Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published January 4, 2018. Updated October 20, 2018

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Instant Pot Recipesare quickly becoming a new way to cook for many of us so it only makes sense that we need an Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe. If you ask me this is one of the best, easy ways to use the Instant Pot.

You get a rich herbed spaghetti sauce covering tender noodles and it’s finished with plenty of parmesan. You just can’t go wrong here! We all love spaghetti and this may just become your new favorite way to make it!

Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe - Cooking Classy (1)

A Homestyle Spaghetti for Your Instant Pot Recipes Collection

I don’t know maybe that was just me but I got an Instant Pot from my mother-law for Christmas a year ago then I didn’t start using it until the summer because I thought there would be this learning curve or something.

They really are so easy to use and they’re pretty much idiot-proof. I love how they cut cooking time, especially with meat. (If you’re interested in getting one btw you can purchase on Amazon HERE).

Last year I mostly made theseshredded chicken tacos in my Instant Pot. I’ve also made “baked” potatoes and rice and a few other things.

I want to use it more this year so I thought I’d try out one of my go-to weeknight dinners – classic All-American spaghetti in it.

Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe - Cooking Classy (2)

Ingredients for This Spaghetti

  • Olive oil
  • Lean ground beef
  • Garlic
  • Salt and pepper
  • Dry spaghetti
  • Fresh basil
  • Jar four cheese marinara sauce
  • Canned petite diced tomatoes
  • Warm water
  • Parmesan

Scroll below for full printable recipe.

How to Make This Recipe in the Instant Pot

  • Set instant pot to “saute”. Once it reads “hot” add 1 tsp olive oil then break beef into large chunks and add to instant pot along with garlic and a few pinches of salt.
  • Let beef brown, stirring and breaking up beef occasionally, until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Press the “cancel” button to turn instant pot off.
  • Break spaghetti noodles in half. Add about 1/6 into an even layer over beef, then add another 1/6 going the opposite direction into an even layer. Repeat this pattern with remaining noodles four times.
  • Add in marinara sauce, basil, tomatoes and water and season lightly with salt and pepper (don’t stir).
  • Seal the lid of the Instant Pot, making sure the valve is set to “sealing.” Press the “manual mode” button and set to 7 minutes.
  • Once time is up, use the quick release method according to manufactures instructions. Once sputtering stops open lid, remove basil and toss spaghetti with a fork.
  • Let rest two minutes (this will allow some of that extra liquid to soak in and the noodles to cook through). Sere warm with parmesan and basil leaves or chopped basil ribbons.

Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe - Cooking Classy (3)

Shortcut for an Easy Dinner

I like to take the shortcut here of a using a jar of marinara sauce instead of making it from scratch which would add more ingredients and more steps. It’s so good this way though I don’t think anyone will notice it wasn’t from scratch.

The past few years one of my go-to spaghetti sauces is Classico’s Four Cheese but you can swap that for your personal favorite.

Add Basil to the Marinara for More Flavor

However I think they don’t add enough basil and garlic to any jar of spaghetti sauce I’ve tried so I always add more. If you don’t want to pay for the fresh basil then just add some dried basil, maybe 1 tsp.

And finish it off with lots of parmesan. And more basil. Because you can never have too much basil on your spaghetti.

Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe - Cooking Classy (4)

What Should I Serve with This Spaghetti?

  • Side salad with easy Creamy Pesto Dressing
  • Side salad with Italian Salad Dressing
  • Cheesy Garlic Bread or warm buttered sourdough
  • Steamed broccoli with browned butter and parmesan

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe - Cooking Classy (5)

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Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe

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Super easy and super fast classic spaghetti with meat sauce. A great way to use your Instant Pot and clean up is a breeze! It may just become a family favorite!

Servings: 5

Prep5 minutes minutes

Cook25 minutes minutes

Ready in: 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Set instant pot to "saute". Once it reads "hot" add 1 tsp olive oil then break beef into large chunks and add to instant pot along with garlic and a few pinches of salt.

  • Let beef brown, stirring and breaking up beef occasionally, until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Press the "cancel" button to turn instant pot off.

  • Break spaghetti noodles in half. Add about 1/6 into an even layer over beef, then add another 1/6 going the opposite direction into an even layer. Repeat this pattern with remaining noodles four times (this doesn't need to be perfect! It's just to reduce sticking).

  • Add in marinara sauce, basil, tomatoes and water and season lightly with salt and pepper (don't stir).

  • Seal the lid of the Instant Pot, making sure the valve is set to "sealing." Press the "manual mode" button (or high pressure on other pressure cookers) and set to 7 minutes.

  • Once time is up, use the quick release method according to manufactures instructions (basically just stand back and flick the valve). Once sputtering stops open lid, remove basil and toss spaghetti with a fork.

  • Let rest two minutes (this will allow some of that extra liquid to soak in and the noodles to cook through). Sere warm with parmesan and basil leaves or chopped basil ribbons.

Notes

*Use spaghetti that lists 9 - 11 minutes to al dente.

Parmesan cheese not listed in nutritional info.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 445Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 56mg19%

Sodium 892mg39%

Potassium 1156mg33%

Carbohydrates 64g21%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 31g62%

Vitamin A 830IU17%

Vitamin C 17.7mg21%

Calcium 76mg8%

Iron 5.5mg31%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Instant Pot Recipes, Spaghetti

Author: Jaclyn

Recipe source: inspired byThe Salty Marshmallow

This post contains affiliate links.

Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

How to keep spaghetti noodles from sticking together in Instant Pot? ›

Spray the bottom of the inner pot on the Instant Pot with non stick spray or add a little bit of olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking. Add salt to the water to flavor the pasta just as you would for the stove top version. Always break spaghetti noodles or other long pasta in half before cooking.

Why do you not stir pasta in instant pot? ›

Resist the urge to stir after the pasta is added.

As soon as you've got the pasta in the pot and the water over it, put the lid on. You can give the pasta a gentle prod, but do not stir, which will give you gummy, stuck-together pasta.

Can you overcook pasta in instant pot? ›

The outlet explains that overcooking the pasta is a particularly common error, since the starch's overall cook time really adds up as the pot comes to pressure, stays at pressure to cook the dish, and then releases pressure once done cooking.

What is the spaghetti rule in Italy? ›

spaghetti should be cut only to children; the etiquette wants them to be avoided at dinners. Serving them would mean putting guests in difficulty; Finally, spaghetti should be served on a deep plate as these dishes help to form perfect portions.

How do restaurants keep spaghetti from sticking? ›

It's a great trick to precious save time during service, but how did the pasta chef stop the pasta sticking together when cold? After all, you couldn't serve one of those clumpy messes of pasta in an Italian restaurant. Simple: they thoroughly coated the pasta in oil before storing it.

How to cook spaghetti without it sticking together? ›

How to Keep Pasta From Sticking
  1. Use a big pot and a lot of water.
  2. Wait until the pasta water really boils.
  3. Generously salt the pasta water.
  4. Stir your pasta often.
  5. Just say no to oil or butter.
  6. Stop as soon as your pasta is at the right texture.
  7. Don't let the pasta sit in the colander too long.
  8. Don't rinse your pasta.
Jan 24, 2024

How to keep spaghetti noodles moist after cooking? ›

Once your noodles cool for about 15 minutes, dump them in a large Ziploc bag and put the sealed bag in the refrigerator. Coating your noodles in olive oil is the key to this entire process. Not only does the oil give them a subtle flavor, it also helps to control moisture in the bag. Dry noodles are bad for business.

Why does my Instant Pot keep burning spaghetti? ›

Lai says the most common cause for a burn notification is not adding enough liquid to the pot or using thick ingredients like a thick tomato sauce. "If you sauté prior to pressure cooking and you do not properly deglaze the bottom of the pot, food stuck to the bottom can cause the burn notification," says Lai.

Why don t chefs use Instant Pot? ›

They are most commonly used in industrial settings to quickly prepare meat or stocks. However, in most scenarios, Elite Chefs avoid using pressure cookers because they provide less control over the final dish. Chefs often prefer slow cooking techniques that accentuate and pull out the flavors of the food.

Is there anything you should not put in the Instant Pot? ›

Here are the foods that experts recommend cooking using trusty traditional methods instead of your bright-and-shiny Instant Pot:
  1. Fried Foods. The Instant Pot is a master at moist-heat cooking, which is precisely why fried foods fall flat. ...
  2. Steak. ...
  3. Burgers. ...
  4. Stir-Fry. ...
  5. Cream-Based Sauces. ...
  6. Noodles. ...
  7. Seafood. ...
  8. Cookies.
Apr 8, 2020

Why is my pasta too soft in the Instant Pot? ›

First, you're going to want to nail down exactly how much liquid to use in your recipe. If you add too much, the pasta will likely turn out mushy. If you add too little, the pasta will be too dry, or even set off the appliance's BURN error, per Kitchn. America's Test Kitchen recommends a specific ratio of 5:1.

Can you cook 2 pounds of pasta in an Instant Pot? ›

Can you cook 2 pounds of pasta in Instant Pot? Yes, but only in the 6 or 8-qt Instant Pot (the 3-qt is too small). For 2 pounds (32oz.) of pasta, use 8 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt, and 4 teaspoons olive oil.

How long do you cook pasta in Instant Pot formula? ›

(12 minutes divided by 2, minus 1 additional minute). This formula works for regular pasta, whole wheat pasta, gluten-free pasta, rice-based pasta, or pretty much any kind. Tip: If the cook time is an odd number, I generally round down.

What is the secret to good spaghetti? ›

IF YOU COOK spaghetti in a big pot of water, drain it, then toss it with sauce, you are pouring a lot of flavor down the drain, says Vendemmia chef Brian Clevenger. “The trick to good pasta is cooking it in the sauce,” he says. It was while working at Delfina in San Francisco that he really started to understand why.

What is the correct way to cook spaghetti? ›

The most popular way to cook spaghetti is simple. Put the pasta into plenty of boiling water, stir it, bring it to a simmer, turn the heat off, put a lid on and leave it to finish cooking for 10-12 mins.

What is the secret to Italian pasta? ›

Italian style requires pasta to be cooked “al dente” and never until completely soft. Therefore, you can follow packet instructions, or do like Italian usually do and just taste as you cook until you're happy with the texture.

Do Italians put oil in pasta when cooking? ›

1) Never add oil to your water

The only way to avoid having blobs of pasta sticking together is to use a lot of water. This way, the starches will disperse in the water and won't act as glue. You will need one litre of water for every 100 grams of dry pasta.

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