Here’s an easy Instant Pot spaghetti recipe with jar sauce and ground beef! Dump one pot pasta that feeds all five of us, made in just 10 minutes! Use a Crockpot Express or make Ninja Foodi spaghetti the same way using high pressure.
One of our favorite easy recipes was cooked tonight. The cook time was much faster than usual though. I am obsessed with my new pressure cooker! I had to make Instant Pot spaghetti with jar sauce to see just how much easier it would be. Here’s how to make this Instant Pot recipe today 😉
If you’re new to using this high pressure pot, this is the first recipe you should make. If you follow the directions below you’ll never make it on the stovetop again. It doesn’t matter whether yours is the Crockpot Express brand or you want to make it as an easy Ninja Foodi recipe. All of these pots work the same with high pressure.
We use Ragu jar sauce to make but with our homemade Instant Pot spaghetti sauce is possible too. Include frozen meatballs if you’d like at the same time and they will get tender all in one pot together too. A cheap meal that is family friendly.
If you are new to pressure cooking we have a lot of easy one pot meal recipes for you here. To begin with let’s start with a few basic tips:
- You can PRINT this —–> Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet that will help you understand how long meat, vegetables and beans take to cook in your pressure cooker.
- I HIGHLY recommend you buy this non stick pot.
- You should know how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautéing but it won’t have as many issues with this better liner.
For reference, this is the model I have (a 6 quart) and use for all recipe creations.
How Long to Cook Spaghetti in Instant Pot
With everything cooked in one pot it came out perfectly in just 10 minutes AND it’s been on the most popular Instant Pot recipes TWO years in a row! So yummy right??!! It’s truly a grab your Instant Pot and set, then GO type of recipe. Even if you choose to use shells or penne pasta the timing stays the same.
You could make it vegetarian without meat, as is stated in the recipe card below, or cook porcupine meatballs in Instant Pot separately first. Then serve them together and enjoy with parmesan cheese.
Ingredient Notes
You are going to need to start with some lean Ground beef (ground turkey, or the best is to use spicy ground sausage). Here is how to defrost Instant Pot frozen ground beef
You will want a package of Spaghetti noodles – either break in thirds or use medium shells, for those I use half the box
I use any brand of Jar of spaghetti sauce (1 jar bottled pasta sauce of your choice) or you can make it homemade instead but we are going for easy peasy.
And you are going to want a bit of water.
Can you pressure cook with spaghetti sauce instead of water?
Yes and no. There is liquid in marinara let’s say but not enough, you need to thin it out with some broth or water too to make a successful pot of noodles, meat and sauce. For every jar add 2 cups more liquid to thin it out.
Variations
Of course you can use homemade sauce instead of jarred if you wish and can tweak either one to make it spicy or sweeter. Seasonings are totally up to you but I don’t feel like it needs anything else other than what is listed here personally.
Meatless Variation
You do not have to add protein to this. Many times I have just used noodles and a jar of sauce to make it faster. Sometimes we aren’t in the mood for meat so there is no issue if you make this vegetarian instead. Add diced carrots and celery instead too if you’d like to make it heartier without proteins.
Adding Frozen Meatballs
Want quicker, instead of browning ground beef at the get go you could instead throw in some frozen meatballs. Don’t worry, during the 10 minute cook time they will not only defrost but warm all the way thru to the middle too. Add in at the same time as your sauce, but no more than 2 cups or ratio won’t work.
Instead of boiling them all on their own you’re just adding some water to the overall mixture so it absorbs it from there.
Tips
I would say this recipe serves 6 comfortably, so for 4 people there may be a bit left over. Of course that depends on who you are feeding. We have 1 man, 3 daughters and myself. This recipe feeds all of us with probably 1 serving for lunch I save for leftovers the next day.
If you want more than what the recipe calls for I would recommend making two batches separately. I personally prefer it this way though others have said doubling it works fine for them in their 8 qt.
Here are a few questions you might be asking yourself if it is your first time making this. I hope these answers help you to becoming an expert.
This is one of the most popular cheap Instant Pot recipes too. It costs less than $10 to feed 5-6 people which is pretty amazing. If you include a bag of meatballs it might be closer to $14 but still a bargain.
Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, or 1 lb. spicy sausage is our new favorite instead of ground beef
- 1/4 c onion, diced
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce, (24 oz)
- 2 c water, I pour into spaghetti sauce jar once emptied, shake to get remainder of sauce and pour in pot, could use beef broth for even more flavor
- 8 oz spaghetti noodles
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt, optional, to taste
Instructions
- Put Instant Pot on saute.
- Add olive oil, onions, and garlic and cook until onions are softened a bit.
- Add ground beef and cook until pink is gone. Drain grease or leave in, your choice.
- Add jar of spaghetti sauce, water, break noodles into 3rds (sprinkle in so they don’t lump together) and push noodles into liquid until they are covered. (do NOT stir)
- Secure lid, close close steam valve and set to 10 minutes (if you want more al dente set for 8-9 minutes).
- Quick release when it beeps, stir and serve. Done!
- ** Do not recommend doubling this recipe as it will not turn out properly. Make two batches separately if you want more.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQ
Yes of course, we will show you how in the video above and the instructions below. It cooks in just 10 minutes. Quick and easy.
Submerged in spaghetti sauce and water the noodles become tender when they are sprinkled in and broken. I think thirds is the right length so they don’t stick together.
I adjust the time slightly to 8 minutes usually, using the same directions here. Smaller noodles will need less time.
