Instant Pot Meatballs (Turkey or Beef, Fresh or Frozen + Video)

These Instant Pot Meatballs are life changing! Make with any meat, no sauteing, with or no sauce, fresh or frozen, as an appetizer or even add pasta for a one pot meal.

As always, mind blown by Instant Pot. I could have never imagined meatballs in Instant Pot so juicy and easy without browning them first. And so healthy!!!

Meatballs in Instant Pot

Instant Pot meatballs come out just as good or may I say even better than regular meatballs. Especially, when it comes to meatballs with ground turkey.

I have a recipe for healthy turkey meatballs with necessary addition of zucchini to keep them moist. Meatballs in Instant Pot come out juicy with any meat thanks to the pressure cooking method. Steam and moisture simply do not escape the pot locking in all the juices in the meatballs.

Instant Pot meatballs – mind blown! No browning or sauteing, with or without tomato sauce, fresh or frozen, as an appetizer or even add pasta for a one pot meal. 

Ingredients You Will Need

Instant Pot meatballs ingredients are completely flexible. I was terrified I would end up with a meat sauce, for sure scary. At last, we are dropping balls of raw meat and cooking them on high pressure.

But none of that happened during 5 tests. I also have tested meatballs with different ingredients and have to say that meatballs cooked in a pressure cooker come out delicious every single time.

You will need:

• 1 lb 3 oz any ground meat: Ground turkey, chicken, beef, pork, lamb, venison etc.
• Fresh garlic and onion or garlic powder and onion flakes: I have to say that adding minced, pureed or grated fresh garlic and onion produced the tastiest meatballs and the sauce.
• Dried oregano, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper: I find spices are so flexible. Use what you like or have on hand.
• 15 oz can low sodium tomato sauce: If cooking in sauce.
• Egg, oatmeal or breadcrumbs are completely unnecessary but can be used.

How to Make Meatballs Without Sauce

Are you new to Instant Pot? Check out my Instant Pot guide. Don’t have one yet? See which one I recommend to buy based on your lifestyle and family size.

1. Mince fresh onion and garlic: Pureed fresh onion adds a ton of flavor and juiciness. You can finely mince it by hand, puree in a small food processor or grate on a box grater. Just don’t use blender – doesn’t work. Minced onion is the secret to my juicy ground turkey meatloaf.
2. Shape meatballs: Combine ground meat, grated (pureed) onion and garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and roll into about 30 smaller golf size balls meatballs. Size doesn’t matter.
3. Add 1/2 cup water and place a trivet or steamer basket inside in any size Instant Pot. Either works. I like to use a basket because a) I have it b) Poultry meatballs hold shape better.
4. Add meatballs as you roll them. It is OK to stack meatballs and I find dipping hands in a bowl with water helps to roll turkey meatballs.
5. Cook on High pressure for 7 minutes. Wait for 2 minutes and release remaining pressure using Quick Release method.
6. Open the lid and voila. You might have to separate a few meatballs from each other.

How to Make Meatballs With Tomato Sauce

Cooking meatballs with tomato sauce is very similar to the ones without the sauce minus the trivet and water. Ha!

1. Add 15 oz can of tomato sauce to any size Instant Pot. That’s right – no water. There will be no Burn problem – don’t worry. Juices from meat will dilute the tomato sauce enough not to overheat Instant Pot.
2. Drop raw meatballs into the sauce as you roll them out. They should fit in a single layer in tomato sauce but packing them tight or on top is just as fine.
3. Cook on High pressure for 7 minutes. Wait for 2 minutes and release remaining pressure using Quick Release method.
4. Open the lid and voila. Meatballs in tomato sauce taste best if you let them stand open for 10 minutes.
5. Then I toss them to coat in the sauce by shaking the inner pot and garnish with parsley or dill.

How to Make Meatballs and Pasta One Pot Meal

And last but not least – you can make a one pot meal. Are you mind blown yet?

1. Cook meatballs with or without tomato sauce first as per directions above or in the recipe.
2. Add 2 cups water and 3 cups any dry pasta. If you cooked meatballs without tomato sauce, add it now.
3. Stir gently everything not to break meatballs. If you add long shape pasta like spaghetti, stirring will be hard. So just lay broken in half noodles in about 6 layers criss cross to prevent sticking. Top with tomato sauce, if not added yet. You shouldn’t worry about Burn here.
4. Cook on High pressure for 5 minutes with Quick Release.
5. Stir and serve.

How to Cook Frozen Meatballs

Cook frozen meatballs in Instant Pot just like fresh. Instant Pot will take longer to come to pressure but cooking time remains the same. The beauty of a pressure cooker. 🙂

Freezing, Storing and Serving Meatballs

Freeze raw meatballs on a baking sheet for a few hours and then transfer to a Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and cook from frozen.

