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    Home » Instant Pot

    Best Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the disclosure.    

    Published: Aug 14, 2018 | Updated: Nov 7, 2021 | Author: Paint the Kitchen Red | 37 Comments

    JUMP TO RECIPE
    Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce in a black bowl and wood background; napkin with bread on the side - Pinterest collage with 2 images - Paint the Kitchen Red


    This Easy Homemade Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce is a one pot pressure cooker recipe.  The spaghetti and meat sauce is made from scratch. In this one pot spaghetti recipe, the pressure cooker spaghetti and sauce are cooked together to make a quick and easy, kid-friendly, delicious meal! You can use jar sauce too.

    Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce in a black bowl and wood background; napkin with bread on the side - Paint the Kitchen Red

    Table of Contents


    1. INTRODUCTION
    2. TIPS
    3. FAQS
    4. INGREDIENTS
    5. STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
    6. RECIPE CARD – PRINTABLE
    7. RELATED RECIPES AND GUIDES

    Introduction

    I recently got a special request from my daughter asking me to share my spaghetti recipe on the blog.  She’s moving into an apartment and has requested some Instant Pot recipes that aren’t on the blog, so as I share them with her, you get to enjoy them too!

    Many of the pressure cooker Spaghetti recipes that you find on the internet use jar spaghetti sauce.  I’m not opposed to jar pasta sauces and I do use them occasionally.  But it’s so easy to make the Instant Pot spaghetti from scratch in the pressure cooker and I love that I can customize the flavors.

    The sauce in this Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce recipe is very similar to the sauce that I use in my Instant Pot Penne with Sausage in Tomato Cream Sauce recipe, but I’ve increased the quantity of garlic and spices and added tomato paste.

    Here are some Pasta recipes you might enjoy:
    – Instant Pot Garlic Shrimp Pasta

    – Instant Pot Vegetarian Rigatoni Bolognese
    – Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup

    Tips and Substitutions


    Meat

    • Substitute ground pork or use half ground pork, half ground beef instead of ground beef.
    • The more fat content in the meat, the more fat there will be in the final product. For this recipe I like to use lean ground beef.
    • If you’re using a higher-fat meat, after sauteing the meat, drain the fat as needed before continuing with the recipe.

    Spices

    • Substitute 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning for the dried basil and oregano. You can also sprinkle some fresh basil to garnish.
    • Add a couple of teaspoons of soy sauce to enhance the flavor. Reduce the salt as needed.

    Sugar

    • I really like how the sugar balances out the tartness of the tomatoes. You can add more or less, to taste. If you’re not a fan, omit the sugar and add 1/4 cup of shredded carrot.

    Burn Message

    • To avoid getting the burn message, make sure you deglaze the inner pot really well before pressure cooking.
    • To deglaze, press Cancel and add a few tablespoons of water or broth to the hot inner pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the inner pot to remove all the brown bits and allow them to be incorporated into the dish.
    • Layer the spaghetti ON TOP and don’t stir it in.
    • Layer the tomatoes ON TOP and don’t stir it in.

    [Read More: Instant Pot Burn Message – Everything you Need to Know]


    Spaghetti

    • Spaghetti tends to clump together when cooked in the Instant Pot.  You can reduce the clumping drastically by spreading the strands out and adding the dry spaghetti in batches, in a criss-cross pattern.  If there are still clumps when pressure cooking is completed, stir the spaghetti noodles and separate the clumps using a fork.
    • The spaghetti is added in last, right before closing the lid to pressure cook i.e. without stirring it in. You just want to make sure it’s submerged in the liquid by gently pushing down on the noodles with each addition.
    • The spaghetti I use for this recipe is Barilla Spaghetti No. 5 which is a medium thickness.  Its stovetop cook time is 9 minutes.  If the cook time listed on your package is different, you will need to adjust the pressure cook time.
    • The rule of thumb for how long to cook spaghetti noodles is to take the cooking time on the box, divide by 2 and add 1. e.g. if the pasta stovetop cooking time is listed as 9 minutes, the cooking time for the Instant Pot pasta would be 5 minutes (9 divided by 2 = 4.5; 4.5 + 1 = 5.5; Round down to 5)
    • I like my Instant Pot spaghetti noodles to be cooked more than al dente, so I release the pressure after 5 minutes i.e. 5-minute Natural Pressure Release (NPR 5). If you like al dente pasta, release pressure after 2 minutes.
      [Read More: All the Different Pressure Release Methods]

