Recipe updated: April 16th, 2024
This easy Instant Pot spaghetti recipe with meat sauce not only is rich in flavor, but it’s simple to make, and tastes so delicious. It’s an easy dinner idea your whole family will enjoy. With plenty of lean ground beef and delicious seasonings, this is a go-to-meal that’s perfect for any occasion.
We love to eat this spaghetti dinner with a variety of side dishes such as garlic bread, boiled baby potatoes, potato salad, buttered green beans, or a lettuce salad and fresh vegetables.
🍴 Key Ingredients
To make this spaghetti dinner, you will need the following ingredients and seasonings:
- 3 cans of petite diced tomatoes – 14.5 ounces each
- 2 pounds of lean ground beef
- 24 ounces of spaghetti noodles – that’s one 16 ounce package, then half of a 16 ounce package
- 1 can of tomato sauce – 15 ounces
- 1 cup of water
- 1 can of tomato paste – 6 ounces
- 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the Instant Pot before adding the lean ground beef
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic (in water)
- 2 teaspoons basil or fresh basil from the garden or grocery store
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon of table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
👩🍳 How to Make Instant Pot Spaghetti
These step-by-step instructions are accompanied by detailed photos for enhanced clarity and guidance.
Step 1. Set the Instant Pot on Sauté
The first thing we need to do is press the sauté button on the Instant Pot to get it ready to brown the ground beef. The sauté button is on the bottom left side of our Instant Pot.
Step 2. Add the Ground Beef
Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of the Instant Pot, then add 2 pounds of lean ground beef. Sauté on high until the ground beef is done browning and no pink is showing. Also, break up the ground beef as it browns, including any on the bottom of the pot.
Step 3. Brown the Ground Beef
We chopped up our ground beef into smaller pieces because that’s the way we like it. But you can chop yours whatever size you like. Just make sure there is no pink showing when you are done. The photo below shows the ground beef with no pink showing. At this time, drain any excess fat (liquid) from the ground beef.
Note: The photo below shows browning the ground beef with a wooden spatula, but you can use whatever utensil you have that will get the job done.
Step 4. Add Diced Tomatoes, Tomato Paste, and Tomato Sauce
Next, add 3 cans of diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces each), 1 can of tomato paste (6 ounces), and 1 can of tomato sauce (15 ounces), together with the ground beef.
Step 5. Mix Thoroughly
Stir the ground beef together with the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce in the Instant Pot until thoroughly blended.
Step 6. Add the Seasonings
Add 2 teaspoons basil, 2 teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, 4 teaspoons minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar together with the meat mixture. Stir together until well blended.
Step 7. Keep Warm (Optional)
If you aren’t ready to serve dinner at this time, you can slow cook the meat sauce mixture by pressing the slow cook button on the Instant Pot. This will keep the meat sauce warm until you are ready to add the spaghetti noodles.
Step 8. Add the Spaghetti Noodles
If you are slow cooking the meat sauce to keep it warm, after that, remove the lid on the Instant Pot, then lay the uncooked spaghetti noodles (24 ounces) on top of the meat sauce. Do not stir.
Tip: If you prefer to do so, you can do the crisscross pattern, laying half the package of spaghetti noodles one way, and lay the other half of the spaghetti noodles on top of the first layer in the opposite direction.
Step 9. Add the Water
Pour one cup of water on top of the spaghetti noodles. Do not stir, but you need to make sure the noodles are covered with the water, so you may need to push them down slightly. The one cup of water is just enough liquid to cook the spaghetti noodles to perfection.
Step 10. Press the Manual Button
Set the Instant Pot on manual, then cook the spaghetti for 8 minutes. After the 8 minutes are up, let the pressure stay sealed for 5 minutes, then do a quick release to let the high pressure out of the pot. After that, remove the lid, stir the spaghetti, then serve.
Note: If the spaghetti noodles aren’t quite done to your liking, then you can cook the spaghetti noodles for a few more minutes. The spaghetti should be cooked al dente, meaning, chewy to the bite, yet tender noodles, but not mushy.
🌟 Recipe Variations
- Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top of the spaghetti right before serving for added flavor.
- Add one half teaspoon ground black pepper, or one teaspoon garlic powder, instead of the minced garlic, to the homemade sauce during cooking.
