Instant Pot Garlic Butter Pasta with Spinach and Parmesan

This Instant Pot Garlic Butter Pasta is the kind of weeknight recipe that feels indulgent without a lot of fuss — garlic and butter build a genuinely cozy backbone, and the Parmesan melds with the pasta water into a silky, cream-like sauce without any cream. The pressure cooker does the heavy lifting: starch released during pressure cooking thickens the liquid so you end up with a glossy coating rather than a soupy bowl. The quick addition of baby spinach at the end keeps the leaves tender and bright, so you get a hit of green without extra chopping or fuss.

What makes this version work is the little technique choices: a layer of butter and oil under the dry pasta prevents sticking, low-sodium broth controls the final salt, and a splash of lemon at the finish lifts the richness. It’s fast — and forgiving — so it’s ideal for people who want comforting, veggie-forward dinners with minimal cleanup, anyone cooking for a busy household, or cooks new to the Instant Pot who still want everything to taste composed and restaurant-worthy.