Instant pot farfalle pasta is my favorite option for weeknight dinners. In fact, it’s my family favorite. It’s quick, takes less effort, and tastes delicious.
Revolutionize your pasta game with Instant Pot Farfalle! 🍝🚀 Farfalle is also called ‘bow tie pasta’ because of its distinct shape. It grabs attention and makes your pasta more appealing to eat.
Farfalle is the first pasta that I ever tried in my Instant Pot two years ago. And I just fell in love with it. Its shape, texture, and taste; are all just wonderful. Your kids will also love this pasta, as they just need something visually appealing. And the tiny butterfly shaped pasta pieces will grab their attention.
So, what you are waiting for, try it now. And say goodbye to boiling pots and enter a world of quick cooking with instant pot that makes the meal tender, and utterly delectable.
Recipe Highlights
- Quick recipe.
- Gets ready within 20 minutes.
- Minimalist ingredients.
- Easy step by step guide.
- Only 10 ingredients are required.
- Customizable to your preference.
How to Cook Bowtie Pasta in the Instant Pot?
I have tried my best to keep this recipe simple and fit for everyone with minimalist ingredients. Follow below easy step-by-step instructions below to perfectly cook farfalle pasta in your Instant Pot/pressure cooker.
Ingredients
4 cups of water
16 ounces of pasta
¼ cup butter
4 tablespoon flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese
Step-By-Step Guide For Making Farfalle Pasta In Instant Pot
Step-1: Put 4 cups of water in the instant pot and select browning or sauté.
Step-2: Add pasta and salt to the instant pot and stir for 1 minute.
Step-3: Cover with lid and pressure cook at high for 5 minutes followed by 5 minute natural release.
Step-4: Take out the paste from the instant pot and set aside in a separate bowl.
Step-5: Set again on sauté and add ¼ cups of butter and 4 tablespoons of flour in the instant pot and mix with a spatula. Mix well until they are fully incorporated. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
Step-6: Stir for 1-2 minutes. Then add back the pasta to the instant pot and top it with mozzarella cheese and mix it well with a spatula.
Cook for 2 minutes and that’s it, instant pot farfalle pasta is ready.
Notes & Tips
- You can make this recipe more colorful by adding broccoli to your bowtie pasta. For this, take 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté broccoli for 2-3 minutes in the instant pot. Take it out and cook this recipe as directed, once the pasta is done, finally sauté by mixing broccoli for 1 minute.
- You can add chicken or ground beef as well. To incorporate meat in the bowtie pasta recipe, simply sauté chicken with chopped onion for 3-4 minutes until the chicken changes its color. Then add spices and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
- You can replace mozzarella cheese with another type of cheese as well. Just feel comfortable with what you have. Some good options are cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. I like mozzarella because it makes the farfalle pasta creamier, thicker, and gooey.
- After 5 minutes of natural release, for additional air, you can do a quick release.
- Adding a half of chicken broth can enhance the overall taste of pasta.
- You can add additional salt, pepper, and other spices as per your taste.
What Is Bowtie Pasts?
It gets its name from its distinctive shape, which resembles a butterfly or a bowtie. Bowtie pasta is also referred to as farfalle pasta. The word “farfalle” is an Italian word used for “butterflies.”
It is one of the popular types of pasta that can be cooked with ground beef, broccoli, and chicken to create many delicious recipes. Check out the 20 best bowtie pasta recipes that Kim shares on her blog.
Guide For Reheating, Freezing & Storing
Reheating: You can reheat farfalle pasta in a microwave, oven, frying pan, and air fryer. I like to use a skillet pan and air fryer for quick reheating.
For reheating in a skillet pan, add the pasta in a skillet and reheat it on low flame, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and cream cheese as you slowly warm the dish. Stir it for 3-4 minutes and it’s good to go.
Freezing: Although you can freeze cooked bowtie or butterfly pasta, mozzarella cheese will make it look curdled when you reheat it again. It’s fine to eat it but the appearance might not look good at all. So, if you have only the option to freeze it, go ahead and freeze it in a freezer bag for 1 month.
Storing: Cool down the pasta and pack it in an airtight container or bag. Place it in the fridge and it’s good to eat within 5 days.
FAQ’s
How long does it take to cook farfalle pasta in an instant pot?
15 minutes of cooking time is good enough for making farfalle pasta in the instant pot. However, it depends on other ingredients that you are using with pasta such as using ground meat or chicken will take slightly more time as compared to cooking other veggies with pasta.
Do you recommend an instant pot for cooking pasta?
Yes, instant pot is a great appliance that makes your cooking quicker. Whenever you are short of time or want to have a quick and delicious meal, instant pot pasta is the solution. Obviously, you can make pasta in an oven as well, but I prefer instant pot as it’s not just quicker but makes your meal equally delicious.
What’s the difference between the farfalle pasta and the spaghetti?
Farfalle pasta is known for its distinctive shape that resembles a butterfly or bowtie. It has a flat and rectangular shape, with a pinched center that makes it look like a bowtie in view. This type of pasta comes in various sizes, ranging from small to large, but they all maintain the bowtie shape.
Spaghetti is another loved form of pasta that is long, thin, and cylindrical. It’s straight and uniform in shape, typically measuring around 8-10 inches in length.
Should pasta be washed before and after cooking?
In general, there is no need to wash pasta before or after cooking, especially if you are going to make a warm dish. According to Delallo, an Italian food store and blog, “You should never rinse pasta for a warm dish”. Washing the pasta takes out starch from its surface and it will lose its texture and shape once cooked.
But yes, you can wash your pasta if you are going to use it as a cold dish like fruit pasta salad or any similar green salad.
How many cups of water for farfalle pasta?
For 16 oz. (Approx. 450 grams) you can use 4 cups of water. So, roughly one cup for each 4 oz. (Approx. 100 grams) of pasta. I like to use this measurement as it works out great for me, you can increase the water ratio a little more. It’s important to know that different types of pasta absorb different water amounts.
Related Recipes
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Pasta
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 4 tbsp Flour
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Mozzarella Cheese
- 4 cups Water
Instructions
- Add 4 cups of water to the Instant Pot and select the browning or sauté function.
- Add pasta to the instant pot and stir in the pasta and salt for 1 minute.
- Cover instant pot with the lid, pressure cook on high for 5 minutes, and allow a 5-minute natural release.
- Remove the pasta from the Instant Pot and set it aside in a separate bowl.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode again, and add 1/4 cup of butter and 4 tablespoons of flour.
- Mix until fully incorporated. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Stir for 1-2 minutes, then return the pasta to the Instant Pot and top it with mozzarella cheese. Mix well with a spatula.
- Cook for an additional 2 minutes, and your Instant Pot farfalle pasta is ready to be served.