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If made with pasta, storing time is 2 days as pasta gets soggy.

Serve as an Appetizer

This is my absolute favorite way to enjoy Instant Pot meatballs!

Transfer meatballs in a baking dish and stick toothpick into each one. Voila. Healthy and easy appetizer right there. Or serve right in Instant Pot (with toothpicks) while Keep Warm is on. Genius!

For a healthy dinner, serve with with desired whole grain like brown rice or quinoa and simple salad or a green smoothie.  

More Instant Pot Recipes

• Instant Pot pot roast
• Instant Pot meatloaf and mashed potatoes
• Instant Pot spaghetti
• Instant Pot turkey chili
• Browse 40 healthy Instant Pot recipes.

Did you know we have entire Youtube channel dedicated to healthy Instant Pot recipes and tips? My goal is to help you become confident with your Instant Pot by demonstrating each delicious foolproof recipe in step-by-step videos.

Instant Pot Meatballs (Turkey or Beef, Fresh or Frozen)

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews

These Instant Pot Meatballs are life changing! Make with any meat, no sauteing, with or no sauce, fresh or frozen, as an appetizer or even add pasta for a one pot meal. As always, mind blown by Instant Pot. I could have never imagined meatballs in Instant Pot so juicy and easy without browning them first. And so healthy!!!

• Author: Olena of ifoodreal.com
• Prep Time: 7 minutes
• Cook Time: 7 minutes
• Total Time: 14 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings (5 meatballs each) 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Instant Pot
• Cuisine: Ukrainian

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 lb 3 oz (one tray) ground turkey, beef, chicken or pork
• 1 large egg (optional)
• 1/4 cup any oats (optional)
• 2 large garlic cloves, grated or 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp onion flakes (powder) or 1 small onion, grated (pureed in food processor)
• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
• 1/2 tsp oregano, dried
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 15 oz can tomato sauce, low sodium (optional)

Instructions

1. Instant Pot meatballs without tomato sauce: In any size Instant Pot, add 1/2 cup water and place trivet or steamer basket inside. Set aside.
2. Instant Pot meatballs with tomato sauce: Add a can of tomato sauce. No water. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add ground meat, grated (pureed) onion and garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Mix well with a spatula or hands.
5. Using small cookie scoop, form 30 meatballs (it helps to dip hands in a bowl with cold water occasionally) and place them one by one inside prepared Instant Pot. It is OK to stack meatballs or just arrange them in a single layer in tomato sauce.
6. Close the lid, turn pressure release valve to Sealing and pressure cook on High pressure for 7 minutes.
7. Wait for 2 minutes and release remaining pressure using Quick Release method.
8. Open the lid and voila.

Meatballs with Tomato sauce

Meatballs in tomato sauce taste best if you let them stand open for 10 minutes. Then I toss them to coat in the sauce by shaking the inner pot and garnish with parsley or dill. Serve with desired whole grain and salad or dinner.

Appetizer

Transfer meatballs in a baking dish and stick toothpick into each one. Voila. Healthy and easy appetizer right there. Or serve right in Instant Pot (with toothpicks) while Keep Warm is on. Genius!

Meatballs with Lean Ground Beef

I wouldn’t worry about this step if I had extra lean ground beef. But with lean beef or pork here is what I do:

• Cook meatballs on a trivet with water first.
• Drain liquid (broth basically) to a bowl.
• Remove trivet from Instant Pot and add tomato sauce (or not).
• And serve leaner and less saturated fat meatballs.
• Next day I skim and discard solidified fat from the bowl with liquid and use it as a broth in recipes. Can refrigerate or freeze.

How to Cook Frozen Meatballs

Cook frozen meatballs in Instant Pot just like fresh. Instant Pot will take longer to come to pressure but cooking time remains the same. The beauty of a pressure cooker. 🙂

How to Make Meatballs and Pasta One Pot Meal

And last but not least – you can make a one pot meal. Are you mind blown yet?

1. Cook meatballs with or without tomato sauce first as per directions above or in the recipe.
2. Add 2 cups water and 3 cups any dry pasta. If you cooked meatballs without tomato sauce, add it now.
3. Stir gently everything not to break meatballs. If you add long shape pasta like spaghetti, stirring will be hard. So just lay broken in half noodles in about 6 layers criss cross to prevent sticking. Top with tomato sauce, if not added yet. You shouldn’t worry about Burn here.
4. Cook on High pressure for 5 minutes with Quick Release.

Notes

Pictured are meatballs made with turkey and no egg and no oatmeal. I use oatmeal for beef meatballs as poultry is quite dense when cooked. I find meatballs taste amazing and come out juicy with all these variations depending what I have on hand or how tired I am.

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.

5 meatballs (no sauce)1180.7 g238.4 mg5.8 g1.5 g0.1 g1.3 g0.2 g15 g52.2 mg

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