How to Cook Tortellini in the Electric Pressure Cooker

Whenever I need a last-minute meal and I’m craving carbs, I turn to a big ol’ bowl of tortellini.

These little packets filled with your favorite flavors are one of the simplest meals you can prepare.

I love to keep them stocked in my pantry or freezer because I know it’s a killer solution for a busy night in the middle of the week. Simply add some sauce, and you’re ready to serve.

You can even toss in some sauteed vegetables or meat if you want to make it a little more hearty.

All you need to do is wait for the water to boil, throw the pasta in, drain it, and then figure out the sauce.

Right?

Well, what if I told you there was a better solution?

You are about to thank me, my friends, because things just got a whole lot easier with the help of one of my favorite countertop appliances.

Instead of waiting for the water to boil and then waiting several more minutes for the pasta to be ready, we are going to throw all of this in the electric pressure cooker instead, to save time.

It’s pretty amazing to me that even the simplest recipes can be made even easier with this appliance. Especially when it comes to pasta, which you might think would overcook when cooked under pressure.

Instead, you are just cutting out the time that it takes to boil the water, and reducing the total time required for the pasta to cook.

Plus, it’s completely hands-free. You can set it and forget it, instead of having to tend to it over the stove, stirring and keeping an eye out for water that’s boiling over.

A quick note on the method described below: For those of you who enjoy firmer pasta, you might want to reduce the cook time to just 1 minute.

I usually do a 2-minute cook time, because it comes out perfect in my opinion. But I know we each have our own personal tastes. If you like more chew to your noodles, definitely try a 1-minute timer instead.

Here’s everything we’ll cover in this handy how-to:

Can I Double the Amount of Tortellini?

The beauty of using the electric pressure cooker is that you can easily double the recipe if you want to. I use a 6-quart Instant Pot, and I have been able to double the quantity of ingredients described below without a problem.

Even with doubling, there’s no need to increase the cooking time. That’s right – the pasta will cook in the same amount of time, even when you make a double batch!

What Kind of Tortellini Can I Cook?

There are tons of different types of tortellini that you can find at the store. The three main varieties are frozen, dry/shelf-stable, and fresh/refrigerated.

Frozen or dry/shelf-stable varieties are best for this recipe. They can contain any type of filling you like.

If you prefer to buy a fresh or refrigerated option, be sure to decrease the cook time to 0 minutes, followed by a quick manual release of pressure. That way, the noodles won’t get too soft and fall apart.

You could also freeze the pasta ahead of cooking, and prepare it as described below.

Serving Suggestions

Need a little inspiration? I’m at your service!

The most obvious choice is to serve this pasta with your favorite sauce. This could be marinara, brown butter sauce with fresh herbs, hazelnut pesto sauce, alfredo, or whatever else strikes your fancy.

Cooking in chicken or vegetable broth can also help to impart some added flavor.

You could also add the them to a soup. The pasta will bulk up your favorite soup super easily, and you can mix things up in terms of your choice of filling. I like to do this with my favorite store-bought soup, whether it’s red pepper and roasted tomato, or a chunky cream of chicken.

Why not meal prep for the week? It’s a quick and easy way to prepare your lunches.

Get as creative as you like. Think about pasta bakes, pasta salads, and other recipes where you might want to bulk up plain noodles with these delicious morsels.

How to Cook Tortellini in the Electric Pressure Cooker

Preparing this type of pasta in the electric pressure cooker cuts the time that’s required way down. There’s no need to wait for water to boil when you can use this appliance instead.

Step 1 – Measure Ingredients

To begin, gather your ingredients:

• 16 to 20 ounces frozen or dry, shelf-stable tortellini
• 1 cup water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock

Measure out the ingredients as listed above.

Step 2 – Pressure Cook

Add the pasta and your choice of liquid to the electric pressure cooker insert.

Cover and cook on Manual on High pressure for 2 minutes.

Note that there is no need to adjust the cook time if you are using any kind of frozen version. Dried and frozen options require the same amount of time. However, you will need to decrease the cook time as described above if using fresh refrigerated pasta.

Quick release the pressure manually. Add your favorite sauce and serve.