This restaurant-quality Pasta Puttanesca is bursting with flavor and can be whipped up in your Instant Pot in minutes.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes ( including the time it takes for your pot to pressurize)
If you are looking for a restaurant-quality pasta dish at home, look no further than this easy Pressure Cooker Pasta Puttanesca. All you need is pantry ingredients to make this simple yet fancy dinner! This Instant Pot Pasta Puttanesca is vegan, but you can add shrimp, chicken, or another protein.
What is Pasta Puttanesca?
Pasta Puttanesca is a relatively new pasta dish created in the 20th century in Napes during wartime. It is a pasta dish with tomatoes, olive oil, anchovies, and olives.
Ingredients
Three tablespoons of Olive Oil
3 Cups of water
One 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup of pitted kalamata olives
Two tablespoons of tomato paste
Four cloves of minced garlic cloves
One tablespoon of brine from the kalamata olive jar
1.5 teaspoons of capers
One teaspoon of brine from the caper jar
One teaspoon of Italian seasoning or oregano
16 ounces of spaghetti noodles
Optional ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or crushed red pepper and one teaspoon of anchovy paste. You can also add fresh basil as a garnish.
Topping ideas: parmesan cheese, feta cheese, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper.
Can I use another pasta shape?
Yes! This recipe will work with 16 ounces of any pasta shape. I recommend using thinner or smaller pasta shapes. Before pressure cooking, ensure the pasta is completely submerged in water. If you are using another pasta shape, the Instant Pot cook time will be 1/2 the cooking time on the cooking time on the pasta box.
Instructions
1. Coat the bottom of your Instant Pot with olive oil. Add water, tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, garlic, olive brine, capers, caper brine, Italian seasoning and anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes ( if using).
2. Add spaghetti noodles to the pot and stir the ingredients, ensuring the liquid completely covers the pasta.
3. Secure the Instant Pot lid. Rotate the pressure release valve to “sealing” and pressure cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, then quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Press cancel.
4. Don’t worry if the pasta looks runny. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving. It will thicken once it cools down.

Instant Pot Pasta Puttanesca
This restaurant-quality Pasta Puttanesca is bursting with flavor and can be whipped up in your Instant Pot in minutes.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 cups water
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon brine from the kalamata olive jar
- 1.5 teaspoons capers
- 1 teaspoon brine from the caper jar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
Instructions
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Coat the bottom of your Instant Pot with olive oil. Add water, tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, garlic, olive brine, capers, caper brine, Italian seasoning and anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes ( if using).
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Add spaghetti noodles to the pot and stir the ingredients, ensuring the liquid completely covers the pasta.
-
Secure the Instant Pot lid. Rotate the pressure release valve to "sealing" and pressure cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, then quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Press cancel.
-
Don't worry if the pasta looks runny. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving. It will thicken once it cools down.
If you love the taste of this Italian pasta recipe, you should try a few of my other Italian Inspired recipes.
Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Instant Pot Minestrone
Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan
Italian Chicken Sandwiches
Your family will love the flavor of this easy weeknight pasta dish! Making this dish at home instead of eating out will save you so much money, and making this meal in one pot will save you time doing dishes and liberate you from your kitchen!
Did you try my Instant Pot Pasta Puttanesca? I would love to hear how it turned out for you! Please comment below this blog post or tag me on social media and let me know how it worked out for you! You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.