The Best Instant Pot Spaghetti

The best Instant Pot Spaghetti with a deliciously Italian seasoned tomato sauce with spaghetti noodles topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

I know what you’re thinking. Why would I cook a simple and easy meal like spaghetti in an Instant Pot?

I was skeptical too. Is it really saving any time?

While the beef does have to be browned first, the great thing is not having to babysit the cooking process after that.

Layer it all in the pot, set your timer, and walk away – go do some laundry or get the kids going on their homework!

Typically when I make spaghetti, the meat sauce is kept separate from the noodles and we all make our own ratios of sauce to pasta.

But I love that the noodles cook right in the sauce and seasonings.

It allows the noodles to really get a rich flavor that my regular spaghetti is lacking and the ground beef gets really tender.

Once it’s done, it’s the perfect ratio of ground beef, sauce, and spaghetti noodles.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Spaghetti

Ground Beef
Spaghetti
Water
Tomato Sauce
Olive Oil
Salt
Italian Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

Want to jazz it up?

Add in a can of diced tomatoes or Rotel.

Looking for spice? Add 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.

How to Make Instant Pot Spaghetti

Set the Instant Pot to the Saute setting, add olive oil.

Once hot, add ground beef cook until browned while stirring often to break up pieces, about 5-7 minutes.

Turn off the Saute setting.

Add 1 cup of water and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any pieces that are stuck.

This helps avoid the dreaded “Burn” notification on the Instant Pot that is common with pasta and rice dishes.

Add tomato sauce and all seasonings to the ground beef and stir. After this, no more stirring!

Ground beef, tomato sauce, seasoning, noodles, and water

Break spaghetti noodles in half so that they fit in the Instant Pot.

Layer them flat on top of the ground beef, but do not stir. Pour in the remaining 2 1/2 cups of water on top.

Place the lid on top, seal the vent, use the manual setting to set the timer to 8 minutes.

Once the timer is done, quick release the vent (and be sure to wear an oven mitt so the hot steam does not burn you!)

Remove the lid and stir spaghetti. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan on top.

How to Freeze Spaghetti

To freeze spaghetti after it has been cooked and mixed together, place it in an airtight freezer-safe container or Ziploc. Freeze for 1-2 months for the best quality, but up to 3 months is still safe.

When ready to thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight the day before. By the time you’re ready to have it for dinner it should be thawed.

If it seems dry, add a little water to loosen up the sauce.

Try these other great Instant Pot dinners!

Enjoy!

The Best Instant Pot Spaghetti

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Saute, Pressurize, and Cook Time: 27 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

The best Instant Pot Spaghetti with a deliciously Italian seasoned tomato sauce with spaghetti noodles topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

2 lbs Ground Beef
16 oz Spaghetti
3 1/2 cups Water
3-15 oz cans of Tomato Sauce
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
3/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to the Saute setting, add olive oil. Once hot, add ground beef cook until browned while stirring often to break up pieces, about 5-7 minutes. Turn off Saute setting.
Add 1 cup of water and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any pieces that are stuck. This helps avoid the dreaded "Burn" notification on the Instant Pot. Add tomato sauce and all seasonings, stir.
Break spaghetti noodles in half so that they fit in the Instant Pot. Layer them flat on top of the ground beef, but do not stir. Pour in the remaining 2 1/2 cups of water.
Place the lid on top, seal the vent, and use the manual setting to cook on high with the timer set to 8 minutes. Once the timer is done, quick release (and be sure to wear an oven mitt so the hot steam does not burn you!)
Remove the lid and stir spaghetti. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan on top.