It’s no big secret around here that I love my Instant Pot. I really regret not getting it earlier, well it’s better late than never, right? So, if you don’t have one, seriously consider getting one! You will love this multi-purpose magic pot in which you can make so many things effortlessly and cooking spaghetti in the Instant Pot is seriously a game-changer! This Instant Pot Spaghetti with meat sauce has got to be one of our favorite family dinners, we love how this IP spaghetti turns out, the spaghetti noodles are perfectly cooked, and infused with a lot of flavor from the meat sauce.
Why you will love this pressure cooker spaghetti recipe
Fewer pots and pans to clean: When you cook spaghetti in the Instant Pot, you only need one pot to cook the pasta and the meat sauce. You don’t need a pot to boil the water, nor a colander to drain the spaghetti and neither a separate pan to make the meat sauce. Everything cooks together in your electric pressure cooker. This is truly a one-pot, wholesome meal that is simple and quick and requires very little clean-up! Set-it and forget it: The only time you are required to stand in front of the pot is if you choose to make this recipe with meat. Other than that, you simply layer everything, set the timer and walk away! Simple one-pot meal for those busy weeknights: Instead of ordering food, make a pot of this Instant Pot spaghetti recipe instead, it is budget-friendly, easily feeds a crowd, and is tasty! What more can a busy parent ask for? Absolutely perfect for one of those busy weeknights.
What about the taste?
Having spoken of all the wonderful advantages of making this traditional Italian classic in the IP, you probably wonder what does it taste like? Honestly, no one in my family is that picky. This goes down well with everyone, especially the kids. I love this recipe for its ease and simplicity. It is quick to whip up a meal in a jiffy with minimal effort which is a big win-win for me. It tastes great, everything mingles really well in this pressure cooker spaghetti recipe. I find that the meat is moist and pasta absorbs all the flavors beautifully since it cooks in the sauce itself! After the cooking cycle, do not fret if it may look watery. Once you stir up everything and let it rest for 10 minutes, the sauce thickens up, and the pasta is well coated with that delicious meat sauce. Yum yum!!
This recipe may not be for you if…
Cooking the pasta in the sauce is a strict-no! You prefer to boil your pasta separately and then add the sauce on top. You are put off by the texture of the spaghetti cooked under pressure. (Though, honestly, I do not see a major difference. You can try using an equivalent amount of other kinds of pasta like penne, rigatoni, etc).
I’ll be honest with you guys, this Instant Pot spaghetti is not meant to be a sophisticated dish that follows the rules of cooking pasta. Coz sometimes, it is okay to break a few rules to cook a meal that you think your family will enjoy nonetheless, don’t you agree? There is nothing authentic about this much loved Italian dish when it’s cooked in the Instant Pot, and neither do I claim it to be. This is more of a quick-fix meal I’d say, but that doesn’t mean it tastes bland. You should definitely try this recipe (it is hardly even a recipe) at least once, and then decide if it is for you! If not, I won’t judge you, it is all about your personal preference. I’m all about cooking food from scratch and this blog pretty much reflects that. But a few exceptions are always welcome, we enjoy this recipe, and it has been on regular rotation ever since I first tried it:)
My top 4 tips to make the best Instant Pot spaghetti with meat sauce
Quality ingredients: Use good-quality crushed tomatoes (I prefer San Marzano) or use a really good brand of jarred marinara sauce (I like Rao’s if I use marinara). If you make your own marinara sauce, even better! Just make sure you have 3 cups worth of sauce for this recipe. Season generously: Season the meat as you cook with herbs, dried or fresh will work, whatever you have at hand. Sauteing the herbs and spices with the meat adds more flavor, than simply dumping it in the pot while layering. Layer the ingredients: To prevent the ‘BURN’ error, layer your ingredients and do not stir. Place the noodles in a criss-cross pattern or fan it out over the meat mixture. Doing so will ensure that the noodles do not clump after pressure cooking. It is normal for a few noodles to clump together, simply separate them out with the help of a fork. Next, you will need to add the crushed tomatoes all over the spaghetti, followed by water or broth poured around the edges of the pot. Try swapping the ground meat with Italian sausage, it adds a lot more flavor. You will need to reduce the amount of dried herbs in this recipe, as Italian sausage is already well-seasoned. I simply loved how the hot Italian sausage flavored up this tortellini soup, so you could consider using it here. You can also use ground turkey instead of ground beef. Let it rest: When you open the lid, you will see a layer of liquid floating on top of the spaghetti. Using tongs, mix the spaghetti with the sauce gently, let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes. The result is perfectly cooked spaghetti!
