Instant Pot Spaghetti is easy one pot meal and ready in 30 minutes! Brown the meat, add sauce, uncooked spaghetti to the Instant Pot and dinner is ready!
Other Italian inspired dinners we love to make in the pressure cooker include Instant Pot lasagna and Instant Pot chicken pasta.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Spaghetti
- Ingredients for Instant Pot Spaghetti
- How to Make Spaghetti In Instant Pot
- Tips for Best Results
- Do I Stir Everything Before Turning on Instant Pot?
- Can I Double Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe?
- What to Serve With Instant Pot Spaghetti?
- How to Store and Freeze
- More FAQs
- More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe
Instant Pot spaghetti with meat sauce is a go-to meal on a busy weeknight. Like our one pot spaghetti, it’s budget-friendly, comforting, and an easy dinner recipe!
This pasta recipe is a cross between two reader favorites spaghetti in tomato sauce and homemade meat sauce.
We’re not trying to replicate an authentic Italian pasta dish because we all know any true Italian recipe requires old-fashioned time and effort.
What we are trying to do with spaghetti in Instant Pot recipe is give the essence of Italian-inspired flavors a modern twist with the magic of the Instant Pot!
Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Spaghetti
Familiar mouth watering taste is just one reason you will love Instant Pot spaghetti that can be enjoyed year round!
- Family favorite: Kids and adults alike will love this pasta dish.
- It’s quick and easy: 10 minute cook time plus more hands off than any other method, even my slow cooker crockpot chicken spaghetti!
- Double the recipe to serve a larger crowd. The best part is, the cook time remains the same.
- Leftovers are just as good the next day and the day after that.
- A one pot spaghetti recipe: Make for easy clean up!
Ingredients for Instant Pot Spaghetti
What I love about this Instant Pot spaghetti recipe is that you can use 5 simple ingredients you have on hand! It’s convenient and flexible with any ground meat, pasta, or sauce.
- Pasta: You can use white spaghetti, whole wheat spaghetti or gluten free spaghetti noodles.
- Ground meat: Ground turkey or lean ground beef are usually what I have on hand. Poultry will make Instant Pot spaghetti leaner and therefore a healthier choice.
- Tomato sauce: Plain canned tomato sauce to which we’ll add simple spices. Salt and a bit of sugar to reduce acidity. You could opt for jarred spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce that already has spices, salt, and sugar added to it.
- Spices: Dried oregano, basil and thyme or try my homemade Italian seasoning. You can skip them with jarred pasta sauce.
How to Make Spaghetti In Instant Pot
There’s no waiting for the water to boil and no sauce splattering all over the place.
This Instapot spaghetti recipe comes out perfectly cooked and not mushy and the entire dish is super flavorful.
Brown meat in Instant Pot: Press Saute and cook ground beef until it’s in small pieces. If it is ground beef or ground lamb, I would drain it mid way to reduce the fat and speed up sauteing.
Then, add 2 cups water and seasonings, and scrape the bottom of the pot.
Add spaghetti to Instant Pot: Break pasta noodles in half and lay them in criss-cross pattern in 6 layers.
Add sauce to Instant Pot: Pour tomato sauce on top and do not stir. Do not worry about water and sauce not covering the noodles. There is enough steam inside the Instant Pot to soften them under pressure.
Cook Instant Pot spaghetti on high pressure for 5 minutes: Then do Quick Release to release the pressure after it is done.
Stir spaghetti in Instant Pot and let sit for 3 minutes to soak up the juices. If the pasta is too firm for your liking, let it sit about 10 minutes longer.
Tips for Best Results
Using a pressure cooker to make this Instant Pot spaghetti recipe will transform your idea of cooking pasta. Here are my top tips to make it perfect!
- If pasta is “crunchy”: Close the lid and let it sit an extra 10 minutes after cooking. Pasta cooks fast, so it’s always better to undercook and allow it to sit. You can’t reverse overcooked pasta.
- Too much liquid: When you first open the Instant Pot, spaghetti might look very watery. Give it a stir and a few minutes to absorb more of the surrounding liquid.