    Mushrooms

    I stir in about two cups of quartered mushrooms after cooking the onions when I want a more substantial meal. You can even add more. I like to use baby portabello mushrooms, but you can add any kind.

    How to Release Pressure When Pressure Cooking Pasta

    Doing a quick release (QR) of pressure while pressure cooking pasta can result in food particles spewing out of the steam release valve. When releasing pressure, do it in bursts.

    This means you release steam for 1 second and stop. Repeat multiple times until the steam coming out is less forceful. At that point, you can release the remaining pressure in a steady stream.

    [Read More: Instant Pot Natural Release or Quick Release?]


    FAQS


    Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?

    Yes, you can substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.

    Can I use ground pork instead of beef?

    You can substitute ground pork for the beef or use half of each.

    Can I use chicken pieces instead of beef?

    I would use chicken thighs rather than chicken breasts. You can cut the chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces. There’s no need to saute the chicken, you can just stir it into the onion mixture and proceed with the recipe. Pressure cook for the same amount of time.

    How can I make this Instant Pot spaghetti with no meat?

    Make the recipe vegetarian by omitting the beef and substituting the beef/chicken broth with vegetable broth or water.

    Can I use whole wheat spaghetti?

    Whole wheat or whole grain pasta can be substituted for regular pasta. Take the stovetop cook time on the box, divide by 2 and add 1. e.g. for a cooking time of 6 to 8 minutes, the pressure cook time would be 4 minutes (Midpoint of 6 to 8 minutes = 7; 7 divided by 2 = 3.5; 3.5 + 1 = 4.5 minutes; round down to 4).

    Can I make Instant Pot spaghetti with angel hair pasta?

    Yes you can use angel hair pasta. Follow the formula above to figure out the cook time. For Barilla angel hair pasta, I use 3 minutes.

    Can I use a different shape of pasta e.g. fusilli or rotini?

    You can use any type of pasta you wish. Just follow the formula above to calculate how long to pressure cook for. The only type of pasta I’ve had trouble with is gluten free pasta. I don’t recommend it in this recipe.

    How can I substitute jar spaghetti sauce for the crushed tomatoes?

    To use jarred spaghetti sauce instead of crushed tomatoes, reduce the salt and all the spices by half, and proceed with the recipe. I like Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce.

    Can I add more meat?

    The recipe is quite meaty, but if you like more meat, feel free to add more.

    How can I make the recipe more flavorful?

    You can increase the quantity of spices by about 1/4th. Soy sauce is another flavor booster – add a couple of teaspoons and reduce the quantity of salt accordingly.

    How can I make the recipe saucier?

    You can add extra crushed tomatoes to the recipe to increase the tomato flavor.

    There was too much sauce. Can I add more spaghetti next time?

    The recipe calls for 8 ounces of spaghetti and it is quite saucy. If you want it to be less saucy, add an extra 2 to 3 ounces of spaghetti. I usually weigh the spaghetti. There’s no need to change the pressure cook time or quantity of liquid.

    Can this recipe be doubled?

    Yes, you can double the recipe. Use 3 1/2 cups of broth instead of 4 cups if you’re doubling the recipe. You may wish to reduce the meat quantity by a bit too.

    Can this recipe be halved?

    If you halve the recipe in a 6 quart or 8 quart, you might have issues with the burn message. You should be able to halve the recipe for a 3 quart Instant Pot.

    The pasta was undercooked. What did I do wrong?

    Make sure the pasta is completely submerged in the liquid. You may be using a different brand than was used in the recipe. Increase the cooking time by 2 minutes next time.
    Make sure you’re using High Pressure and not Low Pressure!

