Instant Pot Spaghetti
Dinner will be on the table in no time with this super easy Instant Pot spaghetti! Everything cooks together for a simple, flavorful, hands-off spaghetti dinner.
Hello my favorite friends! How is summer treating you so far?
I know we are mid-June and deep in the land of summery food. Grilling, BBQ’s, great salads.
But around here, some nights, the masses have to eat quickly without a lot of fuss, and truthfully no one cares whether dinner fits into the “warm, summery, lazily, eat-out-on-the-back-patio” theme.
They just want dinner. And they want it fast. And yummy. So do I, if I’m being perfectly honest.
Enter this Instant Pot spaghetti. It’s become a fast favorite. And it can still be eaten out on the back patio if that’s important to you (no one call the back patio eating police, ok?).
If you would have asked me months ago how I felt about the idea of Instant Pot spaghetti, I would have said I wasn’t really interested.
Why? Because I have this favorite-ever homemade spaghetti sauce that has basically met all of my spaghetti needs for the last decade. It’s amazing.
And I also have this weeknight spaghetti sauce that is pretty much perfect when you need spaghetti dinner FAST.
Plus, I haven’t had the greatest luck with other pasta recipes in the Instant Pot (burning, unevenly cooked pasta).
But after so many of you begged and pleaded…and yes, bribed…on Instagram, I decided to get to work on an Instant Pot spaghetti recipe.
I mean, after all, the appeal of cooking the noodles and sauce all in one pot won me over for convenience and happiness. The trick? Making sure it tastes amazing, too.
I can honestly say after testing and making and eating this Instant Pot spaghetti numerous times, it’s a winner.
The noodles are tender…not mushy. The sauce is thick and flavorful…not thin and watery.
And all of it cooks to perfection together in the almighty Instant Pot (I’m sure other electric pressure cookers will work, too!).
There are a couple tricks to keep in mind for spaghetti success:
-Use spaghetti noodles with an al dente cooking time of about 11 minutes, break them in half and alternate directions as you layer them over the browned meat (see the little visual below).
-it’s important to use a sauce that is thick with a flavor you love. I rarely buy jarred spaghetti sauce, but it works great for convenience in this recipe (although I bet you could use a combination of crushed tomatoes and dried oregano and basil if you want a homemade route). I’ve listed my preferred brand in the notes of the recipe.
While this Instant Pot spaghetti may not surpass a really great, classic, homemade spaghetti dinner, it’s fabulous for when you need a no-fuss dinner with a totally hands-off cooking approach.
It’s not necessarily faster than that weeknight spaghetti I told you about above, but being able to throw the noodles and sauce in together and walk away while it cooks (in one pot! no washing multiple skillets and pasta pots!) is pretty golden.
Like all good pasta recipes, the finished spaghetti benefits from resting a couple minutes after cooking…but it’s also best to not let it rest too long.
There’s a pasta-eating window that promises tender, saucy pasta without any gloopy, mushy noodles or watery, thin sauces. Lock in to that timeframe, and you’ll love the result.
This is one of those recipes that makes the Instant Pot worth it, in my opinion (along with all of these other pressure cooker faves, of course).
I grew up eating spaghetti with the noodles and sauce all tossed together in one big stockpot before serving – it was one of my favorite meals.
The idea of serving the noodles and sauce separately honestly never occurred to me until college (thanks to my roommates thinking I was the weird one); I haven’t enjoyed the mishmash of pre-combined noodles and sauce since thanks to converting over to a lifestyle of separate noodles and spaghetti sauce.
I’m honestly not sure what spaghetti method is authentic or not, but eating this Instant Pot spaghetti with the tender jumble of noodles already coated in the rich, flavorful sauce brings me back to my down-to-earth, simple spaghetti roots.
And I love it.
What To Serve With This:
One Year Ago: My Go-To Brownie Recipe {One-Bowl Deep, Dark Chocolate Brownies}
Two Years Ago: Grilled Lemon Chicken Skewers with Yogurt-Hummus Sauce
Three Years Ago: Spinach, Apple & Gouda Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Four Years Ago: Vanilla Funfetti Mug Cake {Egg and Dairy Free}
Five Years Ago: Berries on a Cloud {Best Dessert of the Summer!}
Instant Pot Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- Salt and pepper
- 16 ounces uncooked spaghetti noodles (see note)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 40 ounces jarred spaghetti/marinara sauce (see note)
- 3 ½ cups water
- Freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil, for serving (both optional)
Instructions
- Select the sauté function on the Instant Pot and add the ground beef or turkey, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Cook the meat, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until it is no longer pink, 4-5 minutes.
- Cancel the sauté function so the meat doesn’t burn, and drain any excess grease. Give the meat a good stir to distribute evenly over the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Break the spaghetti noodles in half and layer them on top of each other in 5-6 layers, alternating directions (see picture in the post for a visual) so they don’t clump together while cooking.
