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spaghetti sauce being ladled out of the Instant Pot

Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

With a few simple ingredients, this hearty Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce couldn’t be easier or tastier! Serve over pasta, zoodles, or spaghetti squash for a delicious and healthy dinner. Freezing instructions included.

Yield: 6 servings 1x
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 5 minutes (plus 15 minutes to come to pressure)Total: 30 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 pound mild ground Italian sausage or Italian turkey sausage
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 (24-ounce) jars marinara sauce (or make your own marinara sauce)

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Instructions

Make It Now:

  1. Saute Onion/Meat Mixture: Set the 6-quart Instant Pot to “Sauté.” Pour the oil into the pot and heat until shimmery. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened, stirring in the garlic during the last 30 to 60 seconds of cooking. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes, seasoning lightly with the red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper while it cooks. Using pot holders, carefully lift the inner pot and drain off the grease. 
  2. Add Remaining Ingredients: Add 1/2 cup of water and scrape the bottom with a spatula to help prevent the burn signal. Add the marinara sauce to the pot but DO NOT stir. Press “Cancel.” 
  3. Pressure Cook: Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes, then quick release the pressure and stir.
  4. Serve: Serve the warm sauce over whole grain pasta, zoodles, spaghetti squash, or quinoa, topped with Parmesan and fresh chopped basil, if desired.

Freeze For Later: Fully cook and cool the sauce. Pour into a gallon-size freezer bag or round rigid container. Seal and freeze. Tip: If using a freezer bag, set it in a bowl or round container with a diameter similar to the Instant Pot so it will fit in the pot when frozen. Remove from the container once it is frozen.

Prepare From Frozen: When you’re ready to use it, throw it in the Instant Pot from frozen, saute the frozen block of sauce for 5-10 minutes to release some liquid, and then pressure cook for 3 minutes, or until warmed through.


Notes/Tips

  • If you want to cook spaghetti noodles in with the sauce, be sure to use our Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe.
  • To avoid a burn signal, we’ve found that it’s best not to stir the marinara into the water/meat mixture before pressure cooking.
  • If you do get a burn signal, open the lid, scrape the bottom of the pot, and try again.
    © Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
    Cuisine: Italian Method: Instant Pot