Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Name: Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef (see note 1); 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 2 1/2 cups water; 8 oz spaghetti (see note 2); 1 jar marinara sauce (650ml/ 24oz); 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (shredded); fresh basil; more parmesan

By: Denise Bustard4 Comments
Posted: 2/19/21 Updated: 2/19/21

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Saucy and beefy, this Instant Pot spaghetti and meat sauce cooks up together in under 30 minutes! The pasta absorbs a ton of flavor from the sauce, and there's only one pot to clean up.

When it comes to one pot meals, the Instant Pot is where it's at! From turkey chili to Cajun rice, you can cook your meals so quickly, and clean up even quicker.

angle view of spaghetti and meat sauce in the instant pot

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This Instant Pot spaghetti and meat sauce is another simple, quick dinner that cooks up in one pot!

I love one pot pasta, because as the pasta cooks, it absorbs so much flavor from the sauce! Once you cook your pasta this way, it's hard to go back to the water-boiling method.

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Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe

the pasta cooks right in the sauce, meaning you only dirty one pot
it's kid-friendly and perfect for weeknights
it's got the perfect sauce: noodle ratio- nice and saucy!
you can lighten it up by adding zucchini noodles at the end

Recipe video

Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this Instant Pot spaghetti. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Ingredient notes

ingredients (labelled) for instant pot spaghetti

ground beef- I recommend using lean ground beef or ground turkey so that you don't need to drain grease off before adding the sauce. I've also successfully used plant-based ground beef crumbles.
spaghetti- you can use spaghetti, linguini, spaghettini, or your favorite pasta shape. I share tips below on adapting for different shapes.
marinara- grab your favorite brand; you'll need one 22 oz/ 650 mL jar
parmesan- for additional flavor; I recommend using freshly ground parmesan

Step by step directions

Pay careful attention to the order in which ingredients are added, as it's important to avoid the dreaded burn warning on your Instant Pot.

1. Sauté beef + seasonings- Select the 'sauté' function of your Instant Pot. Add the ground beef, basil and salt to the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot. Cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking the beef up with a spatula, and stirring frequently. Beef is cooked through when it's no longer pink.

If you used a fattier blend of ground beef, you'll want to drain extra grease off.

ground beef, seasonings and water in instant pot

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2. Add garlic, then water- When ground beef is cooked through, add the garlic. Cook for one minute, until fragrant. Then add the water, using your spatula to scrape anything off the bottom of the pot.

3. Add spaghetti- Grab 8 oz of spaghetti, and break it in half. Scatter evenly in the Instant Pot.

spaghetti and sauce in instant pot before cooking

4. Add marinara sauce- Lastly, add the marinara sauce, pouring it evenly over the spaghetti. Use a spatula to gently press the spaghetti noodles into the liquid below. DO NOT STIR

5. Cook- Place the lid on your Instant Pot, set the steam release handle to 'sealing', and pressure cook for 6 minutes. When the Instant Pot completes the cooking cycle, perform a quick pressure release: carefully transfer the steam release handle to the 'venting' position to release the pressure.

Remove the Instant Pot lid- the pasta will look soupy at first, but as it cools, everything thickens up nicely.

instant pot spaghetti with parmesan cheese on top

6. Finishing touches- Using a set of tongs, gently work the spaghetti noodles apart, and stir into the sauce. Add parmesan cheese, and stir in. Taste the pasta and decide if you want to add more salt or parmesan.

FAQ

Which Instant Pot model can I use?

This recipe has been tested in a 6 quart Instant Pot and an 8 quart Instant Pot and works great in both; you will need to cut the recipe down to fit in a mini.

Can I use a different type of pasta?

Yes! I have used spaghettini as well as fusili. Take the time on the package (use the longer time if they give a range), divide it in half, then add one minute onto it.

Ex: for fusili, the package said 11-12 minutes. I divided 12 in half to get 6, then added one minute on. 7 minutes at high pressure with a quick pressure release worked perfectly!

Can I make this vegan?

Yes! I have tested with plant-based 'beef' crumbles. Be careful as it stuck to the pot a bit, so make sure you fully deglaze the pan before pressure cooking.

You may also swap the parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast.

How do I avoid the burn warning?

You MUST deglaze your Instant Pot- scrape the bottom off when you add the water. You must also add the marinara sauce last. Tomato products are notorious for giving the burn warning. If you pay attention to these two steps, you should not get the burn warning.

spaghetti and meat sauce in blue bowl with fork

Variations

zucchini noodles- if you'd like to add some vegetables to this recipe, consider adding one spiralized zucchini to the pot when the parmesan cheese is added. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving
vegetarian- omit the ground beef, or swap for plant-based 'beef' crumbles; swap the parmesan for nutritional yeast
use frozen ground beef- follow the directions in how to cook frozen ground beef to get the beef partially thawed, then drain the water and add the salt + basil, cooking the beef all the way through using 'sauté'
spicy- add some red pepper flakes to serve

Storage + meal prep

This recipe can be cooked ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days:

cool completely, then portion out into meal prep containers
store in the fridge for up to 4 days
reheat in the microwave until steaming hot

check out my favorite meal prep containers!

More Instant Pot faves:

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.