Instant Pot Creamy Cajun Pasta with chicken and smoked sausage in a creamy, spicy sauce makes an easy and flavorful family meal. It can be made start to finish in under 30 minutes.
Since I got an Instant Pot in January, I have tried making lots of different things in it and I have been impressed with every single one. This is the second pasta dish I have made. Creamy Shells and Beef was my first. I especially like making pasta dishes in the Instant Pot. The pasta turns out so flavorful, but not overcooked.
Instant Pot Creamy Cajun Pasta Recipe
This Instant Pot Creamy Cajun Pasta is full of onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, Cajun seasoning, paprika, and Italian seasoning. It also has chopped pieces of chicken, and diced tomatoes. At the end, Parmesan cheese, a little heavy cream, and some cream cheese are mixed in and they make the pasta so creamy.
How To Serve
This is a rich pasta dish that will serve 6 people. I like to serve it with steamed broccoli or a garden salad with Creamy Italian dressing. Some yeast rolls are a great addition.
How To Store
Leftovers can be kept for 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a microwave.
Recipe Tips
- This instant pot cajun pasta dish will be a little bit soupy. As it cools, it gets thicker. Leftovers reheat really well.
- For the smoked sausage, you can use either andouille sausage or kielbasa sausage.
- Instead of penne pasta, you can use rotini pasta.
- To reduce the sodium some, use an reduced-sodium chicken broth.
- Chicken thighs can be used instead of chicken breast.
- Leave the cayenne pepper out if you want it less spicy.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Swiss Chicken
- Instant Pot Jambalaya
- Instant Pot Mississippi Roast
- Instant Pot Caesar Chicken
- Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef
- Instant Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken
Watch the short video below to see how easy this recipe is.
Instant Pot Creamy Cajun Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium sweet or yellow onion,, diced
- 1 green bell pepper,, diced
- 6 white mushrooms,, sliced
- 1 (14-ounce) package smoked sausage,, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves,, minced
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning, I use Tony Chachere’s
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 12 ounces uncooked penne pasta
- 4 ounces cream cheese,, softened and cut into pieces
- 1 cup freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot on “Saute” mode. Add oil and butter.
- Add onion and green pepper and cook until starting to get soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add mushroons, sausage and garlic and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add chicken, paprika, Italian seasoning, chicken broth, tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper.
- Add pasta and use a wooden spoon to push it all down into the liquid.
- Place lid on Instant Pot. Make sure the valve is in “sealing” position. Cancel the “Saute” mode and set to Pressure Cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.
- Manually release the pressure. Remove lid and stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream until the cheese is melted.
- Sprinkle parsley on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally posted July 5, 2018.
Recipe adapted from: Simply Happy Foodie
Great recipe! I used rotisserie chicken which I stirred in with cream cheese then sealed it up, set it to 0 min under pressure and pushed start. Once pressure was brought back up, left it on keep warm 5 minutes then release pressure and stir in Parmesan and some leftover bacon i had cooked off. I made half the recipe for my husband and I… I got 1 portion… My husband went back for seconds and piled it all on his plate… Clearly he likes it!
This is delicious!
I made this last night & was AMAZING! Lots of flavor & super easy to make. Definitely adding this to our instant pot must makes again!
My family loves this!! I make it a lot it’s so good!