Tex-Mex Pasta | Mexican Style Instant Pot Recipe

Instant Pot is a wonderful gadget to have in a household specially if you are a working women and short of time.  I tried my hand on making pasta in the Instant pot and that too not the same original style.  I made this Tex-Mex Pasta with bursting flavors using enchilada sauce instead of regular pasta sauce.  

This is such an easy fix for weeknights.  We had just come back from our brunch and apple picking as kids were off for Columbus Day.  I was under the weather and after I got home didn’t feel like doing anything.  Had my tea and was talking to my husband I was like what do you guys want for dinner and I was telling him how my fellow blogger Sonal is compiling a post for Instant Pot pasta recipes and I want to try it.  He is like go for it but I didn’t have all the ingredients.

My husband who is a sweet heart, he went to the grocery store and got me the ingredients.  I  did a couple of other things and realized that it is already 6pm and I have to leave in 30 mins to take my daughter to her dance class.  I am panicking here and trying to make this pasta.  I saved so much time making it in the Instant pot as I didn’t have to boil the pasta separately.  This one pot meal was ready in less than 20 mins and I fed my daughter also before leaving.

While I am making this, I asked my son if he will eat it.  He is like I don’t know, I was like you will have to give it a try as mama doesn’t have too much time to prepare something else.  He tried it and loved it so much that this was his lunch in school the next day.

So this idea came from searching the net and saw a tex mex pasta salad so decided to use mexican flavors which is more like our own Indian flavors.

Why I love Instant Pot?

• mess free cooking
• easy to clean
• time saver
• don’t need any other pots and pans
• no baby-sitting required

Lets get to the recipe….do give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups pasta (used penne)
• 1 tbsp grape seed oil (or your choice of oil)
• 1 cup diced red onion (yellow is fine too)
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup water or (a little more to make sure the pasta is soaked)
• 1 can enchilada sauce (10oz)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 cup sweet corn (used can ones)
• 1/2 cup black beans (used can ones)
• salt to taste
• 1 cup shredded mexican cheese (or more as per your taste)
• dollop of sour cream
• avocado, cubed
• Fresh chopped cilantro
• Sliced jalapeños
• Lime (optional)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced

Directions:

Turn on the instant pot to SAUTE mode.  Add the oil to the pot.  Once the screen shows HOT, add the chopped onions and cook until translucent and then add minced garlic to it.  Cook it for a 30-40 seconds.

Now add the enchilada sauce and water along with the chili powder, cumin powder and salt.  Mix it well and add dry pasta shells to it.  Make sure the pasta shells are covered under the liquid.

Close the lid and set the valve to SEALED position.  Press MANUAL and set it for 5 mins.  Once it beeps, release the pressure right away (QPR).  Add most of the corn and black beans to the pasta and mix it well.

Sprinkle cheese, red bell pepper, corn and black beans on top.   Cover the pot with the lid, this will help the cheese to melt.  Your tex-tex pasta is ready.

Garnish it with cilantro, avocado, jalapeños, and a dollop of sour cream.  If you want you can also put some salsa. Sprinkle lime juice if you want.

Serve hot and enjoy the flavors.

Try a few other Instant Pot recipes from my blog:  Veg Pulao, Kala Chana Curry, Hard Boiled Eggs, Lauki Ki Sabzi

Pin this Tex-Mex Pasta recipe for later

If you like the recipe, please comment below after you give it a try and share it on Facebook.  Would like to hear from you. Your comments, likes, dislikes, matters to me.  Thank you for stopping by!!

Happy Cooking!!!

Tex-Mex Pasta | Mexican Style Instant Pot Recipe

Sarika Gunjal

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Veg

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Instructions

 

• Turn on the instant pot to SAUTE mode.  Add the oil to the pot.  Once the screen shows HOT, add the chopped onions and cook until translucent and then add minced garlic to it.  Cook it for a 30-40 seconds.
• Now add the enchilada sauce and water along with the chili powder, cumin, diced tomatoes and taco seasoning(if using).  Mix it well and add dry pasta shells to it.  Make sure the pasta shells are covered under the liquid.
• Close the lid and set the valve to SEALED position.  Press MANUAL and set it for 4 mins.  Once it beeps, release the pressure right away (QPR).  The sauce should be a little watery consistency. Add a little bit of corn and black beans to it and mix it well.
• Sprinkle cheese, corn and black beans on top.   Close the lid for a couple of mins and this will help the cheese to melt.  Your Tex Mex Pasta is ready.
• Garnish it with cilantro, avocado, jalapeños, and a dollop of sour cream.  If you want you can also put some salsa. Sprinkle lime juice if you want.
• Serve hot and enjoy the flavors.

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