365 Days of Crockpot: Instant Pot Creamy Sausage Parmesan Pasta

So, the inspiration for this dish was rather mundane - I wanted to clear some stuff out of my pantry and fridge.  Plus, any time I can dump a bunch of stuff into a cooker and let it handle the process for me is a big win in my book.  I had never cooked pasta in the Instant Pot before, so I wasn't sure if the five minute cook time was really going to do it, but it turned out fantastic, so I guess now I'm a believer.

Instant Pot Creamy Sausage Parmesan Pasta
Adapted from 365 Days of Crockpot blog

1 pound Italian sausage

10 to 12 cremini mushrooms, quartered

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried sage

1¾ cup chicken broth 

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 pound trottole pasta
1 cup heavy cream, warmed
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach

Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté setting. When the display says HOT, add in the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Brown the sausage for about 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms.  Continue to sauté until the mushrooms release their water and then it cooks off.  Sprinkle the sausage mixture with the garlic powder, onion powder, and sage, and stir to combine.  Deglaze the pot with the chicken broth, then add the tomatoes and the pasta.

Cover and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to HIGH for 5 minutes.  When the time is up perform a quick release by moving the valve to venting.  Once the valve has dropped, remove the lid.  Stir in the cream and parmesan cheese. Stir in the spinach until it has wilted down.

Makes 6 servings