This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This Instant Pot pesto pasta with sardines is packed with nutrients and clocks in at just 15 minutes, making it the perfect nutrient-dense weeknight fix.
This post is sponsored by King Oscar | Thank you for supporting the brands I trust.
A quick, cozy pesto pasta with sardines that hands you fresh vegetables and a hefty dose of omega-3s in every bite? Yes, please. This is a certified weeknight wonder—simple ingredients, minimal prep, barely any clean-up, and a cook time so brief it almost feels illegal. Honestly, this is what every weeknight dinner should look like. Monday through Thursday, anyway. Friday, as we all know, is reserved for pizza recipes.
Want more dinner-friendly sardine recipes? Check out my lemon pepper pasta with sardines, spicy sardine melt, or these seafood stuffed peppers.
A Few Good Reasons to Make This
- One pot, one clean-up: pasta, sauce, and sardines all happen in the same vessel—no pot for the sauce, no pan for the fish or veggies.
- Sardines are a nutritional powerhouse: big on omega-3s, plus calcium (if bone-in), protein, and vitamin D, all from a shelf-stable can.
- No fishy overload: garlic, basil, and parmesan in the pesto mellow the sardines into savory umami rather than an obvious “fish dinner.”
Ingredients at a Glance
A quick look at some of the essentials before we dive into the recipe:
- Short pasta: I find it cooks more evenly in the Instant Pot. I like to use penne, but you can use rotini, rigatoni, or elbows.
- Sardines: good quality sardines make all the difference, which is why I genuinely choose King Oscar every time. Their Mediterranean sardines are especially delicious in this recipe.
- Pesto: fresh or jarred, it’s your call. I love getting the fresh stuff from the refrigerated section near the pasta. It has a much cleaner, brighter flavor.
- Veggies: baby spinach and grape tomatoes is all you need. The simpler, the better. If you like the idea of more veggies, check out my Instant Pot pasta primavera.
How Long Do You Cook Pasta in the Instant Pot?
- Look at the suggested cook time on the pasta packaging and divide it in half. If it’s 10 minutes, pressure cook for 5 minutes.
- If it’s an odd number, like 11, round down to 10. So, if the package says 11 minutes for al dente, round down to 10, cut that in half, and you’re pressure cooking for 5 minutes.
How to Make Instant Pot Pesto Pasta With Sardines
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
Dump 8 oz of pasta into your Instant Pot, add 2 cups of water, then close and secure the lid. Set the valve to “sealing”, and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes or half the time suggested on the package.
Step 2: Quick Release
When the time is up, hit the quick release button. Once all of the pressure has been released, remove the lid and stir the pasta. All of the water should be absorbed, but if there’s any left, just drain it.
Step 3: Toss In the Ingredients
Add the pesto, spinach, tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cheese, and sardines to the Instant Pot. With a spatula or spoon, toss the pasta, breaking down the sardines into bite-sized bits, until everything is well mixed. Serve, and garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Make It Your Own!
- Canned fish: tuna, salmon, or mackerel all work just as well as brisling sardines.
- Tomato sauce: feel free to stir some in!
- Cheese: feta or goat cheese are fantastic options here.
- Veggies: any veggies that don’t need to be cooked into a pasta to be enjoyed are welcome. Think: veggies that can be stirred in and just mildly warmed, like the grape tomatoes and baby spinach.
Serve It With…
Pesto pasta with sardines is great with a simple side salad with lemon juice, a nice crunchy Greek cucumber tomato salad, or even a salad with homemade Caesar dressing.
Storage Tips
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Instant Pot Pesto Pasta with King Oscar Sardines
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne, Or another type of short pasta
- 2 cup water
- 1/4 cup pesto
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- 1/2 cup ribonned spinach
- 1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 1 can of King Oscar Brisling Mediterranean Sardines (don't drain the oil)
- 1-2 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan or pecorino-romano
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Dump the pasta into your Instant Pot. Add the water, then close and secure the lid. Set the valve to "sealing", and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes or half the time suggested on the package. (See notes.)
- When the time is up, hit the quick release button. Once all of the pressure has been released, remove the lid and stir the pasta. All of the water should be absorbed, but if there's any left, simply drain it.
- Add the pesto, spinach, tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cheese, and sardines (with the oil) to the Instant Pot. With a spatula or spoon, toss the pasta, breaking down the sardines into bite-sized bits, until everything is well mixed.
- Serve, and garnish with fresh basil if desired.
