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Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce photo

Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Quick Instant Pot spaghetti with a simple meat sauce ready in minutes.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey or lean ground beef
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 24 oz jar marinara sauce (your favorite) use a brand such as Delallo Pomodoro or homemade
  • 10 ounces spaghetti (or bucatini, linguini; wheat or gluten-free) break in half if needed to fit
  • grated Parmesan cheese optional for serving

Equipment

  • Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker)
  • Wooden spoon or spatula
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Knife and cutting board

Method
 

  1. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and heat until hot.
  2. Add the ground turkey or beef and kosher salt; cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until mostly browned, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and continue to cook until the onion is softened, about 3–4 minutes.
  4. Press Cancel to stop Sauté. Pour in the water and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to prevent a burn error.
  5. Arrange the broken spaghetti in the pot over the meat, then pour the marinara sauce over the pasta so it is covered; do not stir.
  6. Seal the lid and cook on High Pressure for 9 minutes.
  7. Quick-release the pressure by turning the valve to venting, then open the lid. Stir the pasta and sauce together and serve topped with grated Parmesan if desired.

Notes

  • To lower sodium, omit the added salt and use low-sodium marinara.
  • Break long pasta in half so it fits in the pot.
  • Deglaze the pot after sautéing to avoid burn errors by scraping up browned bits with water or broth.
  • Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • I increased pasta from 8 oz to 10 oz and adjusted servings from 5 to 4 for a better sauce-to-pasta ratio.