Instant Pot Vegan Spinach and Broccoli Pasta Recipe | Cooking with Pree (2024)

4.75 from 4 votes

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For the pasta

• 2cupsuncooked pastaI used penne
• 1/3cupchopped mushrooms
• 11/2tbspfinely minced garlic
• 1/4cupminced shallots / finely chopped onions
• salt to taste
• water to cook the pasta
• 1tbspolive oil

For the sauce

• 1cupbroccoli florets
• 1cup tightly packed spinach
• 1/2avocado(optional)
• 1/3cupfresh basil leaves
• 1/4cupnutritional yeast
• 1/4cupcashews ( can substitute with any nut of choice)
• 1/4tspred pepper flakes ( use more or less as per spice levels)
• 1/2tspapple cider vinegar
• 1/2tsplemon zest (optional)
• salt as needed
• water as needed / can also use almond milk

INSTANT POT RECIPE

1. First soak the cashews in some water.
   

2. Switch on the saute mode in your IP and add the olive oil. When it heats up, add the garlic, shallots / onions and saute until translucent.
   

3. Next add the mushrooms and saute for a couple of minutes, until they become golden brown and caramalised. Add a tbsp or more or water if needed to deglaze the pan.
   

   See Also

   Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe (Panera Copycat)

4. Now add the uncooked pasta, water just enough to cover the pasta (Do not be tempted to add more) and 1/2 tsp salt.
   

5. Add the chopped broccoli and spinach in a small bowl and keep the bowl on a trivet on top of the pasta in the IP ( The bowl should be smaller than the IP vessel as it needs to fit inside) Don’t add water inside the bowl to cook the vegetables. They will be blanched in the pressure and steam from the pasta cooking.
   

6. Close the IP lid and cook the pasta. Now for the cook time – If your pasta box instructions says cook for 9 to 11 minutes, take the lowest time and subtract 1 ( 9-1=8) and halve that number (8/2=4) and again subtract 1 minute from that no. (4-1= 3 minutes) So you will be cooking it for 3 minutes and release pressure immediately. This will give you al dente pasta. If you want it well cooked, I guess you can cook it extra 1 minute ( 4 minutes )
   

For the sauce

1. When the pasta is done cooking, you would release pressure immediately and take out the steamed/ cooked broccoli and spinach. Switch off the keep warm mode to prevent additional cooking of the pasta.
   

2. Add the steamed vegetables, basil, soaked cashews, avocado, red pepper flakes, salt, apple cider vinegar, lemon zest nutritional yeast, water / almond milk and blend it to a smooth creamy puree.
   

For the pasta

1. Now add this creamy sauce to the cooked pasta in the IP and mix. Adjust salt as needed. Add more milk / water to adjust the consistency of the pasta if needed.
   

2. Serve hot with sauteed veggies. I served it with some caramalised mushrooms and micro greens.
   

STOVE TOP METHOD:

1. Soak the cashews in some water
   

2. Boil water and cook the pasta as per the instructions in your pasta box and set it aside. Reserve some pasta water for the sauce.
   

3. Boil another pan and blanch the broccoli and spinach. First blanch the broccoli, then add the spinach. You could also steam or saute until the broccoli is slightly tender. Set it aside to cool. Spinach gets blanched very fast. It would need only a minute in boiling water.
   

4. Now add the blanched broccoli / spinach, soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, pasta water, apple cider vinegar, basil, lemon zest, salt to a blender and blend to a smooth creamy puree. This is your pasta sauce.
   

5. Now heat a pan and add the olive oil. When it heats up, add the chopped garlic, shallots / onions and saute until the onions turn translucent.
   

6. Now add the mushrooms and cook until nice and golden.
   

7. Add the cooked pasta and mix.
   

8. Add this creamy sauce to the pan with the cooked pasta and mix.
   

9. Serve hot with a side of sauteed veggies / more greens.