Instant Pot Pasta e Ceci

I so believe in Instant Pot pasta after my Instant Pot Pasta with Ground Turkey and Instant Pot Pasta with Ground Beef, that my first thought about Smitten Kitchen’s pasta e ceci recipe was this would work in the Instant Pot.
The internet, in the person of Chhavi at YellowThyme, agreed.

Ceci is Italian for chickpeas, which is English for (the apparently Basque term) garbanzo beans, but feel free to substitute a white canned bean like cannellini.

Serves 2–4.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 3–5 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ can (3 oz.) tomato paste
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp marjoram
• pepper to taste
• red pepper flakes to taste
• 3 c. water or broth
• 1 15 oz. can chickpeas
• 8 oz. soup pasta (e.g., ditalini)
• parmesan (optional, for serving)

Directions

1. Turn on saute and heat the oil.
2. Add the garlic for one minute.
3. Add the tomato paste and break up.
4. Add the spices.
5. Deglaze with the water.
6. Add pasta and beans.
7. Optionally, top with a vegetable that will cook in about 3 minutes.
8. Close vent and lid.
9. Pressure cook on high for half the time listed on the pasta box, minus one minute. Turn off keep warm.
10. Release after five minutes.

Optionally top with cheese.

Variants

You can use tomato sauce or canned tomatoes. If doing so, adjust the liquid to compensate.