    There’s too much liquid when I open the lid after pressure cooking. How can I fix this?

    It’s common to see excess liquid after you pressure cook. Leave the Instant Pot open and let the pasta sit for about 10 to 15 minutes and it will thicken up quite a bit. If it’s still too watery, heat the spaghetti and sauce in Saute mode until it’s thick enough.

    The pasta was overcooked. What did I do wrong?

    You may be using a different brand than was used in the recipe. Decrease the cooking time by a minute or two next time.

    What models of Instant Pot can I use to make this recipe?

    This recipe can be made in any model of Instant Pot and other brands as well such as Crock Pot and Ninja Foodi.

    How long will the spaghetti keep in the refrigerator?

    You can keep the Instant Pot spaghetti and meat sauce in the fridge for up to 4 days.

    Can this recipe be frozen?

    Yes, you can safely freeze this recipe for 3 to 4 months. If you’re doing meal prepping, reduce the spaghetti cook time by a minute. This way, when you reheat the pasta, it will be cooked perfectly.

    If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.

    • Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual

    Instant Pot Spaghetti – Ingredients

    Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce Ingredients - ground beef, crushed tomato, broth, spaghetti, tomato paste, black pepper, salt, oregano, garlic, parsley, sugar, oil, basil, garlic, crushed red pepper, onion - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Ground beef
    • Crushed tomato
    • Broth
    • Spaghetti
    • Tomato paste
    • Black pepper
    • Salt
    • Oregano
    • Garlic
    • Parsley
    • Sugar
    • Oil
    • Basil
    • Garlic
    • Crushed red pepper
    • Onion

    More details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post

    How to Cook Spaghetti in the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)

    1. Turn on Saute mode
    2. Saute the beef
    3. Saute onions and garlic
    4. Stir in spices
    5. Add broth, tomatoes and some spaghetti
    6. Add remaining spaghetti in batches
    7. Pressure cook
    8. Quick release after 5 minutes
    9. Stir, allow to rest, and garnish

    How to Turn on Saute Mode

    Instant Pot Ultra Duo Saute Function collage - arrows pointing to Saute in Duo and Ultra - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Instant Pot DUO:  Select the Saute function.
    • Instant Pot ULTRA:  Select the Saute function and press Start.

    Saute the beef

    Instant Pot Spaghetti Instructions 1 collage - oil, meat, cooked meat - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Add olive oil to inner pot of Instant Pot.
    • Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. (If the beef browns too quickly, press ‘Cancel’ until the Instant Pot cools down a bit and press the ‘Saute’ button again.)

    Saute onions and garlic

    Instant Pot Spaghetti Instructions 2 collage - drain fat, onion and garlic, cooked beef - from Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Drain fat or remove fat from beef with a small ladle.
    • Add onion and garlic. Stir until onion is translucent.

    Stir in spices

    Instant Pot Spaghetti Instructions 3 collage - spices, stirred and deglazed- Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Add in salt, sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Stir to combine.
    • Deglaze pot with a tablespoon or two of beef broth or chicken broth, stirring until liquid has nearly evaporated.
    • Press Cancel to turn Instant Pot off.

    Add broth, tomatoes and some spaghetti

    Instant Pot Spaghetti Instructions 4 collage - broth, sauce, one layer spaghetti fanned out - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Add remaining broth and stir.
    • Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, but don’t stir.
    • Divide spaghetti into three batches and add them in a criss-cross pattern.
    • Add one-third of spaghetti over the tomatoes, spreading out from right to left.

    Add remaining spaghetti in batches

    Instant Pot Spaghetti Instructions 5 collage - spaghetti fanned out top to bottom, fanned out right to left, submerged in liquid - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Add the next one-third of spaghetti, spreading out from top to bottom.
    • Add the final layer, spreading out from right to left.
    • Using a spatula, push down on spaghetti until submerged in the liquid after every addition. It is very important that the spaghetti is below the level of the liquid.

    Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 6 minutes

    Instant Pot Duo Manual mode 6 minutes collage - close lid, press manual, press - or +, display shows 6 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Close the lid and make sure steam release handle is in ‘Sealing’ position
    • Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and ‘+’ or ‘-‘ until the display reads ‘6‘ (6 minutes).

    Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 6 minutes

    Instant Pot Ultra pressure cook 6 minutes collage - open lid, select pressure cook and set time to 00:06, display says on - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Close the lid.
    • Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 6 minutes (00:06).
    • Press Start.

    Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)

    Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooking collage - display shows On, float valve is down, display shows L0:00 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    Instant Pot Ultra pressure cooking collage - Ultra display shows On, float valve is up, display shows 00 00 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Instant Pot display will change to On.
    • Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
    • The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display L0:00  or 00 00 and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.

    Wait for 5 minutes

    • After pressure cooking is done, wait for 5 minutes and then release pressure.

    How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the DUO

    Instant Pot Quick Release collage - move handle to venting, float valve down, lid propped open - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Move the steam release handle to Venting. Steam will come out of the steam release handle.
    • When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
    • Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.

    How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the ULTRA

    Instant Pot Ultra Release Steam and Open collage - press steam release button, float valve in down position, Instant Pot Ultra is open - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Press down on the Steam Release Button until it locks into place, and steam begins to come out of the Steam Release Valve.
    • When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
    • Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.

    [Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]

    Stir, allow to rest, and garnish

    Instant Pot Spaghetti Instructions 6 collage - cooked spaghetti and sauce, stirred, served on white plate - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Stir spaghetti and meat sauce until combined.
    • If there are any strands of spaghetti stuck together, use a fork to separate the strands.
    • If you find the spaghetti to be too liquidy, allow it to rest for 10 minutes, and it will absorb the extra liquid. If it’s still too liquidy, select Saute mode and simmer till thickened.
    • Sprinkle with chopped parsley and shredded Parmesan cheese.
    Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce in a black bowl and wood background; napkin with bread on the side - Paint the Kitchen Red

    Best Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

    This Easy Homemade Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce recipe is made from scratch and the spaghetti and sauce are cooked together to make a quick and easy one-pot meal that’s kid-friendly and delicious! You can also use jar sauce instead of the crushed tomatoes.
    4.75 from 16 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 579
    Author: Paint the Kitchen Red
    Prevent Screen from Going Dark

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot
    • Silicone Spatula

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 Tbsp olive oil
    • 1 lb ground beef lean
    • 1/2 cup onion chopped
    • 2 Tbsp garlic minced
    • 1 tsp salt or to taste
    • 1 tsp  granulated sugar
    • 2 tsp  dried basil
    • 1 tsp  dried oregano
    • 1/2 tsp  black pepper powder or to taste
    • 1/4 tsp  crushed red pepper or to taste, optional
    • 2 cups beef broth or chicken broth
    • 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
    • 1 Tbsp  tomato paste
    • 1/2 lb dry spaghetti
    • parmesan cheese freshly grated
    • parsley chopped, to garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Select the Saute function and preheat the Instant Pot.
    • Add olive oil to the inner pot.
    • Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. (If the beef browns too quickly, press Cancel until the Instant Pot cools down a bit and press the Saute button again.)
    • Drain the fat or remove fat from the beef with a small ladle.
    • Add onion and garlic. Stir until onion is translucent.
    • Stir in salt, sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, black pepper and crushed red pepper. 
    • Deglaze pot with a tablespoon or two of broth, stirring until liquid has nearly evaporated. Make sure there are no brown bits stuck the the bottom of the inner pot. This will help you avoid the Burn Message!
    • Press Cancel to turn off Instant Pot.
    • Add remaining broth and stir.
    • Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, but don’t stir. This will also help you avoid the Burn Message!
    • Divide spaghetti into three batches.  Add spaghetti to the inner pot in a criss-cross pattern: add one-third of spaghetti over the tomatoes, spreading it out horizontally. Push down with a spatula to submerge the pasta. Repeat with the remaining batches (see the blog post for step by step photos).
    • Using a spatula, push down on spaghetti until it has submerged in the liquid.
    • Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes.
    • Do a 2 to 5 minute Natural Pressure Release and release the pressure in bursts.  [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
    • Open the lid and stir spaghetti and meat sauce until combined.  If there are any strands of spaghetti stuck together, use a fork to separate the strands.
    • If you find the spaghetti is too liquidy, allow it to rest for about 10 minutes, and it will absorb the extra liquid. If it's still too liquidy, select Saute mode and simmer until thickened.
    • Sprinkle with chopped parsley and shredded parmesan cheese before serving.

