Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Total Time
55 mins
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Servings
6 -
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Calories
476 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce
Description
Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce begins by browning a combination of ground beef, Italian sausage, and diced pancetta in olive oil. Minced onion, carrot, and celery are cooked until softened, followed by garlic until fragrant. Red wine is added and reduced to concentrate flavor before combining crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, vinegar, herbs, and seasonings.
The mixture is pressure cooked for 20 minutes, melding the meats and vegetables into a harmonious sauce. After pressure cooking, heavy cream and chopped fresh basil are stirred in and simmered further to thicken and deepen complexity. The result is a hearty sauce with a balance of savory meats, acidity, and herbaceous notes, designed to be served over pasta.
This technique speeds up the traditional slow-cooked Bolognese while retaining depth. Alternatives include oven or slow cooker methods provided in the notes, offering flexibility. Adjust seasonings as needed and serve with grated Parmesan and extra basil for garnish.
Since the sauce can thicken during cooking, adding a splash of water helps maintain desired consistency. Fresh basil is preferred, but dried can be used earlier in the process if fresh is unavailable. Cooking times exclude pressure build-up, which varies by device.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb. ground beef I use 90/10, lean
- 1/2 lb. Italian sausage
- 4 oz pancetta diced
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 1 - 2 medium carrot peeled and minced
- 1 talk celery minced
- 7 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup red wine dry
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2/3 cup beef broth or water, reduced sodium preferred
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp parsley dried
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp thyme dried
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes crushed
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
ADD AFTER PRESSURE COOKING
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup basil chopped, fresh
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot on to "Saute", then add olive oil to the pot. Add the beef, Italian sausage, and pancetta and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Drain if needed, then return to pot.
- Add onion, carrot and celery and cook for 4 more minutes, or until softened. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon as the onions, carrots and celery cook and give off liquid.
- Add garlic and cook, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in red wine and cook, stirring often, until reduced, about 2 minutes.
- Add all remaining ingredients (except for heavy cream and basil) and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure no browned bits remain.
- Cancel the saute function, and secure Instant Pot lid, making sure the valve is set to "sealing". Press the Pressure Cook or Manual button and use the +/- buttons to set the timer for 20 minutes.
- Once the timer beeps, let out the pressure by carefully moving the valve to “venting" to perform a quick release. When the pin drops, remove lid and set aside.
- Select "saute" and select LOW. Stir in heavy cream and basil and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until thickened to desired consistency, about 5-10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve over pasta with grated Parmesan cheese and additional chopped basil if desired.
Notes
- After pressure cooking, stir in heavy cream and fresh basil, then simmer uncovered to thicken, about 5-10 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning to taste and serve with pasta, Parmesan cheese, and extra chopped basil if desired.
- Alternative cooking: Finish initial steps in a pot and simmer uncovered for 2 hours, adding water if sauce thickens too much.
- Slow cooker method available: transfer browned mixture to slow cooker, add other ingredients, and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours before finishing with cream and basil.
- If fresh basil is not on hand, use 2 tsp dried basil added before pressure cooking.
- Prep time excludes time for Instant Pot to reach pressure, typically around 15 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6-
Amount Per Serving
Calories 476 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 476kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
| Protein | 28g | 56% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 102mg | 34% |
| Sodium | 1185mg | 49% |
| Potassium | 1133mg | 24% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 5809IU | 116% |
| Vitamin C | 21mg | 23% |
| Calcium | 107mg | 11% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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