Instant Pot Spaghetti

Name: Instant Pot Spaghetti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 medium onion (diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 pound spaghetti noodles (broken in half); 1 24 ounce jar spaghetti sauce; 1 14.5 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes; 2 cups water; salt and pepper to taste; basil for serving (if desired); parmesan cheese for serving (if desired)

March 9, 2019
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Ready in less than 30 minutes, this Instant Pot Spaghetti is super easy! The entire recipe is cooked in the instant pot – the pasta AND the meat sauce meaning less clean up later. This Instant Pot pasta recipe is perfect for busy families!

Pasta is a weekly staple on our dinner table! Try my Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo for the most convenient creamy pasta dish, and my Chicken Pot Pie Pasta is the definition of comfort!

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Homemade Spaghetti Bolognese (But in Your Instant Pot)

Don’t you just love using an Instant Pot? My Instant Pot has become one of my favorite appliances in the kitchen. It’s awesome for making a meal like Pot Roast or fall-apart-tender Barbacoa Beef in a fraction of the time.

This Instant Pot Spaghetti could not be easier. Everything is ready in under 30 minutes of time. Simply sauté onions, ground beef, and garlic in the instant pot until they are golden brown and caramelized. Next add in spaghetti sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes, and water. The spaghetti noodles also get cooked in the instant pot. It’s SO convenient!

Ingredients for Instant Pot Spaghetti

Olive oil: Olive oil is added to the Instant Pot to sauté the onion. This keeps it from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
Beef: This is an instant pot spaghetti meat sauce recipe so the meat I chose is ground beef. You can try ground chicken or turkey for a lighter version.
Onion & garlic: Even though we’re using a jar of spaghetti sauce, I like to add extra onion and garlic to amp up the flavor. It is definitely a must!
Pasta: Just regular spaghetti noodles, broken in half. Pro tip: rotate the direction when you layer them in the instant pot to stop the pasta from clumping.
Spaghetti Sauce: For convenience, I added a jar of spaghetti sauce instead of making it from scratch. I always have some in the pantry to add to dishes in a pinch! If you have time use my slow cooker tomato sauce recipe!
Tomatoes: I also added in a can of fire-roasted tomatoes. They add a delicious charred tomato flavor!
Water: The water is added to cook the pasta. The sauce would dry up otherwise!
Seasoning and garnish: Season with salt and pepper to taste, and I like to garnish this instant pot spaghetti with basil and parmesan.

How to cook Spaghetti in the Instant Pot

Sauté the onion: Start by selecting the sauté option on the instant pot. Add in olive oil. Once you start to hear it sizzle add in onion and cook until golden brown 3-4 minutes.
Add in ground beef and cook until browned, 2-3 minutes (doesn’t have to be fully cooked through, we just want to get some color on the beef). Then add in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add in the spaghetti sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes, and water.
Layer in the halved spaghetti noodles, rotating which direction they are in (this helps to keep the noodles from clumping up when cooking).
Place the lid back on and press manual mode or high pressure. Set to 6 minutes.
Once done release the valve and wait for all of the steam to stop. Remove lid and stir the spaghetti.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with basil and parmesan cheese, if desired.

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing Instructions

Store cooled leftover Instant Pot Spaghetti in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze completely cooled and cooked spaghetti in a freezer-safe container. Even better if it’s oven-safe, like an aluminum baking dish, to make reheating easier.
Reheat frozen Instant Pot Spaghetti in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 60-90 minutes, covered, until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water to the pasta to keep it from drying out.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to cook spaghetti noodles in an instant pot? For this Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe, it takes just 6 minutes!
What is the ratio of water to pasta in instant pot? I used 2 cups of water for 1lb of spaghetti noodles. There is also liquid in the spaghetti sauce and tomatoes that the pasta absorbs.
How do I keep spaghetti from clumping in my instant pot? This is an important tip for adding your noodles! Make sure to break your noodles in half and layer in the halved spaghetti noodles, rotating which direction they are in (this helps to keep the noodles from clumping up when cooking).
What to do if pasta is undercooked in instant pot? If the pasta is a little too al dente, all you have to do is add another 1/4 cup of water to the instant pot and cook it on high pressure for another minute or two.

What to serve with Spaghetti

Serve this Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe with fresh basil and tons of parmesan cheese on top. I like to serve this Instant Pot Spaghetti with my One Hour Focaccia Bread and a side salad. Enjoy!

Here are more Italian Recipes to try!