    Notes

    • Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. minced garlic, cut vegetables, etc.
    • * Use 2 minutes Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for al dente pasta.
    • See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 579 kcal | Carbohydrates: 80 g | Protein: 41 g | Fat: 15 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 60 mg | Sodium: 739 mg | Fiber: 21 g | Sugar: 12 g
    Course Main Dishes
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Main Ingredient beef, pasta
    Have you made this recipe? I love seeing your photos! Tag me on Instagram @PaintTheKitchenRed or #PaintTheKitchenRed!

    Thank you for visiting Paint the Kitchen Red. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please don’t use any content without prior written permission. If you’ve made this recipe and would like to share it with your friends, please link back to this recipe. Thank you!

    I am not a certified nutritionist.  I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers.  If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons,  I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.

    If you loved this recipe, please give it a five ⭐ rating in the comment section below and please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!

    BACK TO TOP

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    Instant Pot Shrimp Pasta with Garlic, parmesan, broccoli with lemon wedges in orange bowl - Paint the Kitchen Red

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sue

      November 21, 2020 at 7:54 am

      5 stars
      Love this instant pot recipe I’ve made it over and over and over

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        November 21, 2020 at 10:49 am

        Thank you for letting me know, Sue! I’m so happy to hear this.

        Reply
    2. Jamie Toney

      January 24, 2020 at 9:31 am

      I love this recipe and have made it several times and have gotten huge bowls of it when time to it…

      Alas, I am doing WW and I just need to know how much is a serving size? I know it serves 4, but how much is each serving.

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        January 25, 2020 at 8:13 pm

        Jamie, I will have to measure it out next time I make it but I would say it’s 1.5 cups per serving.

        Reply
    3. Joy

      January 04, 2020 at 9:34 pm

      5 stars
      This was so easy and so flavorful. I used the grated carrot in lieu of sugar as you suggested and chicken broth for the liquid. I appreciate all the details you provide and love that I did not have to make a special trip to the grocery store for this. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        January 05, 2020 at 8:19 am

        Hi Joy – coincidence that I made this too on Friday night because I was so busy 🙂 One tip I need to add in is to press down on each layer of spaghetti as it’s being put in – much easier to get it to submerge. Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Michelle

      November 02, 2019 at 8:02 am

      5 stars
      I came across your spaghetti with meat sauce recipe, and currently it is my family’s favorite dish! In addition to your instructions, I sautee puertorrican sofrito, green peppers, olives, no pepper or crushed red peppers and voila! You have saved dinner so many weeksays!!! Thanks!!! (Last time I also tried preparing 1 box of spaghetti. It took longer to come to pressure, and I added 2 additional minutes of HP cooking.)

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        November 02, 2019 at 1:05 pm

        Michelle – I too love this recipe because it’s so easy and satisfying. I love the sofrito substitution. Thank you for sharing your modifications. I also add shredded carrots sometimes 🙂

        Reply
    5. Brynn

      July 23, 2019 at 4:19 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious as is, but would there be a way to adjust it to make the noodles separately? My daughter is only a fan of a little sauce so in the future I’d probably do it on the side. Also then I could feeeze the leftover sauce for next time!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        July 29, 2019 at 8:20 pm

        Brynn, this recipe was my own creation by combining my homemade pasta sauce recipe with spaghetti. Here’s the (non Instant Pot) pasta sauce recipe . I wouldn’t recommend making the pasta sauce in the Instant Pot because you’d need to add a lot of liquid to make the Instant Pot seal. And that would make it too watered down. This is a very tasty and easy recipe.