- Clumping spaghetti: Criss crossing pasta resolves most of the clumping issue. Even if there is some clumping, that’s completely OK. Just use a fork to separate them.
- Gluten free spaghetti: I would reduce cooking time from 5 minutes to 3 minutes.
Do I Stir Everything Before Turning on Instant Pot?
No. You do not stir spaghetti in Instant Pot until after cooking is done. This is to prevent burn which can happen if tomato sauce is at the bottom of the pot.
Can I Double Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe?
If you have 8 quart Instant Pot, you can double the ingredients for Instant Pot spaghetti but keep the same cook time.
For a 6 quart Instant Pot, you can only add 1.5 times ingredients and the cook time remains the same.
For a 3 quart Instant Pot, cut all Instant Pot spaghetti recipe ingredients in half (even the water) but keep the same cook time.
What to Serve With Instant Pot Spaghetti?
- Salad: Tomato mozzarella avocado salad would pair well as a side or starter to a delicious pressure cooker spaghetti meal.
- Bread: A basket of Ukrainian garlic bread or any crusty bread is a welcome addition. Dip in olive oil bread dip for a true restaurant style experience right at home.
- Wine: You know what they say “I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to my food”.
How to Store and Freeze
Storing and reheating: Refrigerate spaghetti leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Best way to reheat it is in the microwave.
Freezing: Cooked pasta is one of those foods that doesn’t thaw well, too mushy.
However, if you are meal prepping the entire recipe, cook Instant Pot spaghetti for 3 minutes, cool (pasta will keep cooking with residual heat) and freeze in portions.
Then thaw and reheat in the microwave or bake in oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. This will help with the overcooked pasta issue.
More FAQs
Using the criss-cross method when layering spaghetti in Instant Pot. This means taking some of your noodles and layering them flat across the Instant Pot in one direction. Then taking another handful and layering them across in the opposite direction. Continue doing this for all the layers.
This should help, although there may still be clumps after cooking. Just stir with tongs and use a fork to separate them.
Close the lid and let Instant Pot spaghetti sit for 10 minutes. The hot sauce and steam inside the pot will “cook” it to your desired texture.
Yes! Just follow the recipe and skip spices.
Yes. Add water in first, then seasonings, spaghetti and sauce to the Instant Pot. Do not stir. Enjoy a meatless spaghetti!
Yes, but you need to thaw it first using my Instant Pot frozen ground beef method then proceed with the Instant Pot spaghetti recipe.
More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
- Instant Pot chicken alfredo
- Instant Pot bolognese
- Instant Pot meatballs
- Instant Pot goulash
- Instant Pot mac and cheese
Browse 45 healthy Instant Pot recipes.
Instant Pot Spaghetti
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1 tsp basil dried
- 1 tsp thyme dried
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or sugar
- 10 oz whole wheat spaghetti or white spaghetti
- 28 oz tomato sauce low sodium
- Grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or basil for serving
Instructions
- On 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, press Saute and wait until display says Hot. Add meat and cook until brown in color, breaking into pieces constantly. Instant Pot doesn't really brown the meat and it doesn't have to be cooked through. If cooking beef, I drain the fat in the middle of cooking.
- Add water, oregano, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Scrape the bits off of the bottom of the pot with spatula while stirring everything. Helps to avoid Burn message. Press Cancel.
- Break noodles in half and add criss cross in about 6 layers. It helps to prevent noodles from sticking. Pour tomato sauce and maple syrup on top. Do not stir.
- Close the lid, turn pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 5 minutes.
- After Instant Pot has finished cooking, release pressure using Quick Release method by turning valve to Venting and open the lid. Spaghetti will look watery. Don't worry. Stir gently and let sit for 3 minutes.
- Serve hot garnished with parsley or basil and grated Parmesan cheese. Or however you like spaghetti. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Best way to reheat is in a microwave.
- Freeze: Do not freeze leftovers. For meal prepping entire recipe, cook spaghetti for 3 minutes, cool (pasta will keep cooking with residual heat) and freeze in portions. Then thaw and reheat in microwave or bake in oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. This will help with overcooked pasta issue.
