Name: Rice Cooker Pasta: The Ultimate Easy Dinner Hack!
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (100g) penne or pasta of choice; 1 cup (240ml) tomato pasta sauce; 1 cup (240ml) milk; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra for garnish); 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Rice cooker pasta made simple! Minimal prep, creamy garlic sauce, and ready in less than 30 minutes. Perfect for any night.

You know how much I love my rice cooker! I will try to cook as many dishes in it as I possibly can… including pasta! This is a spin-off of my Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese recipe! If you’re a fan of quick, easy, and delicious meals, then you’re going to love this Rice Cooker Pasta recipe.

Imagine perfectly cooked pasta in a creamy, garlicky sauce—all made with minimal effort using your trusty rice cooker. This dish is a game-changer for busy weeknights or lazy weekends when you want something tasty without spending hours in the kitchen. This dish is perfect for cozy dinners at home or impressing your friends and family with minimal effort.

What is Rice Cooker Pasta?

Rice cooker pasta is exactly what it sounds like—pasta cooked in a rice cooker! It’s a one-pot meal that’s super convenient, and the best part is, that you just throw everything in the rice cooker, hit the start button, and let it do its magic. The result is perfect al dente pasta in a rich, flavourful sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Super Easy: Minimal prep and clean-up.
Quick: Ready in about 30 minutes.
Comforting: Creamy, garlicky goodness in every bite.
Minimal Equipment: All you need is a rice cooker.

Key Ingredients

Pasta: Use your favourite pasta, preferably short pasta that can fit easily in the pot. I’m using penne pasta here, make sure to adjust the cooking times in the rice cooker accordingly. A general rule is to tack on 10 minutes to the actual stovetop cook time. For example, penne takes 12 minutes to cook; in the rice cooker it takes more or less 22 minutes. More accurately, my pasta cooked in 25 minutes in my Zojirushi rice cooker specifically, BUT ultimately this will depend on the rice cooker brand as well – I specified a better way to check doneness in the recipe below!
Tomato Pasta Sauce: Any ready-made pasta sauce you like! I make my own pasta sauce (a roasted blend of tomatoes and leftover vegetables from the week), but any will work, including store-bought versions.
Milk: Milk thins out the pasta sauce at the start, and creates a creamier sauce at the end. Alternatively, you can also use water, stock, or plant-based milk. The resulting dish may not be as creamy, but it’s still delicious!
Garlic: We love a garlicky pasta!
Salt and Pepper: To taste.
Parmesan: For an extra flavour boost.
Chopped Herbs: Chopped parsley or basil for freshness.

Key Steps to Making Rice Cooker Pasta

1. Add Ingredients to Rice Cooker

Place the pasta, pasta sauce, milk, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper into the rice cooker pot. Give it a gentle stir to combine.

2. Cook

Close the rice cooker lid and set it to the “Cook” setting. That’s it!

Allow the pasta to cook until it reaches an al dente texture, which typically takes about 20-25 minutes depending on your rice cooker. Start checking the pasta at the 20-minute mark, and continue to check every minute, until the pasta is al dente.

TIP: Keep the lid closed so the rice cooker can heat up quickly.

3. Add Cheese and Garnish

Once the pasta is done, open the lid and give it a good stir. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese until it melts into the sauce.
Garnish with chopped parsley and a little extra parmesan cheese.

4. Serve and Enjoy!

Serve immediately while hot. The sauce will thicken as it cools. If you’re not ready to serve yet, leave it in the rice cooker at the ‘Keep Warm’ setting if available.
When you’re ready, dish up your creamy pasta and enjoy! Enjoy your delicious, easy rice cooker pasta!

How to Serve

Serve your pasta with a sprinkle of extra parmesan cheese and a handful of fresh parsley.

To make this into a complete meal, pair it with a simple side salad, roasted vegetables, or proteins of choice. Check out these blog posts for some ideas:

Storing and Reheating Instructions

Storing: If you have leftovers, let the pasta cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It can keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: To reheat, add about 2 tablespoons of water or milk so the sauce loosens, and reheat in the microwave for about 5 minutes. You can also reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of milk or water as well to loosen the sauce if needed.

Tips and Tricks for Making Rice Cooker Pasta

Choose the Right Pasta: Use short pasta shapes like penne, fusilli, or macaroni. They cook more evenly and fit better in the rice cooker! Penne cooks the longest, make sure to adjust cook times accordingly… although I have to say the chances of overcooking pasta in the rice cooker are much slimmer than over the stovetop.
Check Liquid Ratios: Ensure there’s enough liquid (sauce + milk) to cook the pasta. If the pasta is not fully covered, add a bit more milk or water to ensure even cooking.
Test for Doneness: Start checking the pasta at the 20-minute mark. Pasta can go from al dente to overcooked quickly, so keep an eye on it.
Add Proteins and Veggies: Boost nutrition and flavour by adding pre-cooked proteins (like chicken, sausage, or shrimp) or quick-cooking veggies (like spinach, peas, or bell peppers). Try not to use raw meat; the pasta will cook quicker than the raw meat will.
Adjust Consistency: Pasta sauce is thick by nature, and pasta will need a more liquid consistency to cook properly. This is where the milk comes in! Milk not only thins out the pasta sauce to cook the pasta adequately, but it also makes the pasta dish so much more rich! In addition, it thickens the pasta sauce as it cools down for a creamier pasta dish. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk or water.

“I can do the same one-pot recipe over the stovetop. Why would I use a rice cooker?”

Valid question, plus a stovetop can is even quicker than in a rice cooker.

A couple of reasons why rice cooker pasta trumps:

There is more active cooking with stovetop pasta! You will need to constantly stir the pasta in the pot to prevent sticking and to ensure even cooking. The rice cooker cooks at a much gentler and uniform heat. While the pasta is taking care of itself in the rice cooker, I use this time to prepare the sides.
Cooking pasta in the rice cooker is a lot more forgiving than on the stovetop. Pasta can go from al dente to overcooked in a split second over the stovetop, but you get more legroom in the rice cooker.
PLUS! The rice cooker has a ‘Keep Warm’ setting, which means you can leave it alone in the rice cooker without overcooking the pasta until you’re ready to eat! If you only have a basic one-button rice cooker, keep your pasta in the pot. When you’re ready to serve, turn on the rice cooker to warm it up.

I’ll be honest, if I need pasta RIGHT NOW, I just cook this over the stovetop. When time is of the essence, you just can’t beat pasta in 12 minutes!

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