Cooking pasta has been the same for years, boil lots of water in a large pot, add salt, and pasta. This method works well but it takes time plus you’ll need a large pot and a saucepan to prepare the sauce. So, is there any better way to cook pasta when you don’t want to use a large pot? Fortunately, the answer is yes.
There’re various effective ways to cook pasta besides putting it into a large pot of rolling boiling, salted water. In this article, I’m going to share some easy as well as effective ways on how to cook pasta without a pot. Let’s check the post thoroughly so that you can make your next pasta recipe easily without much more effort. So, let’s start it.
Ultimate Ideas on How to Cook Pasta Without a Pot:
There are some incredible ways that you can apply to cook your favorite pasta dishes without a pot. Let’s check these amazing cooking methods so you can make delicious pasta recipes with ease.
Cooking Pasta in Microwave:
Microwave pasta is the easiest way to prepare your favorite pasta dish when you’re in hurry. All you need to do is just add enough water, microwave, and then top with any of your favorite sauce. Not only for cooking pasta but the microwave can also be used to reheat your dish whenever you need it.
Technically, pasta doesn’t require to be boiled or cooked in rolling boiling water, all it needs just rehydrate in hot water. So, this method will work amazingly as well as save both your time and energy. To cook the pasta in the microwave perfectly, follow these tips right below.
- Ensure that your pasta is covered with plenty of water and it’s not sticking together.
- Stir your casserole a few times when cooking to ensure that your pasta absorbs liquid properly.
- Standard timing is essential for this method, the food finishes heating and the pasta will be more flavorful.
- Once your cooking is done, serve it with mushrooms, grape tomatoes along with your favorite pasta sauce.
Making Pasta in Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker:
Using instant pot is a great idea to cook sauces and dishes that will be paired with pasta. It can also be used to cook pasta, though, there’s no way to make sure it’ll come out perfectly al dente. To get the best result, use the low-pressure setting and the timing. Let’s check these instructions for cooking pasta in the instant pot.
Put the dried pasta in your instant pot and cover it with water about half an inch above, at most. Depending on the type of pasta you’re using and the size of the pasta’s packet, this is normally around 4-cups of water. For the best result, it’s essential to ensure all of the pasta is barely covered with water.
After that, shut the lid of your pot, seal the valve, and set the pot manually to cook pasta. It’s recommended to set your instant pot/ pressure cooker at low-pressure for half the time mentioned on the packet of pasta you’re cooking. If the recommended cooking time is an odd number, just cut it up and round down to the closest minutes.
So, 9 minutes will become 4 minutes. Remember that, instant pot or pressure cooker will need about 10-11 minutes to heat up before it starts to pressure-cook. So, if you set your pot for 4 minutes, the entire process will take around 15 minutes to be done.
Check this simple instant pot pasta recipe from Food Network Kitchen.
Preparing Pasta in a Frying Pan
It’s pretty much easier to cook pasta using a frying pan if you know the way how to do it. You can literally cook any type of noodles such as spaghetti, angel hair, fusilli, or macaroni in a frying pan.
All you need to start your cooking is a sauté pan, some olive oil, and your favorite pasta. Just follow these easy tips right to cook your favorite pasta perfectly in a frying pan.
Make sure your pan is greased properly before it contacts the heat. Add enough amount of olive oil to the pan when it heats up especially if you’re cooking with a traditional metallic pan. This simple step will prevent your food from sticking as well as burning.
Once your pan is greased perfectly, add your desired amount of pasta with enough amount of cold water.
Let the water boil normally with the lid on, ensure to stir the pasta frequently as the water heats up.
As always, test your pasta to see if it’s done or check the instruction on the pasta’s box. For the best result, it’s recommended to undercook your pasta for at least two minutes. Once you add your pasta to the sauce, it’ll become softer at a simmer, allowing for perfect al dente condition.
Using Crock-Pot to Cook Pasta:
Cooking pasta in the crockpot is an amazing idea especially when you’re going to prepare Spaghetti and Meatball recipe. This one-pot cooking method not only saves your time but also make your dish tastier.
However, if you don’t want to cook pasta in the crockpot, you can still make the sauce in the slow cooker. To make your favorite pasta dish in the crockpot check these instructions right below.
While pasta cooks in the slow cooker or crockpot, it’s cooking in the sauce you prepared. So, it’s important to make sure that your sauce is fairly watery as the pasta will absorb most of the liquid as it cooks. If your sauce is too dry, the pasta will not cook perfectly.
As a result, you’ll get a solid piece of pasta in the sauce. Since the pasta cooks in the sauce, it absorbs the tastes and flavors in that sauce. And some of the ingredients in the sauce like lemon juice or tomatoes prevents the pasta from overcooking.
Ensure that you stir well the pasta while adding it to the crockpot. Add your pasta either at the beginning or in the middle of the cooking, the texture will become softer.
Last Words:
In conclusion, choosing the right type of pasta is essential to make a pasta dish with these cooking methods. For example, short cut pasta like penne, macaroni, and cavatappi is ideal to cook in the pressure cooker. Long strand pasta like spaghetti can be cook easily in the microwave as well as in the crockpot.
Spaghetti can also be prepared in the pressure cooker but you’ll need to be aware while cooking as they can sometimes clump together. You’ll need to break them in half and add a small amount of vegetable oil or butter to minimize the clumping.