Description
Instant Pot Spaghetti is a quick and easy one-pot meal combining tender spaghetti noodles and rich, flavorful tomato sauce with ground meat and Italian seasonings. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights and delivers hearty homemade comfort with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins
- 1 pound ground meat (beef, turkey, or meat substitute)
Pasta
- 8 ounces dried spaghetti noodles (broken in half)
Sauce and Seasonings
- 24 ounces tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
Aromatics and Fats
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Liquids
- 2 cups water or broth
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics and Meat: Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the olive oil. Add the finely chopped onion and garlic, cooking until fragrant and translucent. Add the ground meat and brown it thoroughly, breaking it apart as it cooks to build the base flavor.
- Add Sauce and Seasonings: Pour in the tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly, blending flavors while preparing to cook the pasta.
- Add Pasta and Liquid: Break the spaghetti noodles in half and layer them evenly over the sauce without stirring. Pour water or broth gently over the noodles to cover them, ensuring even cooking and preventing the pasta from sticking.
- Pressure Cook: Seal the Instant Pot lid and set it to high pressure for 8 minutes. When cooking is complete, perform a quick release to avoid overcooking and achieve tender, infused noodles.
- Mix and Serve: Carefully open the lid and use a long spoon or tongs to gently stir the spaghetti, fully combining the sauce and noodles. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes if needed to thicken the sauce, then serve hot with your favorite garnishes or toppings.
Notes
- Do not stir pasta into sauce before cooking – layering prevents noodles from sticking.
- Use enough liquid to cover pasta but avoid excess to prevent watery sauce.
- Perform quick pressure release immediately after cooking to keep pasta texture perfect.
- Breaking spaghetti in half helps it fit and cook evenly in the Instant Pot.
- Optional: Add a splash of red wine or a pinch of sugar for deeper sauce flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pressure Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: Instant Pot, Spaghetti, One-Pot Meal, Quick Dinner, Italian, Pressure Cooker, Family-Friendly, Gluten-Free Option
