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Today I am sharing an Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe with you.
Who else can’t get enough of their Instant Pot?!
I just love it! It really has been a wonderful convenience in my kitchen.
This isn’t just any run of the mill Instant Pot spaghetti recipe that uses commercial spaghetti sauce.
No siree.
That stuff is loaded with added sugar and preservatives.
Sugar and preservatives have their place, but it's not in my spaghetti. Click To TweetJust sayin.
And, yes…you CAN make pasta in the Instant Pot!
Here’s what you will need for this Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe:
First I want to say that you can put whatever spices YOU like in this Instant Pot spaghetti.
It’s different almost every time I make it.
This time around I used garlic, oregano, marjoram, basil, salt, and pepper.
Some other spices you could use:
- fennel
- red pepper flake
- parsley
- a touch of sugar to mellow out the acidity from the tomatoes
- rosemary
- thyme (but not too much!)
- sage (not too much sage either, you don’t want it to taste like breakfast sausage!)
- bay leaves
Besides some Italian spices, there are a few other ingredients you will need.
Diced onion and bell pepper are almost always in my homemade sauce.
Feel free to load it up with whatever veg you like.
Shredded carrots are amazing in spaghetti sauce!
The carrots add a touch of sweetness without having to add sugar.
Mushrooms are also delicious in homemade spaghetti sauce.
They give the sauce an extra “meaty” taste!
Now that you have your spices and veg all squared away, you’ll need to get some tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and 1 pound of ground beef, Italian sausage, or any ground wild meat; like deer or elk.
This time around I used ground moose burger. Click To TweetOh, I almost forgot a little olive oil too!
Let’s make this Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe!
First, you want to brown the meat.
To do this in the Instant Pot you will use the sauté function.
Incidentally, if you forgot to thaw your meat previously…
YOU CAN DO IT IN YOUR INSTANT POT!! 🙂 ♥♥ Click here to find out how!
Once your Instant Pot sauté mode is on add about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the pot.
Add your meat and cook until browned.
PRO TIP: If you start to develop some brown bits on the bottom of the pot, be sure to deglaze the pan before using the pressure cook function!! If you don’t you could potentially get the dreaded “burn” notice on your Instant Pot screen.
When the ground meat is half done go ahead and add in your diced onion and bell pepper.
Sauté until the meat is completely browned and peppers and onions are soft.
Next, you will add all your spices to the meat mixture.
Stir them in and cook for 1-2 minutes to release the flavor of the spices.
Turn off the sauté function.
Now it’s time to add the pasta, on top of the meat mixture.
Break the spaghetti in half and drop in the pot with a twisting motion.
If you just drop the spaghetti in the pot, your pasta will stick together and you will end up with a clump of pasta.
No Bueno!
Put the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and water on top of the dry pasta.
Do not stir! It is completely unnecessary to stir at this point.
If you do stir it, I cannot guarantee that you will have the same results as I do.
I know it seems weird to stack the ingredients like this, but trust me it works!
Put the Instant Pot lid on and lock it in place.
Push the pressure cook button (some models have a manual button) and set the time for 8 minutes.
Don’t forget to turn the pressure valve on the lid to sealing.
When the timer goes off hit the cancel button right away and do a quick release of the pressure.
**A quick-release is when you turn the pressure valve to venting immediately following the end-time beep and hitting the cancel button.**
This will turn off the Instant Pot so that you don’t continue to cook the pasta.
Very important to avoid “mushy” pasta!!
PRO TIP: BEFORE STIRRING REMOVE THE LINER FROM THE INSTANT POT. This will also help to avoid “mushy” pasta as well as help cool it faster.
Now you can stir it!
When the pressure is fully released, remove the Instant Pot lid and use a pair of tongs to stir the spaghetti.
As you can see in the photos it looks a bit “watery.”
But don’t worry it all comes together and thickens as it starts to cool.
You’re going to love this Instant Pot spaghetti with homemade sauce!
That’s all folks! Wasn’t that ridiculously easy?
Looking for more Instant Pot recipes to try? I got you:)
- Instant Pot Greek Yogurt Recipe, Easy Dump & Go No Straining!
- Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches!
- The Best Ever Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke-Dip Pasta!
Did you make this recipe? Leave me a comment and tag me on Instagram!
Leigh Ann ♥
Instant Pot Spaghetti With Homemade Sauce Printable Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb ground meat This is completely optional! Make it a vegetarian spaghetti!
- 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
- 2 cloves grated garlic Or 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dry basil
- 2 tsp dry oregano
- 1/2 tsp marjoram
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 16 oz dry spaghetti
- 1 24 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1-1/2 cans water Use the 24 oz can that the crushed tomatoes were in.
Instructions
- Brown meat in olive oil on sauté mode in your Instant Pot.
- Add diced onion and green pepper. Sauté until vegetables are soft.
- Add all your seasonings to the ground meat and vegetable mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the sauté function on your Instant Pot. Break the spaghetti in half and drop it in the pot with a twisting motion to separate all the noodles. DO NOT just drop it in the pot or you will have a big clump of pasta.
- Add the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes on top of the dry pasta.
- Add 1-1/2 crushed tomato cans of water on top of the pasta. The water will not completely cover the pasta. That's okay. That's exactly what you want!
- Put the lid on your Instant Pot and lock in place. Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes.
- When the timer ends immediately hit the cancel button on your Instant Pot screen to stop the warming cycle. We don't want mushy pasta!! Turn the pressure nozzle to venting to do a quick pressure release.
- Remove your Instant Pot lid and move the inner liner to a trivet in a safe place. You want to get in out so that it will start to cool and stop the cooking. Use a pair of tongs to stir the spaghetti. It will look a bit watery but that is okay! Once you stir it up and get it all incorporated it will be perfect.
Notes
Leigh Ann
Leigh Ann Schooley is the owner and founder of Making My Abode, a blog dedicated to helping homemakers live well and simply on one income. She is a believer, wife, and mother of three with more than sixteen years of homemaking experience. Leigh Ann is the recipient of the Wife of The Year award eighteen years running. She has also won the Mother of The Year award every year for the past sixteen years. She is a Colorado native raised by her dad who taught her almost everything she knows. Leigh Ann lives with her husband and family in Colorado.
