Instant Pot Spaghetti

A fork twirling noodles in a bowl of spaghetti and meat sauce

Instant Pot Spaghetti

This Instant Pot Spaghetti makes a flavorful and easy Instant pot recipe! It's perfect for busy weeknights, as the meat sauce and pasta cook all together in the pressure cooker. There's hardly any clean-up at all!

Prep Time10

Cook Time8

Total Time18

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: easy instant pot meals, instant pot pasta recipes, instant pot spaghetti and meat sauce

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion , diced
drizzle of olive oil
6 cloves garlic , minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
28 ounce can whole tomatoes
15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 pound thick spaghetti (such as Barilla - see note)
2 cups low sodium chicken broth (or water)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup parmesan cheese , plus more for serving
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
crusty bread or garlic bread , for serving

Instructions

Press the ‘saute’ button on the Instant Pot and allow it to preheat for about 2 minutes. Add a drizzle of oil to the insert, followed by the ground beef and onion. Chop meat with a wooden spoon as it browns, until about 90% cooked.
Add fresh garlic, tomato paste, dried seasonings, a teaspoon salt and pepper, and the sugar. Cook for 1 minute, stirring every few seconds. Press ‘cancel’ on the pot. Add canned tomatoes and sauce, crush tomatoes with a potato masher.
Break spaghetti in half and layer in the pot crosswise. Add in the chicken broth and give everything a good stir, pulling the meat up from the bottom of the pot (this will prevent the pot from scorching on the bottom as it pressurizes.) Push the noodles down into the liquid.
Place lid on the pot and lock into place. Turn the valve to the ‘sealing’ position. Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes, then manually release the pressure.
Use a large pasta fork to break up any clumps of pasta. Stir in 1/2 cup of parmesan and the fresh basil. Taste for salt and pepper, adjust as needed. Serve right away. The sauce will thicken as it stands.
Enjoy with some crusty bread or garlic bread!

Notes

Thick spaghetti by Barilla holds up really well to pressure cooking. Regular spaghetti will do fine if you can’t find it, and will cook in about the same amount of time, but it may be just a bit softer after the 8 minutes.

Nutrition