I discovered this Instant Pot spaghetti recipe on a Tuesday night when I had literally zero plans for dinner and less than zero creativity left in me for the day. And some hungry kids staring at me. And oh yeah, they were as tired as I was. Which means none of us were in the mood for a lot of kitchen and dining room table drama.
My coworker had told me that morning that she made spaghetti in the Instant Pot. She raved about how easy it was. But didn’t go into any detail. So I mused about it all the way home. Thought about doing drive-through. Had a second thought about stopping to grab a rotisserie chicken or something. But honestly? I was too tired to even do that.
So I came home and did a quick and dirty web search for the easiest Instant Pot spaghetti. I found one, and made some changes to it that my family would love. I’ve always got the makings for some easy spaghetti with jar sauce in the kitchen.
Ground beef. A jar of store-brand spaghetti sauce. Dry spaghetti noodles. And my trusty Instant Pot. It was on like Donkey Kong.
This pressure cooker spaghetti is the kind of easy dinner that makes you wonder why you ever boiled water on the stove.
My grandmother used to spend hours on her spaghetti. Slow simmered sauce, homemade meatballs, the whole thing. It was to die for. But I don’t have that kind of time every single time I wanna throw together an easy weeknight meal.
My oldest likes to pile extra cheese on top and my youngest just eats it plain with bread. Either way, it disappears fast.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The question is, what’s not to love? If you need a quick and easy pasta meal that actually tastes homemade, this is it. Spaghetti with jar sauce has never been this simple. And you only dirty up one pot.
- One pot to wash: Everything cooks right in the Instant Pot. No sink full of dishes to deal with after everyone else disappears.
- Half an hour ’til dinner: From start to plate. Takes less time than getting takeout or delivery.
- Totally customizable: Throw in mushrooms, swap the beef for Italian sausage, or add extra veggies.
- Budget friendly and filling: A jar of sauce, some noodles, and ground beef. That’s a full dinner without spending much.
- Kid tested: Picky eaters go back for seconds on this one.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
You can make countless changes to this pressure cooker spaghetti recipe. Add stuff. Remove stuff. As long as you keep the ratio of ingredients to liquid the same, get as creative as you want.
- Ground beef: Ground turkey or Italian sausage are just as good. Or a combo of whatever of these you have in the freezer. I’ve even been known to make spaghetti with venison since we have hunters in our family.
- Spaghetti noodles: Regular spaghetti is what I always get, but you can use whole wheat noodles. Or linguine works too if that’s what you’ve got.
- Chicken broth: Or veggie broth. Beef broth gives it a richer, deeper taste.
- Jar sauce: Any store-bought spaghetti sauce will do. For something lighter, try a marinara instead.
- Extra add-ins: A can of diced tomatoes makes it super saucy. Or sliced mushrooms will bulk this up without much extra effort.
Tips for Success
A few things that’ll help you nail this Instant Pot spaghetti on the first try.
- Scrape the bottom: After you add the broth, scrape up every bit stuck down there. Skipping this triggers the burn warning.
- Don’t stir after layering noodles: The crisscross pattern keeps them from clumping. Stirring defeats the purpose.
- Only half the sauce before cooking: Too much liquid on top makes the noodles mushy. Save the rest for after.
- Let it rest before serving: Those 5 minutes let the sauce cling to the noodles.
Storage and Reheating
Put leftovers in an airtight container, store them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat your spaghetti in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Add a tablespoon of water so the noodles don’t get dried out. Or in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water.
You can freeze this easy spaghetti for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely before putting it in a freezer safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove or microwave.
Serving Suggestions
Garlic bread on the side is pretty much required. A green salad with Italian dressing rounds the whole meal out. And don’t forget to have Parmesan cheese handy for tossing on top.
Want to go all out? Turn it into an Italian feast night with bruschetta or a frozen pizza. This pressure cooker spaghetti is also great for potlucks or work dinners. It travels well and reheats without fuss.
FAQs
Do I have to use jarred spaghetti sauce?
Nope! If you love homemade spaghetti sauce, go for it! Just be sure you keep the proportions the same so the recipe works.
Can I double this recipe?
You can, but don’t fill your Instant Pot past the max line. Add some extra broth so you’ve got enough liquid for your noodles. Cook time doesn’t change.
Notes
Are there people out there who don’t love spaghetti for an easy dinner? I’ve not met them. I do know some folks with dietary limitations. Gluten-free, vegetarian, don’t eat beef, etc…But that’s what’s great about the easiest spaghetti recipe. Super easy to customize! I’ve been making this easy dinner for about two years now and it hasn’t gotten old.
Instant Pot Spaghetti with Jar Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 tbsp. Olive oil
- ½ cup Yellow onion finely diced
- 2 Cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp. Dried Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp. Garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 8 oz. Spaghetti noodles
- 1 jar 24 oz. Premium marinara or spaghetti sauce
- 3 cups Water or low-sodium beef broth
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Turn on your pressure cooker and select the Sauté function. Pour the 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the inner pot. Once the pot is hot, add the ground beef and finely diced yellow onion. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking the meat apart into fine crumbles with a wooden spoon until it is fully browned and no pink remains.
- Stir in the minced garlic, dried Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper, and sauté for exactly 60 seconds until fragrant. Turn off the Sauté function.
- Use a wooden spoon to firmly scrape the bottom of the inner steel pot, ensuring there are no stuck or caramelized meat bits anchored to the base; a clean bottom is essential to prevent a burn warning.
- Take the 8 ounces of dry spaghetti noodles and snap them completely in half. Scatter the broken pasta strands directly over the cooked beef in a criss-cross or layered basket-weave pattern. Avoid dropping the noodles in a single, tight clump, as they will stick together during cooking.
- Pour the 3 cups of water or low-sodium beef broth evenly over the pasta layers. Use the back of a spoon to gently press the noodles down just until they are barely submerged in the liquid. Do not stir.
- Pour the entire 24-ounce jar of spaghetti sauce directly over the top of the water and noodles. Spread it into a flat, level sheet to cover the pasta completely. Do not stir the pot; keeping the thick tomato sauce floating at the top prevents it from scorching on the hot bottom element.
- Secure the pressure cooker lid and turn the venting knob to the Sealing position. Select Manual / Pressure Cook on High for 8 minutes.
- It will take roughly 8 to 10 minutes for the machine to build pressure before the countdown timer begins.
- The exact moment the cooking timer beeps, carefully perform a Quick Release by moving the venting knob to the Venting position to rapidly discharge the steam. Open the lid once the float valve drops completely.
- The spaghetti will look a bit liquid and soupy at first glance—this is completely normal. Use a pair of tongs or a large spoon to stir the pot thoroughly, breaking up any noodles that may have tucked together and blending the top sauce into the bottom pasta water baseline. Let the pot sit uncovered for 5 minutes; the starches will rapidly absorb the residual liquid, tightening the sauce into a thick, glossy coat. Serve hot with a dusting of Parmesan cheese.