- To double the recipe: If you have 8 quart Instant Pot, you can double the ingredients but keep same cook time. For 6 quart, you can only add 1.5 times ingredients but not double – same cook time.
- 3 quart Instant Pot: Cut all ingredients in half (even water) but keep same cook time.
Such an easy recipe and simple ingredients. But the result was very delicious! Thank you very much for another dinner-saver!
I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe, Zarina. 🙂 Come back on Friday!!!
Loved it
That is so amazing to hear, Jocelyne! Glad you enjoyed my recipe!
Tried this for the first time last night. I used ground turkey and added fresh chopped green pepper, onion, and mushrooms dumped on top of the noodles then coved with a jar of spaghetti sauce. Your recipe was spot on. My husband took a bowl of left over with him today. So yes!! You have taught me so much about my instant pot and I have loved every recipe. Today I’m looking for your chili recipe.?
Oh my, made my day! I’m so happy you love your IP. My wish for every cook is to love IP. Haha. Thank you and welcome.
Second time making this spaghetti dish. We love it so much that I have now added the recipe to my cookbook for future reference??. Thank you!!
I made this tonight and I used fettuccini. They weren’t done after 5 minutes, so I started the time over for 2 more minutes, still not done! Then I pressure cooked it again for 3 minutes, and we ate them but they weren’t all done. Next time I’ll use spaghetti noodles. But, aside from that, it was very good!
Oh, no. Here are some tips. For a few reasons trying to cook 2nd and 3rd time Instant Pot meal doesn’t work the same as cooking it the first time. Closing lid and cooking again I mean. Next time if it ever happens, close the lid and let pasta sit for 10 minutes. Hot sauce and steam inside the pot will “cook” it to your desired texture.:) Also try 7 minutes for fettuccine next time. Could be the altitude, size of a pot etc. It’s Instant Pot. Spaghetti definitely comes out very soft after 5 minutes, so might be your favorite pasta. Glad everyone enjoyed.:)
Used my instant pot for the first time today, tried this recipe. So quick and easy, lovely flavour and great ratio of meat/sauce to pasta. Loved how I didn’t need to hover over the hob or do any stirring!
Anyone tried adding mushrooms to the recipe? I usually add these to my bolognaise but not sure when to add? Thanks for the recipe and instant pot advice!
You can add mushrooms after sautéing on top before spaghetti or sauté them too. You are very welcome!!!
We bought an Instant Pot Duo on Black Friday and have hardly used it. This recipe was super easy because I had previously cooked crumbled ground beef (when it was on sale) and had different size containers in the freezer. Also I used 32 oz. Classico Pasta Sauce from Costco. Our grandson suggested we make it again when his family comes to visit in August. It was delicious. Our goal now is to use the IP at least once each week.
So happy to hear! Well, hopefully you can find more of my recipes easy. It’s a good goal. I love my IP!!!
Hi, I just stumbled upon you while looking for healthy uncooked oat snacks 🙂 Just wondering is an instant pot different to a slow cooker? Could I do the same thing with the slow cooker, or would I need to do the sauteing (?) etc on stove then into the pot…..would times be the same after that?Or does this sort of recipe not translate well to a slow cooker? I really am a desperate housewife (a little bit chubby at this stage) in need of healthy stuff that is more than my 5 current meals….I too have a kid who eats everything I give him. Your answer would be awesome, thanks so much. I will keep browsing 🙂 Regards from Finland (but really a South African married and living here)
Hi Hayley. Oh, minor chubbiness is easy to fix.:) Instant Pot is a pressure cooker that cooks food under pressure fast. Slow cooker is a pot that cooks food no pressure slow. Read this where I explain it all https://ifoodreal.com/instant-pot-guide/. I also recommend to check out my healthy 30 mins dinners section and cook from there and you will see chubbiness go away. .:) https://ifoodreal.com/healthy-30-minute-meals/
OK THIS CAME OUT PERFECT!! Literally the pasta comes out just like you always want it to come out but it never does when you cook it in the stove? I made this two nights ago and my husband and mom loved it so much!!
YESS! You should make my IP lasagna I will post soon too.
Made for dinner last night! So easy and good!