- Pour the spaghetti sauce over the noodles and sprinkle the dried basil on top. Pour the water around the edges of the pot. Don’t stir.
- Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and set the valve to seal. Select high pressure/manual and dial up or down to 7 minutes. The Instant Pot will start on its own.
- When the cooking time is finished, quick release the pressure. Remove the lid and toss the noodles and sauce together. The sauce may seem thin at first; let the spaghetti rest for 4-5 minutes before serving so it thickens up a bit. Serve with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
133 Comments on “Instant Pot Spaghetti”
I finally made this recipe after having it in my “to try” folder for a couple of years. I made it when our grandkids were having a “sleep-over” and they loved it. It was nice to make it & keep it in the instant pot till I served it. I followed the recipe exactly, and it cooked perfectly, and the noodles didn’t clump. I love your recipes and all the time you spend with the instructions!
You are amazing!!
Hi favorite food blogger friend!
I’m having a rough week and reading your email with favorite things to make for November led me to this recipe and your greeting “hello favorite friends” made me smile
Please know you are more than an excellent cook – you have the gift of making others feel special xoxo
That really made my day, Patricia. Thank you!!
This recipe really was yummy! Simple and delicious!
For anyone wondering about using a 24oz jar (I found that that’s all my grocery store sold since I don’t have a Costco membership), I tried a substitution!
I used a 6 oz can of tomato paste, mixed w 6 oz water. Stir, and then season it up to its not so bland (Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, etc). Then I poured this mix in after I poured my 24 oz jar of sauce onto the noodles. Did the trick, and the sauce wasn’t too watery or too thick! Just wanted to share in case anyone was like me and didn’t want leftover sauce from using part of a second jar.
Thanks for the fantastic recipe Mel!
This turned out great! Both kids loved it. I was worried after having had no success with the insta pot Mac and cheese.
Our stove and oven broke down last week so I have been pushed to use my insta pot.
Thanks!
I’ve made this recipe so many times. It’s a simple but delicious recipe. This is one of my go to recipes whenever I don’t have a lot of time. Love how it uses a whole pack of spaghetti too. Feeds my whole family.
Amazingly easy and delicious!
*For anyone who needs it to be gluten free, we used Barilla Gluten Free, cooked at 0 minutes, natural release for 8-minutes. Came out perfectly. No soggy or broken noodles.
This is the only way I make spaghetti anymore! I felt silly making it the first time, but boy was I wrong. It’s simple, delicious, and the only meal my husband willingly eats leftovers for.
I’m late to the party on this recipe but it’s just been a complete lifesaver for my family tonight. We’re half way through a big renovation and have no kitchen. Just a microwave, toaster and instant pot. Which actually means we’re pretty well set but with no prep space I’ve struggled to do anything too adventurous. We thought spaghetti would be off the menu til after the new kitchen is installed but thanks to this recipe we’ve now got lovely full spaghetti tummies. Thanks so much Mel this is so easy but tastes amazing!
We finally caved and bought an Instant Pot so we have been busy trying out lots of recipes. I love this one pot spaghetti. It’s so good! We added some chopped onion for a little more flavor and had to use the saute function for a few more minutes after the pressure release to cook some noodles that stuck together. But all in all turned out terrific. Everyone loved it! Thanks Mel for a great recipe!
Any tips for making this with cooked then frozen ground beef? Thank you for sharing the best recipes, gift ideas, and life ideas!
I would probably toss the cooked, crumbled, frozen ground beef on the bottom of the pot, layer the noodles and sauce and cook it that way.
I started playing with my previously unused Instant Pot during quarantine, and this is hands down my husband’s favorite. He usually doesn’t eat leftovers, but I have to fight him for these! Thanks, Mel!
We love this recipe and make it 2x a month! I know that this was published two years ago, but do you still use the White Linen sauce with it? If so, where do you find it (I haven’t been able to find it at our Costco), and if you use a new sauce, which one is it? :0)
Hey Elizabeth, I kind of vary the sauce I use depending on what I have or what I can find. The Rao’s sauce at Costco is good, so are varying sauces from Trader Joe’s. Sometimes I even just use a can of crushed tomatoes with some dried seasonings. 🙂
Can I double this recipe in the instant pot? Or will it not fit?
I’ve only ever doubled it in my 8-quart instant pot – not sure a double batch fits in the 6 quart.
Wow, this was so good. I was expecting this to just be a simple solution to needing an easy lunch idea, but was so pleasantly surprised when all three of my kids and husband raved about it. That rarely happens. There was just something about the way the sauce soaked into the noodles with this method.
Mel recipes makeup about 75% of my recipe book. This is another one to add. Thank you!
Spaghettini noodles – yay or nay? Was planning to make this for Sunday lunch tomorrow, but just realized I only have spaghettini which cooks much faster. If I were to try it, by how many min do you think I should reduce the cooking time in the instant pot?
Take the time on the back of the package for al dente, cut it in half and subtract another 2 minutes. That’s the best way to figure out time for pasta in the instant pot.