        Reply
        • Christine

          June 03, 2020 at 8:11 pm

          5 stars
          Hi. You could easily make only the meat sauce in the IP. I do it all of the time. I love meat sauce in the IP, I don’t like pressure cooked pasta.. the 2 cups of crushed tomato in your recipe will provide plenty of liquid for a 6 quart IP to come to pressure. I would delete the broth entirely, but if you are concerned about a burn signal, add 1/4–1//2 cup. I find that the secret. To avoiding a burn signal is not to add more liquid but to carefully deglaze the pot, scraping up all of the fond after. You have sautéed something, like the meat and onions in this recipe. Don’t have anything sticking to the bottom. When. You. Seal. The pot.

          Reply
          • Paint the Kitchen Red

            June 04, 2020 at 9:20 am

            Thanks for your input Christine. The ‘burn’ message is so tricky because different Instant Pots can be more sensitive! I am glad to hear that you have success making pasta sauce in the IP without additional water 🙂

            Reply
          • John

            January 14, 2023 at 7:34 pm

            5 stars
            I also don’t like the pressure cooked pasta and our family also felt that the sauce to pasta ratio was too high anyway. So, I’m thankful that I ran across your comment awhile back and now I only make the sauce with 1/2 cup of broth and do a really good job of deglazing the pot. Sauce turns out great every time. Thanks, Christine!

            Reply
    6. Ro

      June 14, 2019 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious! So easy and have already shared this. Even my husband, who does not care for pasta, really enjoyed it. I am not too familiar with the instant pot but next time I would like to increase the amount of pasta. I was left with a lot of meat sauce. Any tips on that? How much more liquid do I need? Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        June 18, 2019 at 1:20 am

        Ro, thanks for the comment; I’m glad you enjoyed it. If you add more pasta, add 2 cups liquid for every 8 oz. of pasta. Either broth or water will work. Let me know if you need further help.

        Reply
    7. Karen

      March 05, 2019 at 6:52 am

      5 stars
      Easy and delicious! The sauce is very flavorful, yet quick to prepare. I expect this recipe will be on my menu plan often. I used Italian sausage in place of the ground beef because that’s what I had on hand.

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        March 05, 2019 at 6:58 am

        Thanks for your comment, Karen. And I’m happy to hear you like this easy and quick recipe like I do!

        Reply
    8. Jen

      February 23, 2019 at 9:23 am

      If I am not cooking the pasta in the sauce, should I reduce the amount of liquid?

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        February 23, 2019 at 5:05 pm

        Jen, yes you would need to reduce the liquid and the only concern I have with that is you shouldn’t have trouble sealing. Make sure you don’t stir the tomatoes in.

        Reply
    9. Steven Johnson

      February 14, 2019 at 10:30 pm

      5 stars
      I can’t wait to try this!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        February 16, 2019 at 10:05 am

        Hope you enjoy it, Steven!

        Reply
    10. Terence

      February 06, 2019 at 12:52 pm

      5 stars
      Recipe came out great, even I ate it (I don’t usually eat Italian food, but my kids love it). Wasn’t watching very closely, so ended up with NPR of 3 minutes, which gave perfect al dente spaghetti (De Cecco Spaghetti #12)

      Reply
    11. Aaron

      January 08, 2019 at 7:38 pm

      1 star
      This recipe did not work in my 6-quart instant pot. Followed the recipe exactly and I did not get enough pressure in my instant pot for pressure cooking. Luckily the meal wasn’t a complete disaster as I got the pasta to cook thoroughly.

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        January 08, 2019 at 8:48 pm

        I’m sorry you had trouble with the recipe. Here are some possible reasons why your Instant Pot didn’t come to pressure.

