Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
This Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe offers a quick and convenient way to enjoy a classic Italian favorite. Tender meatballs are sautéed and then pressure-cooked with spaghetti and marinara sauce, resulting in a flavorful, comforting one-pot meal ready in just 45 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights, this dish combines savory meatballs, perfectly cooked pasta, and a rich tomato sauce, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and basil.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Pasta and Sauce
- 1 pound spaghetti (broken in half)
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 3 cups water
For Serving
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, beat the egg until smooth. Add breadcrumbs, milk, chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, stirring well to combine. Incorporate the ground beef into the mixture and mix gently until fully combined.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the meat mixture into 16 to 24 evenly sized meatballs and arrange them on a plate ready for cooking.
- Sauté Meatballs: Set the Instant Pot to the 'sauté' mode and heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the meatballs carefully and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning them often to brown all sides evenly. Once browned, press 'cancel' to stop the sautéing.
- Add Pasta and Sauce: Arrange the broken spaghetti directly over the browned meatballs in an even layer. Pour the marinara sauce and then the water over the pasta without stirring to avoid sticking.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to 'seal'. Select manual high pressure and cook for 10 minutes. When cooking completes, perform a quick release by manually releasing the pressure valve.
- Finish and Serve: Carefully remove the lid. Gently stir the pasta, meatballs, and sauce together until well combined. Serve hot, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- Breaking the spaghetti in half helps it fit better in the Instant Pot and cook evenly.
- Do not stir the sauce and pasta before cooking to ensure even cooking and prevent pasta from sticking.
- For a spicier kick, add red pepper flakes to the meatball mixture or sauce.
- Ground beef can be substituted with ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
- If marinara sauce is too thick, add a little more water to achieve desired sauce consistency.
- Be careful when releasing the pressure manually to avoid steam burns.
