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Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs – Meatballs, pasta sauce, diced tomatoes and pasta and you have a quick one pot family pleasing meal.
So many people have been really loving Instant Pot recipes on the blog and have been requesting more of them. I will try to keep the coming! Y’all know I am in love with this thing. And what I really love about my Instant Pot – Pressure Cooker is that you can get dinner on the table so quickly. And with this dish it’s all made in one pot. That means less clean up. WIN every TIME!
When I make a homemade spaghetti sauce, I love to cook it all day and let the flavors marry! If I don’t have time to that I make my Kicked UP Jar Sauce Recipe. But there are also days I need something ever quicker and easier. This Pressure Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs is the perfect compromise, and still has amazing flavor.
When I first got married there was always a debate on whether to serve the sauce all mixed in or served over the top. My husband grew up with his all mixed together and I the later. Not that I didn’t love his mom’s spaghetti, but it wasn’t the way I grew up eating it. His mom always made a quick version with Ragu sauce out of the jar. And he loved it that way. So this dish makes him feel like he is getting a version of his mom’s cooking.
Now that his mom has passed, this one brings back great memories around the table eating spaghetti and french fries. Yes you heard that right she always made french fries with her spaghetti. I never understood that combination, but this girl has never met a french fry she didn’t like. And let’s just say that never happened at my house. It was always some garlic bread and usually a salad. But hey it was delicious and something we smile about to this day! Food memories are the best memories! So let’s get cooking and making some more!
How to Cook Spaghetti in Instant Pot
Step 1. Add frozen meatballs into the bottom of 6 quart Instant Pot.
Step 2. Break the spaghetti noodles in half and randomly place over the meat. (Don’t place them all in one direction). Pour in the water, then cover with the diced tomatoes. Top with the pasta or “Spaghetti Sauce”. Then add the spices.
Step 3. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock in place. Cook for 8 minutes on high pressure and then do a manual quick release. Give it a stir and serve.
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Getting dinner on the table and gathering family is important in this ever so busy culture we live in. This one will do it quickly and just imagine only one pot to clean! So go ahead and use chinet or paper plates and bring on the conversation with your loved ones.
What Kind of Pressure Cooker Should I Use?
For this Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs, I recommend using a 6-quart Instant Pot or another electric pressure cooker of similar size. It has been tested using the Instant Pot brand.
- It has enough room for the spaghetti, sauce, and meatballs to cook without clumping or burning.
- A 3-quart model would be too cramped, and an 8-quart model would require adjusting liquid amounts slightly to avoid a burn warning.
- Electric models like the Instant Pot Duo, Instant Pot Duo Plus, or Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker work great—just make sure it’s at least 6 quarts.
If you’ve got a stovetop pressure cooker, you can still make it, but you’ll need to watch the pressure levels more closely and possibly reduce the cooking time by a minute or two since stovetop models often run at higher pressure.
Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Instant Pot Spaghetti (Frozen Meatballs)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Italian-style meatballs, frozen (uncooked or cooked)
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles, broken in half
- 3 cups broth, (chicken broth, beef broth, or water) or a combination of broth and red wine
- 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 48 ounces pasta or marinara sauce, 2 24-ounce jars of sauce (I mix different types of pasta sauces for extra layers of flavor)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- pinch red pepper flakes, (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly spray the bottom of the 6-quart Instant Pot insert with olive oil. Add frozen meatballs into the bottom and spread them out evenly.
- Break the spaghetti noodles in half and randomly place over the meat (don't place them all in one direction).
- Pour the broth over the spaghetti noodles..
- Next, pour the diced tomatoes over the noodles. Top with the pasta sauce.
- Then sprinkle on the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock in place. Cook for 8 minutes on high pressure. It may take 15 to 20 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
- Once the cooking time is complete, manually release the steam by pressing the valve to release the steam. Then remove the lid.
- Stir and break up any noodles that may have stuck together during cooking. Set to warm, let it set for 5 minutes to 10 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally.
- Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, or basil leaves.
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Notes
- Frozen & Ready: You can use cooked or uncooked frozen meatballs—no need to thaw first.
- From Scratch: If you want to make your own, try my skillet meatballs recipe (just skip the sauce and cheese). Freeze them, then use directly in this recipe—no pre-cooking needed.
- Break the pasta in different directions so it doesn’t clump while cooking.
- Use wine with broth: I love to mix 2 ½ cups broth with ½ cup red wine for another layer of flavor. It makes the sauce taste richer and just a little fancy without any extra work.
- Layer, don’t stir before pressure cooking—keeps noodles from sticking to the bottom and triggering a burn warning.
- If noodles clump after cooking, gently stir and break them up with a fork.
- Let it sit on Warm for a few minutes after cooking; the sauce thickens beautifully and coats every strand.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
©️Soulfully Made
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Super easy with store bought meatballs! I’m adding this one to my regular rotation!
That awesome to hear! It does make for an easy weeknight dinner!
Just got an instant pot for an early Christmas gift, and can’t wait to try it out! Will the time on this, or any, recipe using dried noodles differ if using rice (gluten free) noodles?
Quick and easy.
Thank you Billy!
I haven’t mastered pasta in the instant pot yet – I really need to try this!
I love my Instant Pot and can’t wait to make this!
I love mine too! Always trying something new!
It looks really delish! It will quickly become a family favorite!
Easy dinner for the win! Looks delicious!
Thank you so much Lindsay! Easy dinners are a must on some nights!
do you use the 6 quart or 8 quart instant pot
Penny, I use a 6 qt Instant Pot.
Can you use an 8qt qith same amt of water?
I have not tested any recipes in an 8 qt so I can not say for certain. But from what I have read it seems as if there should be enough water in this recipe to work. Best of luck I would love to hear how it works.
It worked great I’m my 8qt!
Wonderful! That is great to know! Thank you so much for sharing!