Instant Pot Taco Pasta

4.86 from 27 votes

Instant Pot Taco Pasta

Instant Pot Taco Pasta is like eating an unstuffed chicken taco, with lots of creamy melted cheese! Made with only 8 ingredients and in less than 30 minutes in 1 pot, taco pasta is a fantastic flavorful dinner for families on busy or lazy nights.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: 1 pot meals, instant pot, pressure cooker recipes, quick dinner

Servings:

Calories: 433kcal

Author: Kristina Tipps

Equipment

6 or 8 quart pressure cooker

Ingredients

1 lb chicken diced
1 taco seasoning packet
1 cup onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 bell pepper red, yellow or orange
16 oz short pasta uncooked
4 cups water
1 ½ cups salsa
1 15-oz can corn
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups dairy milk evaporated, full fat, or heavy cream
2 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to saute for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil, diced chicken and the taco seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes. During the last minute, add the peppers, onion and garlic.
Add 1 cup of the water and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Then put in the pasta and additional 3 cups of water, salsa, corn, salt and pepper in that order. Do not stir. Seal the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 3 minutes.
Do a controlled quick release of the pressure by pressing on the steam release valve in short bursts until depressurized. Remove the lid and transfer the inner pot to a trivet.
Add the milk, stir well, and wait 2 minutes. Now add the cheddar cheese in handfuls, stirring as it's added. Mix until the cheese is completely melted. Taste and add additional salsa if desired.
Serve garnished with cilantro, extra cheese, sour cream, or diced tomatoes.

Notes

For the cheese to melt and turn creamy, you should use freshly shredded cheese and not pre-shredded bags.

Use this quick calculation to determine pressure cooking pasta cook times. Find the cook time range on your box for al dente pasta. Divide the lower number in half and subtract 1. For a more al dente pasta, subtract 2. Pressure cook on high for that length of time.

Instant Pot taco pasta keeps in the fridge for around 5 days. It is not freezer-friendly, as the pasta will lose it's texture.

Nutrition