Happy New Year, my friends! Since we are in a period where uncertain financial times gives us (and our wallets) stress, I’ve decided to beef up creating shorter recipes with value-brand ingredients. Looking at the glass as more full than empty, this also means less spending money and less time to make a meal. Penny Penne is a new recipe of mine where the name tells it like it is.
You can easily make this recipe to feed a hungry family of six for $5-$10 (the cost of one fast food meal).
Of course I give you additional ways to make it a bit fancy, but this recipe can be done using a maximum of just TWO ingredients, any pasta sauce you choose, and in just THREE steps. 2023 may be a challenging year, but we will get through it and delicious budget meals like this will help see the silver lining even quicker!
Pre-Pressure Cooking Penny Penne
And that’s all we have to do before pressure cooking! So far, that’s only 1-3 ingredients.
Post-Pressure Cooking Penny Penne
Optional Finishing Touches for Penny Penne
The Taste Test!
Instant Pot Penny Penne (Budget Pasta)
Happy New Year, my friends! Since we are in a period where uncertain financial times gives us (and our wallets) stress, I've decided to beef up creating shorter recipes with value-brand ingredients. Looking at the glass as more full than empty, this also means less spending money and less time to make a meal. Penny Penne is a new recipe of mine where the name tells it like it is.
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne, penne rigate, or mezze penne (but any short-form pasta such as bowties, medium shells, gemelli, rotini or ziti will do)
- 4 cups chicken or garlic broth (e.g., Garlic Better than Bouillon) NOTE: you can also simply use water
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) salted butter, cut into 2 pats (optional, but suggested to keep the pasta slick)
- 2-4 cups jarred or pre-made pasta sauce of your choice (any variety of marinara, Alfredo, vodka or pesto will do), preferably at room temperature (or warmed in the microwave if cold from the fridge - see Jeff's Tips)
Optional Touches
- 1/2 cup bacon bits, for topping (Costco sells a big bag at a great price and they'll last you a while)
- 2 cups shredded cheese of your choice (I use store-brand mozzarella which is stretchy or you can use a more melty one like a store-brand Cheddar, Mexican or taco blend. You can also use 1-2 cups grated Parmesan instead - the cheaper stuff in a container is perfectly fine!)
- Pick one: 3/4 cup of my Garlic Herb cheese, 5.2-ounce package Boursin, or 6.5-ounce tub Alouette (if you make this or find these on sale, you can freeze for future use)
- Any spices/seasonings you enjoy (see Jeff's Tips)
Instructions
- Add the broth and penne to the Instant Pot but do not stir. Just smooth it out so it’s mostly submerged. Top with the 2 pats of the butter (if using).
- Secure the lid and move the valve to the sealing position. Hit Cancel followed by Manual or Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes. Quick release when done and give the pot a good stir.
- Add the sauce (start with 2 cups) and stir. If you feel you want more sauce, add up to 2 cups more. If using the optional bacon bits, cheese, herb cheese, and/or additional spices and stir in now as well until melded. Feel free to top with additional bacon bits and cheese, if desired.
Jeffrey's Tips
The reason why we want the sauce at room temperature or a bit warmer is because we're adding it to the pressure cooked pasta. If adding the sauce directly from the fridge, it's going to immediately cool down the pasta to the point where it will be tepid. In this case, simply hit the Sauté button and stir until it's heated. But you're better off having it be room temperature or even warmed up a bit in the microwave before adding it to the pot.
This recipe is very customizable in the spice department - be it cayenne, oregano, hot sauce, garlic powder, or crushed red pepper flakes. Feel free to add any you wish in Step 3: Start with 1 teaspoon of any or all and add more to taste!
Remember, use store-brand ingredients or check for coupons on items to get the biggest bang for your buck!
Karen
This looks delicious…and thrifty! You know what would be a big help?? Also include the dry measurement of the pasta. It helps when halving a recipe AND for those times where I buy larger quantities of pasta 🙂
Michelle
One pound of pasta is 16 oz, the whole box. If you want to cut it in half, eyeball it using half the box or to get a more accurate 8 oz, weigh it. You should weigh dry pasta, not measure it. 🙂
Peggy
Great recipe. Not much into bacon, but will brown 1/2 to 1 lb lean ground beef with some onion and garlic and add when I put the sauce over the pasta.
Lauren
Thanks so much for the budget meal recipe Jeff! I’m a big fan of many of your recipes and its heartbreaking ingredients are so expensive now.
Jeffrey
My pleasure and I agree! Don’t even get me started on eggs!
Diane
Have you ever tried cooking the pasta & sauce (and meat/s) together? Would it work?
Ruth Cooney
In Jeffrey’s Unbaked Ziti recipe he does that.
Gary Kaetzel
I was debating between this one and your amazing Pasta Bolognese. I decided on this one because I never made this one yet and I’ve made plenty of batches of Pasta Bolognese! I’m using Bacon Up in place of the butter and adding some breakfast sausage on top of the bacon bits. I’ll of course post pics tomorrow when I make it on my page and on the IPC and if I use the 3-qt. on the 3-qt. Lovers page too! Looking forward to this!!!
Jeffrey
Enjoy!!
Annie
Can this recipe be halved? How much broth should I use & should I just halve the remaining ingredients? I do love that your new cookbook has instructions to serve 1-2 – so helpful & appreciated! Is there kind of a rule of thumb for the amount of broth to use when cutting your other cookbooks’ recipes in half?
Donald Jarvey
Do you have the calories for any or your recipes anywhere. my wife is counting calories and gets frustrated when I don’t have them.
Jeffrey
My blue book. But your best best is an online nutrition calculator fo the most accurate results based on the exact ingredients you use.
Mary Ann Smith
We loved this. Like more bite to the pasta so will lower time by a minute.
Elizabeth Lonsberry
Jeffrey, I really need to know about cooking gluten free pasta in the instanpot How long so that it is not mush or hard?
Jeffrey
Shave off a few minutes of time for gluten-free pasta 😉
Beffy
How about blending in some baby peas??? They don’t mush up like other peas…and give another “color” to the meal…what say you Jeffrey??
Jeffrey
Go for it!
Virginia Vierra
Jeffrey is the sauce king. Everything he makes is extra. I have bought all his books. I add the whole 24oz jar of Rao’s becuz I love the sauce in the noodles. I’ve made noodles in boiling water and now can’t stand the plain carb taste. I add a can of diced tomatoes. Oregano and basil. Love it
Jeffrey
I love a good, saucy comment!