Name: Instant Pot Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta recipe
Ingredients: Olive Oil: 1 tablespoon (or other cooking oil); Andouille Sausage (or other smoked sausage): 12-14 oz, sliced into ¼ to ½-inch thick rounds; Yellow Onion: 1 medium, chopped (about 1 cup); Green Bell Pepper: 1 medium, chopped (about 1 cup); Celery: 2 ribs, chopped (about ½ cup); Garlic: 4 cloves, minced (about 1.5 tablespoons); Chicken Broth: 4 cups (low sodium recommended, allows better control over saltiness); Cajun Seasoning: 1.5 – 2 tablespoons (adjust to taste and heat preference; note salt content of your blend); Dried Pasta: 1 lb (16 oz) – Penne, rotini, shells, cavatappi, or bow ties work well. Avoid long pastas like spaghetti unless broken.; Cream Cheese: 8 oz (1 block), cut into cubes and softened – Full-fat recommended for best creaminess and meltability.; Heavy Cream: ½ cup (can substitute half-and-half, but sauce will be slightly less rich); Optional: Pinch of Cayenne Pepper or dash of Hot Sauce for extra heat; Optional Garnish: Chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions; Sausage: Ensure you’re using pre-cooked smoked sausage like Andouille or Kielbasa. Do not use raw/fresh sausage.; Holy Trinity: Chopping the onion, bell pepper, and celery to a relatively uniform size ensures even cooking during the sauté step.; Cajun Seasoning: Brands vary greatly in salt and heat. Start with the lower amount (1.5 tbsp) if you’re unsure or sensitive to spice/salt. You can always add more at the end, but you can’t take it away. If your blend is salt-free, you’ll need to add salt separately (start with ½ tsp and adjust later).; Pasta: Choose a sturdy shape that holds sauce well and cooks evenly in the Instant Pot. Cooking times are generally based on standard wheat pasta; gluten-free or whole wheat pasta may require slight adjustments in liquid or time.; Cream Cheese: Softening the cream cheese (letting it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes) helps it melt smoothly into the sauce without lumps.; Broth: Using low-sodium broth gives you control over the final saltiness, especially important given the salt in Cajun seasoning, sausage, and potentially cream cheese/heavy cream.

Ingredients

- Olive Oil: 1 tablespoon (or other cooking oil)

- Andouille Sausage (or other smoked sausage): 12-14 oz, sliced into ¼ to ½-inch thick rounds

- Yellow Onion: 1 medium, chopped (about 1 cup)

- Green Bell Pepper: 1 medium, chopped (about 1 cup)

- Celery: 2 ribs, chopped (about ½ cup)

- Garlic: 4 cloves, minced (about 1.5 tablespoons)

- Chicken Broth: 4 cups (low sodium recommended, allows better control over saltiness)

- Cajun Seasoning: 1.5 – 2 tablespoons (adjust to taste and heat preference; note salt content of your blend)

- Dried Pasta: 1 lb (16 oz) – Penne, rotini, shells, cavatappi, or bow ties work well. Avoid long pastas like spaghetti unless broken.

- Cream Cheese: 8 oz (1 block), cut into cubes and softened – Full-fat recommended for best creaminess and meltability.

- Heavy Cream: ½ cup (can substitute half-and-half, but sauce will be slightly less rich)

- Optional: Pinch of Cayenne Pepper or dash of Hot Sauce for extra heat

- Optional Garnish: Chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions

Ingredient Notes:

- Sausage: Ensure you’re using pre-cooked smoked sausage like Andouille or Kielbasa. Do not use raw/fresh sausage.

- Holy Trinity: Chopping the onion, bell pepper, and celery to a relatively uniform size ensures even cooking during the sauté step.

- Cajun Seasoning: Brands vary greatly in salt and heat. Start with the lower amount (1.5 tbsp) if you’re unsure or sensitive to spice/salt. You can always add more at the end, but you can’t take it away. If your blend is salt-free, you’ll need to add salt separately (start with ½ tsp and adjust later).

