Instant Pot Spaghetti with Homemade Sauce is a fantastic dinner you can throw together in about 10 minutes. Sure beats using jarred sauce!
Make this Instant Pot Spaghetti and have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.
If you want to use a jarred sauce rather than take the extra few minutes of making a homemade sauce, no problem, it’s so easy. Try this recipe Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs, but if you want an incredible meal my Instant Pot Spaghetti is the way to go.
Another delicious spaghetti dinner with pasta and homemade meat sauce is my Pressure Cooker Beef and Macaroni. It is also a one pot meal and totally delicious.
Really, why use a jar of sauce when it is so easy to make your own homemade sauce in the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker. It tastes like it simmered all day and the process is super easy. You will never use a jar again.
If you don’t want to make your own sauce, I’ll tell you how in the notes section below.
Make sure you also are preparing my delicious Air Fryer Garlic Bread Buns, so you can sop up all the delicious sauce.
If you want ground beef/turkey, sausage, meatballs, etc., in your spaghetti, check out my Pressure Cooker Beef & Macaroni recipe (or, just brown your meat in a bit of oil and continue on with this recipe).
Use the Sauté or Browning function on your Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker and allow the cooking pot to get nice. Heating the cooking pot before adding any fat, helps make the pot non stick.
Sauté the onions for two minutes and then add the garlic and sauté one more minute.
Add in the rest of the ingredients, including the spaghetti or pasta and close the lid. Instant Pot Spaghetti with Homemade Sauce is just about ready.
After seeing how quickly this comes together, can you honestly say you would prefer jarred sauce? Not me!
If you want to add in vegetables, like zucchini or carrots, chop them very thick and add them in when you add in your pasta.
Pro Tip: Brand of spaghetti does make a difference when cooking under pressure. I highly recommend using De Cecco Spaghetti. I have found that this brand is cheaper to buy through Amazon than in stores.
Spaghetti noodles WILL clump a bit, but just take a fork and break them up and they will be fine and perfectly cooked.
If you just want to make a pot of sauce, please see my Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Sauce.
If you would like to make this recipe with jarred sauce, check out my Pressure Cooker Soccer Mom Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe.
Don’t forget Air Fryer Garlic Bread Buns, to get every drop of the sauce.
More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes to Make:
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Pesto Penne + Video
- Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
- Instant Pot Baked Ziti (Pressure Cooker)
- Instant Pot Greek Lemon Butter Fettuccine Pasta + Video
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
- J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- Cilio Olivewood Spatula
- Microplane Artisan Course Grater
- Rachael Ray 24 oz EVOO Stoneware Dispensing Bottle
- My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
- Alton Brown Salt Box
- De Cecco Spaghetti
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Yellow/Brown Onion chopped
- 2 cloves Fresh Garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Dried Basil
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds crushed
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- ¼ cup Red Wine/Cabernet a good Cabernet!
- 28 ounces Diced Tomatoes w/Juice
- 3 ounces Tomato Paste
- 15 ounces Tomato Sauce
- 2.5 cups Chicken Stock/Broth (or 2.5 cups water + 2.5 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Chicken Base) (or plain water)
- 1 teaspoon Light Brown Sugar
- Parmesan Rind chunk optional
- 1 pound Spaghetti broken in half or other Pasta
- 2 teaspoons Dried Parsley Flakes
Recommended Products
Instructions
- Push Sauté or Browning function on Pressure Cooker. Allow it to fully heat.
- Add oil to cooking pot.
- Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
- Add basil, oregano, fennel seeds, sea salt, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper and give it a good stir.
- Pour in wine and deglaze cooking pot.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste and mix to combine.
- Turn off pressure cooker.
- Mix in chicken broth and brown sugar.
- Add spaghetti to sauce and push it into the sauce as much as possible.
- Drop in Parmesan rind (if you don't have a rind, add about 1/8 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. Not the powdered grated stuff, the real thing).
- Lock on lid and close pressure valve. Cook on high pressure (most machines default to high pressure) for 5 minutes.
- When Beep sounds, wait 5 minutes and then carefully release the rest of the pressure. You will need to do intermittent turns of the pressure valve to avoid anything from spitting out of the pot.
- Remove lid and stir in parsley flakes.
- With a fork or spaghetti server, separate any clumps which may have formed and mix in. The once clumped spaghetti will continue to soften as you are stirring, so don't worry that it may be a bit firm when you first look.
Notes
This Old Gal's Pasta Rule of Thumb
- Look at package of pasta and find the variable cook time. Choose the lesser time given and then subtract 2 minutes. For example, if your package of pasta says "cook for 8 - 11 minutes," take that 8 minute number and cut it in half, which is 4. Then subtract 2 minutes from the 4 minutes and you will end up with the proper cook time. In this case the cook time will be 2 minutes.
- After the 2 minute pressure cook time is up, wait 5 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
- If the variable cook time on your package of pasta is 13 - 16 minutes, err on the lesser side. In this instance, the cook time would be 4 minutes. It is better to end up with overly firm pasta rather than mushy because you can continue to cook the pasta, but if it is mushy, there is nothing you can do to correct.
- If the pasta is too firm or al dente for your taste, simply put the lid back on the pot and let the pasta sit in the hot pot. The residual heat will continue to cook the pasta. Check after a few minutes to see if the pasta has reached the perfect firmness for your liking. If not give it a stir and let sit some more.