Name: Instant Pot Spaghetti - An Easy All In One Pot Meal
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp of olive oil; ½ of an onion, diced; ½ cup of diced carrots; 1 celery stalk, diced finely; 1 pound of ground beef (I prefer 80/20); 1 tablespoon of minced garlic; ½ tsp of kosher salt; ½ tsp of ground black pepper; ½ tsp of Italian seasoning; 24 oz of marinara sauce or your favorite pre-made jar (same size); Homemade Marinara (Optional):; 1 tsp of olive oil; 2 cloves of garlic, smashed, or pre-minced; 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes; 1 tsp oregano; 1 small bay leaf; 2 tbsp of chopped fresh basil; salt and fresh pepper to taste; The final ingredients:; 2 cups of water, divided; 1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes; 8 oz of dry spaghetti; Grated parmesan cheese for topping

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Instant Pot Spaghetti – the All In One Pot Meal

Before I got my Instant Pot, everyone I knew who already had one said to make Instant Pot spaghetti. Now, you may have the same reservations about making a pasta dish like this that I had. Won’t it come out soggy? Will it still really be spaghetti if it’s all done at once?

Well, I tried it and got it on the first try. I rarely get a recipe on my first try. Now, I want to make this spaghetti weekly.

Spaghetti is a classic dish that I always want, especially after seeing that cute clip from Lady and the Tramp. But, what’s so hard about making spaghetti in the first place? Nothing, really, besides the fact that you might use multiple pots making spaghetti traditionally. That, and it usually takes more time for everything to come together.

Instant Pot spaghetti is all in one pot. All the flavors marry together and much quicker than simmering on the stove all day. Plus, making Instant Pot spaghetti all year round isn’t hard since you don’t have to worry about slaving over a hot stove.

How to Make Instant Pot Spaghetti

To make Instant Pot spaghetti, you’re going to take start by adding setting your Instant Pot to sauté mode and sauteeing your celery, onion, and carrots in some olive oil. Then add in your ground beef and start browning the beef, adding in the minced garlic and seasonings as well.

Then you’ll add you marinara sauce. You can either make your marinara my way or add in your favorite jar. You’ll add some water and your dry spaghetti. In about 20 minutes, you’ll have a complete meal of spaghetti all done in the Instant Pot.

The meat will be tender so that it will taste like it cooked all day. Same with those veggies I’m going to have you add-in to your sauce. With Instant Pot spaghetti, they all meld together to create a yummy spaghetti sauce.

This time, instead of dirtying up a few pots and pans as well as strainers, you get this wonderful spaghetti sauce with pasta cooked all in one.

Vegetarian Instant Pot Spaghetti

I’m not leaving out my vegetarian friends in her either. If you want Instant Pot spaghetti sans meat, just skip the meat part. You could instead opt in to add your mushroom of choice instead of the meat part, add in a plant-based alternative, or skip it altogether. The decision is yours.

Getting the Perfect Instant Pot Pasta Tips

The first time I made pasta in the Instant Pot, I added way too much water. My pasta turned out so soggy and gross. I did not dare to add pasta to my Instant Pot for a long while.

Then, I read up in my favorite Instant Pot groups that screwing up pasta in the Instant Pot is way too easy to do. Here’s what I learned that turned my bad luck with pasta around:

After sauteing or browning your meat, always add a little water and scrape down your pot before moving onto cooking. That way, you don’t get the burn signal while cooking. Sometimes, I just move it into a separate bowl and thoroughly clean out the pot. It’s up to you.
To avoid having your noodles clump together, crisscross them when you add them into your Instant Pot.
You might get a lot of liquid in the end. That’s okay. You’ll want to stir all your ingredients well before you serve your Instant Pot spaghetti.
It’s all about layering. Get the sauce under and over pasta by making layers in between.
Once pasta is added, don’t stir. Just cover with the liquid and give a gentle nudge. Otherwise, your pasta may come out clumpy.

What Kind of Pressure Cooker Works Best?

You can make this Instant Pot spaghetti with any type of electric pressure cooker or Instant Pot. For recommendations, check out my reviews and guides. For more recipes, check them out on my recipes page.