Instant Pot lemon and ricotta pasta with spring veggies

Spring is the perfect time for this creamy, lemony pasta with fresh herbs and veggies. 

I have been eyeing a beautiful recipe from the New York Times for one-pot pasta with ricotta and lemon. It's not feeling especially spring-like in the Pacific Northwest, but we are getting some lovely produce, so I decided to make a simple version of the ricotta pasta and add some bright green veggies. As usual, I converted this to be a one-pot Instant Pot pasta recipe. 

I picked up this really pretty gigli pasta from Trader Joes. Isn't it cute?? Gigli means lily in Italian, and these little ruffle-edged bells fit the spring theme and hold onto the creamy sauce perfectly. 

Lemon and ricotta pasta with spring veggies

4 cups water
2 t salt

3 garlic cloves, smashed, or 1 t garlic powder

1/4 t Italian seasoning (optional)
1 pound short pasta (I used gigli (campanelle), but any short pasta like penne or shells would work)

1 1/3 cup frozen peas
1 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)

1 cup whole-milk ricotta 
Black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

juice and zest of one lemon

¼ cup thinly sliced or torn basil leaves

Handful of arugula for serving, optional

In an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, stir together water, salt, garlic, Italian seasoning, and pasta. Seal and set to high pressure for 4 minutes. Quick release when finished. Stir in remaining ingredients. The frozen peas will immediately warm through, and the cheeses will melt and turn creamy. Serve topped with arugula, if using.