Instant Pot Spaghetti
Instant Pot Spaghetti is fast and delicious, making it the perfect meal on busy nights that the whole family will love!
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 516kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- .25 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey optional
- 2 cups water
- 8 ounces dry spaghetti noodles
- 24 ounces pasta sauce or 3 cups homemade
Instructions
- Place the inner pot into the pressure cooker, press the Sauté button and wait for it to get HOT. Add the oil, swirl it around, then add the onions.
- Cook until the onions start to soften. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the ground beef (or ground turkey) and cook until most of the pink is gone.
- Press the Cancel button, then the Manual button. Add the water and scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure there are no stuck on bits that can burn.
- If you want an extra punch of flavor, throw in Italian seasoning or a pinch of red pepper flakes. Once done, turn off the Sauté mode to avoid scorching.
- Add the water (or chicken broth) and start scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze it and remove all the browned bits. This prevents the Burn notice while cooking.
- Break the uncooked spaghetti noodles in half and layer them in a criss-cross pattern, then top with the sauce. This helps prevent sticking. Resist the urge to stir!
- Gently press the pasta down to submerge it in the liquid but don’t overmix—it ensures even cooking.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to Sealing. Select Manual mode or Pressure Cook and set the time to 5 minutes on high pressure if using regular spaghetti (check package instructions for variations).
- Once the cooking time is up, perform a Quick Release by carefully moving the valve to Venting. Once the pressure pin drops, open the lid and stir the spaghetti gently. If it looks watery, no worries—the sauce thickens as it cools and the pasta absorbs more liquid.
- Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese or shredded mozzarella over the spaghetti while it’s hot. The cheese will melt into a creamy layer of goodness. Finish with freshly chopped basil or parsley for color and a burst of herbal freshness.
Notes
- Deglaze the pot after sautéing: When you’re done browning meat or aromatics, always scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. This removes stuck-on bits that can trigger the Burn notice.
- Layer ingredients strategically: Place liquids like water or broth at the bottom, then layer the pasta and sauce on top. Don’t stir after adding the layers.
- Choose the right sauce: Thick or chunky sauces are more likely to burn. If your sauce is too thick, dilute it slightly with water or broth.
- I chose 5 minutes because the cooking instructions on the box state “Al dente perfection in 9 – 10 minutes”. The basic formula for cooking noodles in an Instant Pot is to cook for half of the lowest time stated on the box, so 5 minutes was the winner.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
- See original post for all tips and substitutions.
Nutrition
Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 976mg | Potassium: 1065mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 735IU | Vitamin C: 12.4mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 5mg