Name: Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef (or ground chicken, turkey, or Italian sausage); 1 tablespoon olive oil; ¾ teaspoon sea salt; ¼ cup minced onion; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon dried basil (or Italian seasoning); 24 ounce jar marinara sauce; 2 cups water; 8 ounces spaghetti pasta (or whole wheat spaghetti); Grated Parmesan cheese (optional to taste)

Flavorful Instant Pot Spaghetti with Ground Beef is a 20-minute pressure cooker meal that's easy, budget-friendly, and satisfies the whole family. You'll make this meaty, tender pasta on busy nights all the time!

Instant Pot Spaghetti in a bowl with garlic bread.

Mmmm, spaghetti! There is no doubt Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce is simple and economical comfort food that feeds a family like no other! This Instant Pot pasta recipe will help make meal prep easier and dinner time faster.

Why not make life less complicated when it's busy by having Instant Pot pressure cooker Recipes like this in your meal plan! We know pasta-loving kids agree! They request Instant Pot Macaroni & Cheese ALL THE TIME!

If you enjoy cooking pasta in your pressure cooker, then definitely try Instant Pot Tortellini Soup. Another easy meal that families love.

Jump to:

Why We Love This Instant Pot Recipe
Can You Cook Pasta in the Instant Pot?
Ingredient Notes
Substitutions
Step-By-Step Instructions
Instant Pot Spaghetti with Frozen Ground Beef
Stove Top Cooking Method
Tips & Tricks
Recipe FAQs
Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Printable Recipe

Why We Love This Instant Pot Recipe

It requires minimal effort on your part — all you need is some ground beef, spaghetti noodles, marinara sauce, and simple pantry staples like garlic, onion, herbs, and your pressure cooker.
Fewer pots and pans to clean. Total kitchen win!
You can have a delicious homemade Italian meal ready in less than 30 minutes. No need to order take-out.

Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce is a 20 minute pressure cooker meal that's easy, budget-friendly, and satisfies the whole family.

Can You Cook Pasta in the Instant Pot?

Yes! You can certainly cook pasta in the instant pot! It turns out tender and perfect - as long as you don't overcook it.

Here are a couple of tips when cooking spaghetti in the Instant Pot:

Because of its length, the spaghetti needs to be broken in half to fit under the liquid and cook properly within the pot.
Once it's done cooking, it may seem like there is too much liquid. Just give the pasta a quick stir, and it will be just the right consistency.
Regular, gluten-free, or whole wheat pasta can be used when making pasta in the Instant Pot.

Ingredient Notes

Ground Meat - lean ground beef is our preference, but ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground Italian sausage are also wonderful.
Olive Oil - extra virgin olive oil.
Sea Salt - the best way to flavor your dishes.
Fresh Onion and Garlic - both of these aromatics need to be minced and add bold flavor to the pasta dish. You can also use dehydrated onion.
Basil - dried basil is great or an Italian seasoning blend.
Marinara Sauce - any variety you prefer, or you can make your own by adding tomato sauce kdjfjdlkj
Spaghetti Noodles - regular or whole wheat spaghetti noodles.
Water - you'll need two cups of water to cook the pasta.
Parmesan Cheese - the best topping!

If you want a little spice, add some red pepper flakes or ground black pepper to the recipe

You'll find the full recipe and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of the post.

Substitutions

If you don't have fresh garlic, that's okay. Just use 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder.
Running low on onions, that's fine. You can use 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
Marinara sauce = whatever pasta sauce you like.
If you have an Italian herb blend, that would be fine to use in place of the dried basil.
Whole wheat spaghetti or regular is great in this recipe.

Step-By-Step Instructions

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One of the biggest benefits of using your Instant Pot is cooking everything in one pot. You are going to love this IP Pasta with Meat Sauce recipe! We use this 6-quart Instant Pot, but we also hear great things about this instant pot version.

Step One: Brown the Meat

Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the inner pot, and let it heat up. Cook your ground beef and onions, making sure to break the meat into small chunks as you go. It takes about 4-5 minutes. Drain the extra fat. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute.

Add a little water and stir to deglaze the pot so you don't get a burn notice.

Pressure cooker filled with cooked ground beef, onions, and garlic.

Step Two: Add Your Sauce and Spaghetti

Press cancel, and then add the marinara sauce, water, basil/Italian herbs, and spaghetti to the pot. Break the spaghetti noodles in half to fit into the Instant pot, and make sure there is enough liquid to cover the noodles. Press down if necessary, but don't stir. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.

PRO TIP: Cover your pasta in the liquid to make sure it cooks properly.

Spaghetti and marinara sauce in an instant pot.

Step Three: Cook & Serve

Close the lid and seal, then cook on the high pressure setting for an 8-minute cook time. When done, do a quick pressure release of pressure (not a natural release) so the pasta doesn't continue to cook. Finally, give it a quick stir and serve it topped with grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Instant Pot Spaghetti with Frozen Ground Beef

Place the trivet/steam rack into the inner pot of the pressure cooker. Place the frozen ground beef on top of the rack, then pour 1 cup of water into the bottom. Pressure Cook on high for 20 minutes. (1 pound = 20 minutes, 2 pounds = 25 minutes)
Allow the pressure cooker to NATURALLY RELEASE for at least about 5 minutes, then turn the steam knob to VENTING. Carefully remove the steam rack with a pair of kitchen tongs.
Drain the fat/water from the pot and then break it up with a spatula or wooden spoon.
If it’s still pink, you can saute it until it’s cooked through, then add the onions and garlic and follow the directions for the remainder of the recipe.

Stove Top Cooking Method

Alternative Cooking Method: You can always cook your spaghetti and meat sauce following the same instructions but using a large pot on the stove. After your meat is browned and drained, add the remaining ingredients, cover, and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until tender. Stir halfway through.

Tips & Tricks

Some electric pressure cooker models have very sensitive burn sensors. To prevent this burn notice from going off, when using the sauté function, always deglaze the pot with a tablespoon or two of water or broth before adding other ingredients.
It may seem like there is too much liquid after cooking your Spaghetti in the Instant Pot, give it a quick stir, and it will be the right consistency.
If using fresh ground beef, drain the fat before adding the remaining ingredients. It will be healthier and tastier.
You can always garnish your pasta with a bit of fresh basil.
Leftovers of Instant Pot Spaghetti with meat sauce are great the next day for lunch or dinner! Just place your leftovers in a meal prep container, and you're good to go!

Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce in a bowl with parmesan cheese.

Recipe FAQs

How do you make gluten-free spaghetti in the Instant Pot?

It's actually quite easy to make your Instant Pot Pasta gluten-free. Simply use your favorite gluten-free spaghetti noodle and make sure your sauce doesn't contain any gluten, and you'll have a delicious dinner.

What to Serve with this Pasta

The kids love garlic bread with their spaghetti. We try and make sure it's a whole wheat version.
For greens, a nice side salad, green beans, or roasted Brussels sprouts would be great.

Can You Freeze Instant Pot Spaghetti?

Yes, you can freeze your cooked spaghetti in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Just make sure it's cooled completely and store it properly to avoid freezer burn.