasta, for the most part, comes out well, except there are always clumps of pasta here and there. Have you had this problem when making more than a pound of pasta? There still seems to be plenty of liquid as I have never had a burn issue. I’ve also read not to stir the pasta after adding the liquid. Thanks for your help!
Anna says
Hi Jennifer! I cook 12oz of pasta all the time. I think 16oz of pasta will be just fine. The coming to pressure time may be a little bit longer but they should cook just fine. Tripling can be more tricky. I would have to test it to say for sure how it would turn out.
Abby says
Hello! I would like to try this with gluten free spaghetti … how would the cooking time differ? GF pasta tends to stick unless you add quite a bit of salt too … hmm
Jennifer says
Hi, I would like to add chicken, peas, and mushrooms. For the chicken I read to cube it and add it to the bacon before tossing in the pasta. At what point should the other ingredients, specifically peas and mushrooms be added? And guess that depends on whether canned or frozen should be used? Thank you for any help!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Jennifer! Adding chicken, peas and mushrooms is a great idea! You can cook the chicken first, remove onto a plate, then add bacon and cook until almost done. Add mushrooms and cook until soft. Add peas as the last ingredient as they only need to be warmed up with everything. I hope this helps! Let me know how you like it!
Anna says
I have finally jumped on the instant pot wagon and I’m super excited to try this! I haven’t used it yet so I just want to confirm the cook time because I’m a little confused – the pasta in total will take 17 minutes in the IP (10 minutes to come to pressure and an additional 7 to cook with the timer set)? Thanks!
Monica says
Just finished cooking it in my IP. I have to say I love the idea of cooking the pasta and then everything else on saute mode. Thank you!
Erin says
I’m going to have to try this.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thanks, Erin!
Krista says
This is going to be a hit at my house! I love it!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thanks, Krista!
Paula says
Spaghetti alla Carbonara is my favorite ALL TIME pasta dish!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Awesome!
Taylor says
A family favorite! Love using the instant pot, too!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Taylor!
Michelle Goth says
I love carbonara! So cool that you can make it in the instant pot!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thanks, Michelle!
Sue says
Step 1 of the instructions says to set valve to the “venting” position…..shouldn’t that be the “sealing” position?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Oh my gosh, yes! Thank you for catching that, Sue! All fixed!
Sabrina says
Pasta Carbonara is such a favorite in this house. Love how easy it looks using the instant pot!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Same here! Huge hit every time!
Sommer says
The best last minute meal! Love this Instant Pot recipe!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thank you, Sommer!
Pam says
I am new to the Instant Pot and this recipe was so easy and good! Thank you!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
That’s fantastic! Thank you, Pam!
Allyson Zea says
YUM YUM YUM! This is one of my favorite meals in the IP!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Yay! Perfect! Thank you, Allyson!
Julie Blanner says
This looks great! Can’t wait to make it!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Thanks, Julie!
Courtney O'Dell says
This carbonara was so quick and easy – going into my rotation!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Awesome! Thanks, Courtney!
Julia says
We love Carbonara! I cannot wait to make it in my Instant Pot! Thank you, Anna!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
You are very welcome, Julia! Let me know how you like it!
Julia says
Oh my! This carbonara is delicious! My Hubby and two boys loved it! Thank you so much for the recipe!