Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti

Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti - a great, fast, and easy recipe for the whole family! Everything cooks and comes together in one pot, making for a mess-free, simple clean up.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Instant Pot, Instant Pot Spaghetti, Spaghetti

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Pot to Pressure 15 minutes

Total Time 16 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 438kcal

Author Samantha Buckner

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 oz baby bella mushrooms, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/3 cup diced roasted red bell pepper, chopped (1 whole roasted red pepper)
1 lb lean ground beef, or sub ground turkey/chicken
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tbsp lightly dried basil
3/4 tsp salt, more or less, to taste *SEE NOTES BELOW
1/4 tsp black pepper, more or less, to taste
3 cups unsalted chicken stock, or sub with water
1 (24 oz) jar of marinara, your favorite/choice
1 (14.5 oz) can of unsalted diced tomatoes
1 lb spaghetti noodles, can sub for different noodles

Garnishment:

parmesan cheese
freshly chopped basil

Instructions

Turn Instant Pot to the Saute mode and add the olive oil.
Once heated, add the onions, mushrooms, and roasted red peppers. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent.
Add the minced garlic, stir, and cook for 30 seconds.
Next, add the ground beef, Italian seasoning, basil, salt and pepper (as listed or to taste). Using a wooden spoon, break up the ground beef as it cooks, stirring very well.
Once the beef has browned and is no longer pink, cancel the saute setting on the Instant Pot.
Break the spaghetti noodles in half and add them in layers to the pot, fanning them out. You want to make sure they aren't laying together in a heap, otherwise they will clump together while they cook.
Cover the noodles with chicken stock, marinara, and the chopped tomatoes. Stir gently to ensure that all of the noodles are covered.
Place the lid on the pot and turn the valve to 'sealing.'
Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes and allow a 5 minute natural release followed by a quick release.
Open the lid and give the spaghetti a gentle stir. There may still be some liquid present. Just let it sit for 3-4 minutes. The pasta will absorb the liquid.
Serve garnished with parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley.

Notes

I USED A 6QT INSTANT POT FOR THIS RECIPE.

GROUND MEAT: This recipe calls for lean ground beef, but you can swap it for ground chicken or turkey. I would recommend adding 1 extra tablespoon of olive oil into the pot with the ground chicken/turkey, as either one contain less fat than ground beef. Therefore, it will be a bit drier while cooking.
Don't have spaghetti noodles on hand? Swap for your favorite pasta! If you use angel hair, do a quick release at the end, rather than a natural release, to ensure that you don't overcook the pasta. Pressure cooking times and pasta can vary, so please keep this in mind. A good starting point for times: cut the package boiling time in half to get a cooking time estimate, followed by the natural release time.
STOCK: This recipe calls for unsalted chicken stock. If you don't have it, simply replace it with water. The stock will help add additional flavor to the pasta, though.
SODIUM: With all of my recipes, I choose to use unsalted stocks, broths, and canned goods. This way I can control the amount of sodium that goes into a dish. If you use regular canned diced tomatoes and chicken stock, hold off on the 3/4 teaspoon of salt or season to taste.
NOODLES: Make sure to gently push or stir the noodles into the put as much as you can without breaking them, to ensure that all the pasta is cooked through and won't clump together.
Don't be dismayed when you remove the lid after the spaghetti has cooked and you see a bit of liquid. The pasta will continue to soak up the liquid and soften in the pot. So allow it to sit for 3-4 minutes after a good stir.
Slice the ground beef in small sections while it is still in its package/container. I find it easier cook it down and break it apart once it's in the pot if I slice it beforehand.

Nutrition