Instant Pot Spaghetti
User Reviews
5
-
Total Time
30 mins
-
Servings
4 - 6
-
Calories
542 kcal
-
Cuisine
American, Italian-American Fussion
Instant Pot Spaghetti
Description
This recipe layers seasoned ground beef with onions, garlic, dried basil, and oregano at the bottom of the Instant Pot, followed by chicken stock, spaghetti noodles, and canned tomatoes or marinara sauce atop. The ground beef can be browned first to intensify flavor or cooked directly with the noodles for convenience.
Pressure cooking cooks the pasta and blends the sauce flavors together, yielding spaghetti that is usually al dente or slightly tender, with a sauce rich in tomato and herb notes. The soy sauce adds umami, while seasoning adjustments allow for personal taste.
After cooking, the sauce may appear thin but can be thickened by simmering with the lid off using the Instant Pot's sauté function to reach preferred consistency. The dish serves as a filling main course suited for quick family meals or casual dinners.
Careful deglazing of the pot prevents burning and captures browned flavor bits, enhancing the sauce complexity. Ground beef with more fat content is preferred for flavor, but lean beef works as well.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454g) spaghetti
- 1 pound (454g) ground beef
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
- 4 cups (1L) chicken stock or water, unsalted
- salt Kosher salt
- black pepper Kosher salt
Simple Marinara Sauce
- 1 large can (28oz) whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 (180g) onion , diced (or 1 teaspoon onion powder)
- 3 cloves (15g) garlic , minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1½ teaspoon (1.8g) basil dried
- 1½ teaspoon (1.2g) oregano dried
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) soy sauce regular
Instructions
- *For Dump-and-Go-Meal: Skip the browning, sauteing, and deglazing steps below. Make sure to break the ground beef into smaller chunks. Then layer the seasoned ground beef chunks, onions, garlic, dried herbs at the bottom of the pot.
- Optional Flavor Booster - Brown Ground Beef in Instant Pot: Heat up Instant Pot using "Sauté More" function. Wait until it says "HOT" (~8 mins). Add 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil in Instant Pot. Make sure the oil is coated over the whole bottom.Add in 1lb (454g) ground beef, then season generously with salt & ground black pepper. After browning for 5 minutes, discard the ground beef juice. With a wooden spoon, break the ground beef apart into smaller chunks. Allow the ground beef to brown. Stir occasionally until they are slightly crisped (~5 – 7 mins). Taste then adjust with more salt & ground black pepper.
- Saute Onion & Herbs: Add in diced onions, minced garlic, 1½ tsp (1.8g) dried basil, and 1½ tsp (1.2g) dried oregano, then saute for another 2 minutes.
- Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour 1 cup (250ml) unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot. Then fully deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Give it a quick mix.
- Pressure Cook Spaghetti: Add in 3 tbsp (45ml) regular soy sauce, remaining 3 cups (750ml) unsalted chicken stock. Break 1 lb (454g) spaghetti in half, then add spaghetti in Instant Pot. Amy + Jacky's Pro Tip: Ensure spaghetti are not clumped together and all soaked in the liquid.Layer 1 large can (28oz) whole peeled tomatoes or Marinara sauce on top. Do not mix. With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 3 minutes, then Natural Release for 5 minutes. Release remaining pressure, then open the lid.
- Thicken & Season: The spaghetti sauce will look liquidy at first, and the spaghetti is about 85% - 90% cooked. Use the "Saute More" function (press "Cancel" and "Saute") to bring the content back to a simmer. With a wooden spoon, break down the tomatoes, then stir a few minutes to fully cook the spaghetti and thicken the sauce. Taste and season with roughly 3 - 4 large pinches of salt. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Serve: Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, then serve this tasty spaghetti. Enjoy!~
Notes
- Use regular ground beef for better flavor; lean ground beef can substitute but may be less rich.
- Choose unsalted chicken stock for better flavor control; adjust salt if using salted stock.
- Substitute canned whole peeled tomatoes with jarred marinara sauce if preferred.
- Deglaze the Instant Pot thoroughly after browning to avoid burn errors and capture flavors.
- After pressure cooking, use the sauté function to thicken the sauce and achieve desired spaghetti texture.
- Layer ingredients correctly: ground beef, onions, and garlic first; then stock; then spaghetti; topped with tomatoes or sauce to optimize cooking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4- 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 542 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 542kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 63g | 21% |
| Protein | 28g | 56% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 614mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 603mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 10IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 3.5mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 63mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3.5mg | 19% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