- Pasta: Choose a sturdy shape that holds sauce well and cooks evenly in the Instant Pot. Cooking times are generally based on standard wheat pasta; gluten-free or whole wheat pasta may require slight adjustments in liquid or time.

- Cream Cheese: Softening the cream cheese (letting it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes) helps it melt smoothly into the sauce without lumps.

- Broth: Using low-sodium broth gives you control over the final saltiness, especially important given the salt in Cajun seasoning, sausage, and potentially cream cheese/heavy cream.

With these ingredients ready, you’re set to harness the power of your Instant Pot!

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Instructions

1. Sauté Sausage and Aromatics:
  - - Turn on your Instant Pot and select the “Sauté” function (usually set to Normal/Medium heat). Allow it to heat up for a minute or two – it often displays “Hot” or “On”.
  - - Add the olive oil to the pot. Once shimmering, add the sliced smoked sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, until the sausage is nicely browned and some fat has rendered out.
  - - Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery (the “holy trinity”) to the pot with the sausage. Continue to sauté, stirring frequently, for another 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
  - - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute more, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
  - - Press “Cancel” to turn off the Sauté function.

1. Deglaze the Pot (Crucial Step!):
  - - Pour about ½ cup of the chicken broth into the hot pot. Using a wooden spoon or firm spatula, scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly to loosen any browned bits (fond) left from sautéing the sausage and vegetables.
  - - This step is essential to prevent the “Burn” notice during pressure cooking. Ensure the bottom of the pot is smooth and clean.

1. Layer the Ingredients (Do Not Stir Yet!):
  - - Add the remaining 3 ½ cups of chicken broth to the pot.
  - - Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning evenly over the liquid and sausage/vegetable mixture. If adding extra cayenne or hot sauce, do it now.
  - - Add the dry pasta (1 lb) to the pot, spreading it in an even layer over the other ingredients. Gently push down any pasta pieces sticking up to ensure most are submerged or touching the liquid.
  - - Do NOT stir the pasta into the mixture at this stage. Layering helps prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom and triggering the Burn notice.

1. Pressure Cook:
  - - Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, ensuring the steam release valve is set to the “Sealing” position.
  - - Select the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” function. Set the cooking time. General Rule: For standard pasta shapes like penne or rotini, use about half the time recommended on the pasta box for al dente, minus 1 minute. For example, if the box says 12 minutes, try 5 minutes (12 / 2 = 6, minus 1 = 5). Adjust based on your pasta type and desired tenderness. Set the pressure to “High”.
  - - The Instant Pot will take some time (usually 10-15 minutes) to come up to pressure before the cooking countdown begins.

1. Quick Release Pressure (Important for Pasta):
  - - Once the cooking time is complete, carefully perform a Quick Release by immediately moving the steam release valve from “Sealing” to “Venting”. Use a long-handled spoon or wear an oven mitt to protect your hand from the hot steam.
  - - Allow all the pressure to release. The float valve (pin) will drop when it’s safe to open the lid. A Natural Release will result in overcooked, mushy pasta.

1. Add Creamy Elements and Finish:
  - - Carefully open the lid, tilting it away from you to avoid steam.
  - - Give the pasta and sauce mixture a good stir. It might look slightly liquidy initially, but the sauce will thicken as you add the creamy ingredients and it cools slightly.
  - - Add the cubed, softened cream cheese (8 oz) and the heavy cream (½ cup) to the pot.
  - - Stir continuously until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated, and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. This might take a minute or two. The residual heat from the pasta and pot is usually enough to melt the cheese. If needed, you can turn on the “Sauté” function on Low for a minute while stirring, but be careful not to scorch the bottom.
  - - Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings if necessary. Add more Cajun seasoning for flavor/heat, salt (if needed, considering your seasoning blend), or black pepper.
  - - Let the pasta sit for a few minutes (3-5 minutes) in the pot with the lid off; the sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.

1. Serve:
  - - Serve the creamy Cajun sausage pasta hot, garnished with optional chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions.

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 600 - 800