Cheesy Taco Pasta in the Pressure Cooker

Serves 8 in about 30 minutes. The pot starts with ground beef ground, then cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef or lean ground turkey (80%-93% lean)
• 2 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning (see my recipe for homemade, or use 1 packet of store bought)
• 1 (16 oz) container of salsa
• 16 oz pasta shells*, medium (or use 16 oz rotini)
• 4 cups broth, (low sodium beef or chicken)
• 2 cups shredded cheese

Method

1. Turn pot on to Sauté mode.
2. When display reads Hot, add the meat (use a little olive oil if using ground turkey). Simmer until mostly done.
3. Stir in the taco seasoning, stir and finish cooking meat.
4. Tip in the salsa and broth. Mix with wooden spoon and scrape the bottom of the pot to get up all of the browned bits (deglaze).
5. Put on a glass lid (or any lid that fits. If you use the pressure cooker lid, make sure it is on Venting). Leave it to the broth heat up and start to simmer.
6. Stir in the pasta and stir.
7. Cancel the sauté mode.
8. Put the pressure cooker lid on and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
9. Press the Manual (or Pressure Cook) button and use the +/- button to select 5 minutes for softer pasta, 4 minutes for more al dente (or half the time on the pasta package directions).
10. When cooking cycle ends, turn off the pressure cooker.
11. Do a controlled Quick Release of the pressure/steam. Then I turn the knob all the way to Venting, and let it release the remaining steam/pressure.
12. When the pin in the lid drops, and it is safe to open it, do so with the lid facing away from your face.
13. Give the pasta a good stir, add the cheese, stir again, and serve.
14. Avocado, Jalapeño, Sour Cream, Tortilla Chips, Cilantro

More instant pot ideas are in the instant pot collection.