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, this spaghetti recipe can be made in a slow cooker or on the stove top in a frying pan to brown the ground beef and a pot to boil the spaghetti pasta.
- Add one diced onion or one diced red bell pepper.
- You can use ground turkey or Italian sausage instead of the ground beef.
- Sprinkle some red pepper flakes on your serving of spaghetti. Just a little bit of red pepper flakes does the trick because they are spicy hot, but so good!
- You can use different spaghetti, such as whole wheat spaghetti, or thin spaghetti, or any of your favorite spaghetti noodles.
☝️ FAQs
Put any leftover spaghetti in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator. Finish eating the spaghetti the next day, or within three or four days.
Yes, you can put any leftover Instant Pot spaghetti with meat sauce in the freezer for about six months. For the best results, put the leftovers in one or two servings per freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bag.
If you will be using a freezer-safe container, pick a size for one or two servings. The same goes for using a freezer-safe bag, pick a size for one or two servings.
Fill each freezer-safe container with the leftover spaghetti with meat sauce, cover it with the lid that comes with the container, and then put it in the freezer.
For the freezer-safe bag, do the same by filling the bag with leftover spaghetti with meat sauce, with the only exception that after you have filled the bag, zip it up trying to get as much air out of the bag as possible. After that, flatten the bag by pushing the spaghetti with meat sauce around in the bag, releasing more air if needed. The flatter you get contents in the bag, the quicker it is to thaw when you need it.
💡 Final Thoughts
I love spaghetti with homemade meat sauce. When we have busy nights and don’t know what to make for dinner, we make it a spaghetti night! It’s a quick dinner to make for those busy weeknights, with less than 30 minutes cooking time until dinner is ready. No browning of the ground beef in a separate frying pan, and also no pot on the stove to boil the noodles because all the ingredients go into the Instant Pot. The whole family will love it, and kitchen clean-up will be a breeze, with only one pot to clean.
The best thing about this spaghetti is the homemade meat sauce recipe. The lean ground beef, Italian seasonings, diced tomatoes, and minced garlic create a well-balanced and satisfying taste for a rich, savory, and comforting meal.
📑 Printable Recipe Card
Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe (Meat)
🫕 Equipment
🧂 Ingredients
- 3 cans petite diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce each)
- 2 lb lean ground beef
- 24 oz spaghetti pasta
- 1 can tomato sauce 15 oz
- 1 cup water
- 1 can tomato paste 6 oz
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tsp minced garlic (in water)
- 2 tsp basil
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp thyme
👩🍳 Instructions
- Put the olive oil and the lean ground beef in the Instant Pot. Sauté on high. Chop it up as it browns until the ground beef has no pink showing.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Mix thoroughly with the browned ground beef.
- Add the basil, oregano, salt, thyme, minced garlic, and brown sugar. Mix together with the ground beef mixture.
- Lay the spaghetti noodles on top of the meat sauce. Pour the water over the spaghetti noodles. Do not stir, but make sure the spaghetti noodles are covered with water. You can push the spaghetti noodles down a bit if you need to.
- Put the lid on the instant pot and set it on manual for 8 minutes.
- After 8 minutes, let it set for 5 more minutes, then remove the lid and stir the spaghetti.
- If the noodles aren't quite done, cook for a couple more minutes.
*️⃣ Recipe Notes
- Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top of your serving.
- Some great side dishes are garlic bread, a can of corn or corn on the cob, and hot buttered green beans with pepper.
- Other sides can be mashed potatoes, a lettuce salad, or fresh vegetables.
- You can slow cook the meat sauce mixture if you aren’t ready to serve dinner yet. Just press the slow cook button on the instant pot. This keeps the meat sauce warm until you are ready to add the spaghetti noodles.
💑 More Instant Pot Recipes You Will Love
- Try this delicious cheesy tortellini for your next dinner gathering. Cheesy tortellini tastes great with salad and garlic bread.
- This chicken chili with black beans recipe is a wholesome bowl of soup with rich chili flavor and just a touch of cayenne pepper for extra hot and spicy warmth in every bite.
- A super easy cheesy chicken and rice casserole that tastes amazing, especially with hot buttered corn bread.
A wife, a mother to a son and a daughter, and a grandmother to three granddaughters. Flo loves sharing recipes passed down from her own mother, her mother-in-law, and her grandmother as well as new recipes created with her daughter, Tamara Ray.
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