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finished photo of pasta salad on three plates

Instant Pot Vegan Pasta Salad

This Vegan Pasta Salad is so flavorful and easy when you cook the pasta in the Instant Pot! The pasta cooks in the dressing and broth, so the pasta absorbs more flavor. Toss it with some simple veggies and you've got a meal!
5 from 2 votes
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Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian, Vegan
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 261kcal
Author: Emily

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces Penne pasta
  • 1 ½ cups Italian dressing
  • 4 cups Vegetable broth
  • 1 cup Cherry tomatoes sliced
  • 1 cup Cucumber diced
  • 3 cups Arugula

Instructions

  • To your Instant Pot or pressure cooker, add 16 ounces of pasta along with 1 ½ cups of Italian dressing and 4 cups of vegetable broth.
  • Close the lid and set the valve to sealing. 
  • Pressure cook on HIGH for 4 minutes. It may take 5-10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure before the 4 minutes begin. 
  • Once the 4 minutes are up, press CANCEL and then let the pressure release naturally (meaning don't do anything) for 5 minutes. 
  • After the 5 minute natural release, switch the valve to venting and manually release any remaining pressure until the floating pin drops. 
  • Remove the lid and stir the pasta. There should be a small amount of broth/dressing left in the pot. 
  • Place the cooked pasta into a very large bowl or other container, and put it in the fridge for about 1 hour or until it is cooled. 
  • Once cool, remove from the fridge and add the chopped cucumber, the sliced tomatoes, and the fresh arugula. 
  • Toss these all together until very well combined. 
  • Taste the dish and season with salt and pepper to your liking. 
  • If you consume dairy and would like to add cheese or anything extra, do so at the end. 
  • Serve cool and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe copyright Legally Healthy Blonde. For educational or personal use only.
  • To get the pasta to cool more quickly in the fridge, remove it from the Instant Pot container. Place it in a large and wide bowl, so that there are fewer layers stacked on top of each other. You can even spread the noodles out on a baking sheet. This will allow it to cool as fast as possible.
  • Don't be concerned by a small amount of leftover broth and dressing at the end of the cooking process. This excess liquid will mostly be absorbed and it will act as a dressing to keep the salad moist.
  • If you like your arugula to be lightly cooked or wilted, go ahead and mix that into the pasta right before putting it in the fridge to cool. The heat of the pasta will soften the arugula!
  • Nutrition Information is for 1 serving, which is ⅛th of this recipe. 
    • Calories: 261 cal
    • Total Fat: 3.4 grams
    • Total Carb: 51 grams
    • Protein: 8.3 grams

    Nutrition

    Calories: 261kcal
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