        Reply
    12. Ginger

      December 01, 2018 at 12:24 pm

      5 stars
      This was my first recipe in my new IP. I am gifting IP’s to my 3 daughters for Christmas so I gifted one to myself too! The spaghetti was perfect and you made it so easy to accomplish with your detailed instructions on your blog. Thank you! My question, two of my daughters have 4 kids and they are hungry at dinner! Can they double this recipe exactly and expect the same results or does liquid need to be altered. Also can I sub a little burgundy wine for some of the broth? Thank you for making my first IP experience a great one!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        December 01, 2018 at 12:40 pm

        Hi Ginger, I’m glad the recipe came out well. Yes, you can substitute wine for some of the broth. As long as you don’t go past the 1/2-full mark for foods that expand: pasta, rice, beans, etc. yes, you can double. You might have a bit more clumping of the spaghetti. Just pull apart with a fork. And one more point: when you double, you don’t double cooking time. Thanks for your comment 🙂

        Reply
        • Keisha

          March 13, 2019 at 9:03 am

          Even though when doubling the recipe the cooking time stays the same, but does the amount of liquids stay the same to pressurize a larger amount of food or does the amounts of liquid need to be doubled as well?

          Reply
          • Paint the Kitchen Red

            March 13, 2019 at 2:46 pm

            Keisha, it depends. If you’re cooking a recipe where there’s a lot of liquid and it’s discarded, then you might be able to keep the liquid the same but otherwise, you would double the liquid. Especially in a recipe like this one because the pasta will absorb the liquid. Hope that helps!

            Reply
    13. Jen

      August 27, 2018 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      This was super simple and delicious! I doubled the recipe because I have three teenagers, and it worked perfectly. We still had plenty of leftovers, which we love. I used 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 mild Italian sausage and it was very tasty. This will be going into regular rotation. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        August 27, 2018 at 1:55 pm

        That’s great, Jen. I do like the flavors of Italian sausage mixed in. I so glad you liked the recipe.

        Reply
    14. John

      August 23, 2018 at 7:33 pm

      5 stars
      This one was a big hit with the whole family and was an easy weeknight meal.

      Reply
    15. Diane

      August 20, 2018 at 5:09 am

      Hi ~ looking forward to trying this but I have a few questions (beginner!).
      * can you use gluten-free all rice pasta? (Not the blends of corn, etc.) …if yes, any adjustments to the liquid or cook time!
      * can you substitute rice instead? …if so, what liquid and/or time adjustments?
      I’m new, so still looking at so many recipes, and I haven’t found any that have these options included.
      Thanks for any input!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        August 20, 2018 at 8:56 am

        Hi Diane, although I have not used gluten free pasta, I’ve heard Barilla brand works well – not sure if it’s a rice pasta though. One reader on another pasta recipe of mine used 12oz. gluten free pasta for 4 minutes and also added 1/2 cup of water. If I were to do it with rice, I would add the liquid, stir, add the rice, tomato products and not stir. 1 cup rice: 1 1/4 cup broth, pressure cook for 4 minutes if Jasmine rice, 6 minutes for long grain rice. Natural Pressure Release (NPR) 10 minutes. Keep me posted on what happens!

        Reply
    16. Lindsay

      August 18, 2018 at 9:58 am

      Love this kid-friendly meal that allows for a homemade spaghetti sauce for my family. You’re food blog is the absolute best! I’m recommending it to all my family and friends. Keep those fabulous
      recipes coming. You rock the kitchen RED!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        August 19, 2018 at 3:15 pm

        Lindsay, thank you for your comment, and for passing on the word – I so appreciate it.

        Reply
    17. elaine

      August 18, 2018 at 9:22 am

      5 stars
      I do love your IP recipes and the whole web-site, for that matter!!!! One of my VERY favorites!!!

      One suggestion, rather than putting items in red (which is very difficult to read) – I would suggest bold and italics…

      I’m finding your comment area text print to be extremely light or faded in shading.

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        August 18, 2018 at 9:27 am

        Hi Elaine – thank you so much for taking the time to make those suggestions. I picked red for obvious reasons but didn’t consider the viewability for everyone. Let me play with the colors and fonts and see what I can do to make the text and links easier to read. Thank you also for your kind words.

        Reply

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