Description
A quick and easy one-pot spaghetti dinner made in the Instant Pot, delivering comforting Italian flavors with minimal cleanup. Perfect for busy weeknights and family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage (lean or regular)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (canned)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups beef or vegetable broth (low sodium)
- 8 oz spaghetti pasta, broken in half
- 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary blend)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
- Fresh basil leaves, a handful chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and break the spaghetti noodles in half (about 5 minutes).
- Set Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ mode and heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ground beef or sausage and cook, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned and no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if desired.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Pour in 2 cups broth and stir again.
- Layer broken spaghetti noodles in a crisscross pattern on top of the sauce without stirring. Press down gently to submerge noodles.
- Close lid, set valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Perform a quick release by turning valve to venting once cooking time is up. Open lid when pin drops.
- Stir spaghetti and sauce thoroughly. If sauce is too thin, set ‘Sauté’ mode and simmer 2-3 minutes to thicken.
- Serve topped with chopped fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Do not stir pasta into sauce before pressure cooking to prevent sticking; layer noodles on top instead. Adjust cooking time by a minute for thicker or al dente pasta. Drain excess fat after browning meat for less greasy sauce. Quick release pressure to avoid overcooking pasta. For gluten-free, use gluten-free spaghetti; for dairy-free, omit Parmesan or use vegan cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 18
Keywords: Instant Pot, spaghetti, quick dinner, family meal, one-pot, easy recipe, Italian, pasta, comfort food