Make sure before you close the lid and start pressure cooking that your noodles are submerged in the liquid. Do not stir or it may trigger the burn message and/or stick to the bottom.
Cooking noodles in sauce gives them the most flavor, in pressure cooker is the easiest method using these directions below. If using the “old fashioned” stovetop method the instructions are very similar just thin our your spaghetti or tomato sauce with water or broth bring it to a boil add dry spaghetti noodles.
Yes if you don’t watch it carefully enough in your pot it can, and noodles will become gummy. It is best to cook until al dente. Using this Instant Pot spaghetti recipe will avoid that as it is timed perfectly. I hope if you landed here looking for Instant Pot pasta recipes we have helped quite a bit!
More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
Here are a few others you might want to try to make this week; If you’d like to use your slow cooker you can try our crockpot spaghetti and meatballs recipe too.
- This Instant Pot lasagna soup is comfort food in a bowl with small noodles and WAY easier to make than using traditional wide pasta.
- More 5 ingredient Instant Pot recipes
- Instant Pot cheesy chicken spaghetti has a bit of a kick and tons of flavor.
- You’ve gotta’ try this Instant Pot chicken parmesan casserole, it is amazing.
If you let it sit what little liquid is there will get soaked up by the noodles and thicken a bit too. It stays well inside the Instant Pot for quite some time so even if we are all getting home at different times everyone can enjoy this Instant Pot spaghetti dish.
This is the third time I have made this but I don’t use meat. I put olive oil on the bottom of the insert, two cups of water, 8oz spaghetti and one 24 oz jar of sauce and I ALWAYS get the burn notice. What am I doing wrong? Should I do low pressure instead of high pressure? I get the burn notice before or right when it comes to pressure. TIA
You get the burn notice because you don’t have the meat at the bottom. Consider putting something else at the bottom to prevent that from happening in the future. If you dont want meat in your spaghetti then you can add a layer of mushrooms or other vegetables to the pot too. That added layer helps keep the spaghetti noodles from burning at the bottom and triggering the burn notice.
This recipe was delicious but I did have trouble with the burn setting. Is there a trick to how to order the ingredients so I don’t get this message? It seems the sauce burned, not the spaghetti…. My solution was to finish cooking in a pot for another few minutes and it tasted great.
Haven’t had anyone else report this. An important step to make sure burn doesn’t occur is to make sure to turn your IP off completely after cooking the meat and let it rest for several minutes before starting it again with all the other ingredients. Also scrape the bottom of the pot after meat is done before turning back on for final steps.
Deglaze the pot is the missing step to prevent burn message.
I have made this recipe exactly as listed about a dozen times and never had a burn message. Did you remember to add 2 cups of water?
Glad you’ve had success each time, it’s one of our go to recipes.
I’ve heard that if you put the tomatoes in last and don’t stir it in until after cooking you can avoid the burn. It’s because it is thick with a high sugar content that cases the burning.
I make the spaghetti recipe quite a bit like yours.
Saute the sausage meat (may add a little oil if lean meat) (I make my own sausage meat (half ground turkey, half ground pork with the seasonings), if little fat, leave it. While this is cooking, prepare the sauce.
In separate med-large pyrex bowl, mix 24 oz bottle spaghetti sauce with (1) 14 oz. can stewed tomatoes (don’t drain it), 1/2 can water, add oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder. Use an immersion blender to pulverize the tomatoes into a smoother sauce.
Meat is cooked, (having the saute still on saves coming to pressure time cause the pan is hot) Break noodles in half (use 8 oz, it is a half pkg of 16 oz noodles), criss-cross the spaghetti noodles over the meat to prevent clumping- sticking noodles.
Pour over the noodles and meat. Close lock lid, close vent, Press manual, (make sure it is on pressure) 10 minutes, quick release, stir.
I’ve made this twice and it’s turned out perfect both times! Was wondering if you’ve ever tried beef broth instead of the 2 cups of water for even more flavor? I think the water may dilute the taste of the sauce somewhat. Otherwise, it’s my new way to make spaghetti!!
You totally could!
I found this recipe a couple months ago and now it’s something we make at least once a week. We use beef broth every time and it’s very tasty!
OH Yeah!!!
I doubled this recipe in the 8 quart and it came out perfect!
So glad!!
Why does BURN keep flashing?
Deglaze the pot is the missing step to prevent burn message.
How long did you cook for when the recipe is doubled?
This is very good, I just got the instapot a few days ago. A bit confused though. I followed the directions, set of for ten minutes, about 10 mins later I heard the beep, was all excited, but then the 10 minutes showed up and started counting down? Does this mean the actual “10 mins” does not start til then? It is just getting up to pressure during the first 10 mins? (I am making it again now, don’t know how to make anything else ?)
Yes it is 10 minute cook time, it takes a bit to warm up.
Yes, the 10 minutes starts after the Pot is pressurized. That takes a bit of time.
Heyyy, I really wanna try this out but have few questions, one can I use poultry in this recipe, second can I add few veges in this too. Will be making it on family dinner on sunday please reply before that.
I just tried this with 4 bonelss skinless chicken thighs and it turned out great. Also added a little red wine and a can of mushrooms with liquid.
Yeah!!
worked really good for me, though I found it a bit bland, next time I will put in a can of diced tomatos too and a couple table spoons tomato paste. Maybe some chili powder for some zing…..
Try adding a good amount of sherry to this. You will love it.
Made this for the first time . I will defiantly make again . So easy . Yummy ?
OH good!!
Very good. We made this tonight for the first time. We will make this again. No issues. Thanks for sharing.