I tried this Instant Pot recipe last night for dinner. I am brand new to the Instant Pot world and have been on your site, Mel, looking at all your recipes. Well this spaghetti turned out sooo good! I used Barilla spaghetti noodles because they have a cook time of 10 minutes and Barilla in general just makes great pasta. I also used Bertolli pasta sauce that I got from Costco. I followed the directions and the end product was a really good spaghetti that was flavorful with the mixed meat and sauce. The noodles weren’t overdone and it wasn’t too watery. I will definitely be making this recipe again. Thanks, Mel, for giving me Instant Pot confidence.
GLUTEN FREE TIPS HERE.
This is a go-to for us too.
I have one gluten free kid and we all like the Tinkyada (I think I spelled that correctly) brand pasta. I do 8 minutes for pressure.
We have tried other gluten free brands and they either don’t taste right or the texture gets wonky.
I just have to say yanks for this! Definitely not quicker than making normal spaghetti, but we just moved into a house with an induction stovetop and NONE of my pots or pans work on it!! Haha, it’s so silly. I haven’t gotten around to buying a new set yet, so it’s the oven, crockpot and instant pot for everything. This spaghetti was a welcome addition to our menu! So yummy.
Delicious and it smelled amazing too! Whole family loved it. I used one jar generic tomato basil pasta sauce (25 ounces) + a can of flame roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, and also sauteed some diced red bell pepper and celery with the ground beef. Cooked 8 minutes because we’re at high altitude, and it was perfect. We’ll be making this one again.
Can this be doubled in the 8 qt? Trying to feed 12 people
It’ll be full but it should work – just keep an eye on not overfilling it past the “safe” level for pasta.
So easy, soooo good! First success I’ve had in my Instant Pot and it’s going into the rotation. Texture + flavour are absolutely perfect.
Can you double this? Will it fit in 8qt instapot?
It’ll be full but it should work – just keep an eye on not overfilling it past the “safe” level for pasta.
For 8oz of spaghetti should the amount of sauce be half? Cooking time changed? Two cups of water or less?
I would halve all the ingredients but keep the cooking time the same.
This is my go to spaghetti. I use hot Italian sausage but other then follow to a tee and it comes out perfect every time. I use the trader joes organic 10 minute spaghetti noodles and its just delish!
This is my go to spaghetti. I use hot Italian sausage but other then follow to a tee and it comes out perfect every time. I use the trader joes organic spaghetti minute noodles and its just delish!
This is the best spaghetti! We like meatballs too so I do ground and add meatballs. I have so many of your recipes bookmarked – love your site Mel! Personally was a lot of noodles so I am going to put about 8-10 oz. – should I cut water down to 1 – 3/4 cup?
Hey Teresa – thank you! If you cut the noodles in half, yes, you probably need to reduce liquid, but I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure. For 10 ounces noodles, I’d probably do 2 cups water.
So yummy and easy! I love this !
Made this last night and we loved it! Just three of us so I put some in the freezer for another meal. I always add a minute to cook time with pasta due to high altitude. The sauce thickened beautifully as stated. The pasta was perfect after letting it sit for a few more minutes beyond what the recipe states. High altitude can throw curve balls!
Spaghetti has become a favorite in our house thanks to this recipe! I’m not sure why, but it’s just delicious in the instant pot! Thanks for such a great recipe!
Hi Mel! I loved this recipe with the White Linen sauce from Costco. I haven’t seen the sauce at Costco for a while and called and they don’t have any ordered. Do you have another jarred sauce that you like?
I’ve actually been bummed our Costco doesn’t carry it anymore either. I like most of the pasta sauces from Trader Joe’s and the last one I picked up from Costco was yummy but I can’t remember the brand. I’m headed there today so I’ll look and report back.
Can you use 2 pounds of meat in this recipe?
Yes
Love this! Tastes good and it’s nice you can throw it all in the pan and let it cook!
Yes, it works. We used leftover shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat. We followed Mel’s recipe using alfredo sauce and these substitutes. It turned out great! Thank you Mel for all of the wonderful recipes! My family and I love them!
I tried this last night with my family and loved it!! I’m not a huge spaghetti fan, but this was so good that I can’t wait to make it again.
It got me thinking, I wonder if this could be made with Alfredo sauce instead and maybe add in some chicken or sausage. I might need to try it!
Yes, we did that. We added leftover shrimp, scallops, and crab with alfredo sauce. It turned out great. We followed Mel’s recipe with the new substitutions. Thanks Mel for the wonderful ideas and recipes! My family and I love them!!!
So weird! I’ve made this before and it turned out so perfect. Tonight after 7 min my noodles were still pretty stiff and crunchy!? Same bulk spaghetti from Costco as before…
A couple times my Instant Pot has started counting down the minutes without actually coming to pressure – do you think that could have happened?
Same here. Costco noodles. I am putting the lid back on to cook for a few more minutes.