One-Pot Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
This easy, no-fuss Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is the weeknight dinner hero you didn’t know you needed. Everything (yes, even the pasta) cooks together in one pot for a meal that’s saucy, savory, and downright comforting. Once you try it, you may never go back to boiling noodles again!
Servings: 4
Calories: 581kcal
Cost: About $6
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion chopped fine (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic minced (optional)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups water divided
- 24 ounces jarred marinara spaghetti, or tomato-based pasta sauce
- 8 ounces dry spaghetti
- Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to "Sauté." Add olive oil, chopped onion, and garlic. Cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
- Add ground beef, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Break up the beef with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and no longer pink. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Add marinara sauce and ½ cup of the water. Pour the water into the empty sauce jar, shake to get all that saucy goodness, then pour it in. Stir well and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom (important to avoid the burn notice!).
- Break dry spaghetti in half and layer it in a criss-cross pattern over the sauce. Think of it like laying kindling for a fire—half going north-south, the other half east-west.
- Pour the remaining 1½ cups water gently over the top. Do. Not. Stir.
- Seal the lid and set to High Pressure for 8 minutes. (If you're at a higher altitude like me, 9 minutes works better.)
- Once cooking is complete, do a quick release. Carefully open the valve and let the steam release completely before opening the lid.
- Gently stir to combine. You'll be amazed how perfectly cooked and saucy the spaghetti is.
- Serve hot with Parmesan cheese if you like. Pair with a green salad and garlic bread, and dinner is done!
Notes
Optional onions and garlic add fresh flavor, but the dish still shines without them.
Substitutions: Use ground turkey or a plant-based alternative to make it leaner or vegetarian.
Sauce matters: Thicker sauces will give you richer results, while thinner ones may need slightly less water to avoid excess liquid.
Pasta picks: Regular, thin, and angel hair all work great. Just remember: thinner pasta needs slightly less cooking time.
Storage tip: Leftovers keep beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add a splash of water before reheating to loosen up the sauce.
Want to double it? You can—just make sure your Instant Pot is 8 qt or larger to handle the volume, and keep the layering rule intact (and still: do not stir!).
Nutrition
Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1474mg | Potassium: 973mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 737IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 5mg