More hearty Instant Pot recipes
Chili Pot Roast Turkey Chili Mac Beef and barley soup
How to make Instant Pot Spaghetti with meat sauce – Step by step instructions
(Printable recipe card below instructions)
Step 1: Brown the beef
Press the ‘SAUTE’ button, and set it to ‘NORMAL’. Once its displays, ‘HOT’, then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, let it heat up a bit, then add 1 lb ground beef. Cook, crumbling the meat with a spoon until browned, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Saute onion, garlic, seasoning, and tomato paste
Next, add 1 cup diced onions along with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, saute until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons each of dried oregano and dried basil along with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Also, add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Cook for another minute.
Add 1/2 cup of broth and deglaze the pot, scraping off any browned bits stuck at the bottom of the pot. Do not skip this step, as you will get a ‘BURN’ error if the browned bits are left at the bottom of the pot.
Step 3: Layer the ingredients
Press ‘CANCEL’. Break the spaghetti in half and scatter it over the meat mixture in a criss-cross pattern. Pour 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes all over the spaghetti. Pour in the remaining 1.5 cups of broth or water around the edges of the pot. Push the spaghetti gently under the liquid, making sure the spaghetti is covered with the liquid.
Step 4: Pressure cook
Close the lid of the Instant Pot. Set the valve to ‘SEALING’. Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up (about 12 minutes), after which the timer will begin.
Step 5: Quick release
Once the cooking cycle is complete, do a quick release of the leftover pressure as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Press ‘CANCEL’ and switch off the IP. Once the silver pin drops, turn the knob to ‘VENTING’ and open the lid away from you. You will find some liquid on top.
Step 6: Mix
The sauce will look soupy after you open the lid (pic for reference below). Mix the spaghetti gently with the sauce. Cover and let it sit for 10 minutes on the ‘KEEP WARM’ mode. The spaghetti will soak up all the excess liquid. You may mix in some basil chiffonades and parmesan cheese. Dish out this easy Instant Pot spaghetti and serve topped with more basil leaves and parmesan cheese. Refrigerate leftover spaghetti in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
You may substitute the 1/2 cup of broth used for deglazing the pot with an equal amount of red wine. We enjoy the meat to noodles ratio as mentioned in this recipe. Feel free to reduce the meat by half or double it based upon your preference. You can add extra marinara/spaghetti sauce after the pressure cooking cycle if you like your spaghetti really saucy! For a no-meat/vegetarian version, skip step 1, add the entire 2 cups of broth after sauteing the onion, garlic, tomato paste, and seasonings. Next, add the spaghetti noodles, the crushed tomatoes on top, do not stir. Follow the pressure cooking time as stated above. If your IP is sensitive to tomato-based products, place the tomato paste on top of the crushed tomatoes, instead of sauteing it in step 2. To make this recipe with frozen ground beef, first, thaw the beef in the Instant Pot. To do that, place a trivet and add 1 cup of water in the insert, place the block of frozen ground beef on the trivet. Pressure cook on ‘HIGH’ for 15 minutes followed by a natural pressure release of 2-3 minutes, then quickly release the leftover pressure. The beef will not be fully cooked, it will still be pink in the middle, but thawed enough to be used in the recipe. You can now follow the recipe from step 1 through 6.
★ If you try this simple one-pot Instant Pot spaghetti recipe, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in the comments. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too. Feel free to share your feedback and suggestions at [email protected]. Thanks so much 🙂 You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter
