Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce with spaghetti noodles, ground beef and pasta sauce is an easy dinner perfect for busy weeknights. This easy Instant Pot spaghetti recipe is a family favorite ready in just 30 minutes!

If you’re new to the world of pressure cooking, this easy Instant Pot spaghetti and meat sauce is a terrific starter Instant Pot recipe to try. This was the very first dinner I made in the Instant Pot years ago.

This easy Instant Pot pasta was a huge hit with my whole family, and I have been making this easy recipe ever since. One bite, and we were hooked!

Since then, I cook pasta in the Instant Pot whenever I can. If you like Instant Pot pasta recipes, try my Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef or Instant Pot Creamy Taco Pasta. Check out my collection of Instant Pot Recipes for even more electric pressure cooker recipes!

Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Spaghetti

• Easy and Delicious
• Simple ingredients
• Cooks in one pot — no draining!
• No messy stove to clean up
• Budget friendly — makes a lot so you have leftovers!
• Perfect for busy families
• Picky eater approved — trust me on this!

Ingredients

You can find the ingredients for this easy dinner recipe in any grocery store.

• Ground beef — choose lean ground beef or extra lean ground beef so you don’t have to drain the grease. Can sub ground Turkey or Italian sausage.
• Onion — can sub onion powder or dried minced onion
• Olive oil — to prevent sticking
• Seasonings — sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning
• Spaghetti noodles — thin spaghetti or thick spaghetti. Break them in half before using
• Pasta sauce — I love Bertolli brand or Rao’s pasta sauce. You can use homemade pasta sauce or your favorite marinara sauce
• Diced tomatoes — adds texture and extra liquid without watering sauce down. You can add tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes
• Water — to cook the pasta or beef broth for more flavor. Some readers use red wine!

How to Make Spaghetti in the Instant Pot

Here’s an overview of the spaghetti and meat sauce recipe. You’ll find details in the printable recipe card below.

First cook the onion in olive oil on saute mode. Then add ground beef, seasonings, and cook until no longer pink.

Make sure no browned bits are sticking to the bottom of the pot — You can deglaze the pot with a little bit of water or broth if you need to.

After cooking, place dry uncooked spaghetti on top of the cooked meat. The trick to cooking spaghetti in the Instant Pot is to break the noodles in half. Then, layer them in sort of a criss-cross pattern. 

If you have ever played Pick Up Sticks, you’ll get this!

This way, you can get them all under the liquid, and the noodles won’t clump together. 

Then, add a jar of pasta sauce, the diced tomatoes and water.

You may have some spaghetti strands on the very top that stick a little, but they break apart easily once you stir everything up. 

Then, I poke it a little with a spatula to make sure the water gets down through the layers and all the pasta is covered.

Don’t stir it all together or it will be too thick, and you may get the burn notice.

Cook Time

After the pot comes to pressure, it takes just 5 minutes of cooking time on high pressure for the spaghetti to cook!

If you want more al dente pasta, cook for 4 minutes. Then, do a quick pressure release. You can use a wooden spoon or cooking tongs for this part.

Be sure to stir the cooked pasta very well after pressure cooking. This will help break up any noodles that stick together. Don’t be alarmed if it looks watery. The pasta will absorb more of the liquid as it cools down.

How to Store and Reheat

Refrigerate leftover spaghetti in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in your microwave. Freeze spaghetti in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.

Expert Cooking Tips

• Season meat for extra flavor
• Deglaze pot and scrape up any browned bits after cooking meat to avoid burn message
• Break spaghetti in half and layer in pot
• Make sure pasta is covered with liquid, but do not stir before pressure cooking!
• Toggle the release valve back and forth for a gradual quick release if liquid sprays out during pressure release.
• Stir very well after pressure releases to break up any clumps of pasta
• If you use a larger jar of pasta sauce, you can skip the diced tomatoes

Serving Suggestions

We love homemade garlic bread and a green salad with this one-pot dinner. Top the spaghetti with fresh basil or fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.

My family is crazy about this kid-friendly Instant Pot spaghetti and meat sauce, and they won’t have it any other way now. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

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Post was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2023.