Instant Pot Meat Sauce
This easy Instant Pot spaghetti sauce is ready in 30 minutes, but tastes like it has been cooking all day. Get the easy recipe here!
Instant Pot Spaghetti Meat Sauce
Love spaghetti, but don’t love the time it takes to make homemade pasta sauce? Then this is the recipe you need in your life!
A traditional meat sauce recipe can take an hour, 2 hours, or more to prepare. This Instant Pot meat sauce recipe gets the job done in a fraction of the time — only 20 minutes of cook time! But it tastes so rich and flavorful that you’d think it had been simmering all day on the stovetop!
It’s better than anything you’d find in a jar or can…guaranteed!
The Instant Pot is a multi-cooker that combines pressure and temperature, and multiple cooking options to cook food fast.
This thick and hearty meat sauce is full of flavor and great for any pasta recipe and a quick and easy classic. You can use this meat sauce recipe in so many different dishes and adds a level of comfort food to anything you add it to.
If your family loves spaghetti night, this tasty meat sauce is sure to be a hit! And it’s quick enough for busy weeknights!
Ingredients
For your convenience I’ve included shop-able ad links to some of the products used to make this recipe; disclosure policy available here.
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, minced
- 8 cloves garlic (2 minced, 6 whole)
- 1 lb ground beef, minced
- 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 56 oz canned whole tomatoes (two typical 28oz cans)
- 1/2 cup red wine, optional
Kitchen Tools Used
Instructions
Just a few simple steps — it doesn’t get any easier than this!
- Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and turn it on to the “sauté” setting. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the ground beef and cook until browned, or about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to get the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Use a wooden spoon to protect the surface of the pot.
- Turn off the saute setting and add the garlic cloves, seasoning, tomato paste, whole tomatoes, and red wine (if you’re using it). Stir to combine. Secure the lid switch to the “meat/stew” setting for 10 minutes.
- Natural release, and enjoy!
When serving, feel free to add salt and black pepper to taste. For a little bit of a kick, try red pepper flakes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Meat Sauce Keto?
Tomatoes are not considered a “low carb” vegetable, however, they are only one part of this recipe! One serving of this meat sauce contains about 12g total carbs and only 9g net carbs, based on our nutrition estimates.
Served over a bed of spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles, this could be a flavorful meal that fits into a low carb eating plan. It simply depends on your overall daily carb allowance.
Can You Use Other Types of Meat?
Sure! Beef is our favorite, but you can switch things up to your liking. We also like to do a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage — in a ratio of 3 parts beef to 1 part sausage.
Ground turkey or chicken could also work if you’re not into red meat. Keep in mind that the color of the meat will be different for these lighter colored proteins.
What is the Difference between Meat Sauce and Bolognese Sauce?
Here in the United States, the terms meat sauce and Bolognese sauce are often used interchangeably, but they’re not quite the same thing.
Both contain meat, but while meat sauce is tomato-based, Bolognese may or may not have tomatoes at all. Instead, it is a creamier sauce that contains milk.
How Do I Keep Spaghetti Sauce From Burning in the Instant Pot?
This is one of the most common issues that home cooks have when preparing pasta sauce in an Instant Pot — the dreaded “burn” error message.
When using a pressure cooker, having enough liquid is critical to ensure that everything moves around during cooking and doesn’t stick to the bottom.
With spaghetti sauce, there are are a lot of solid ingredients, including the veggies and meat. It’s important to stir well before sealing to cook, so that the liquid is evenly distributed.
Can I Freeze Meat Sauce?
Any leftover sauce can be kept in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. It can also be frozen, so you can make a batch to save for later and have homemade pasta sauce in no time at all!
To freeze spaghetti sauce, place the sauce in a freezer bag or container. To reheat frozen sauce, thaw in the fridge first, then warm in pan on the stovetop.
More of our Most Popular Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Popcorn
- Instant Pot Apple Cake
- Sweet & Spicy Instant Pot Baked Beans
- Instant Pot Beef Pho
- Copycat Firecracker Chicken (Instant Pot Recipe)
- Instant Pot Angel Food Cake
- Dr. Pepper Instant Pot Meatballs
- Instant Pot Sweet & Sour Pork
Grab a free printable copy of our Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce Recipe:
If you like this recipe, please rate it! We’d also love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Soccer Mom Blog
Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion minced
- 8 cloves garlic 2 minced, 6 whole
- 1 lb beef minced
- 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 56 oz canned whole tomatoes two typical 28oz cans
- 1/2 cup red wine optional
Instructions
- Add olive oil to the Instant Pot and switch on to the "saute" setting.
- When oil is hot, add the onions and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the minced beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn off sauté setting.
- Add garlic cloves, seasoning, tomato paste, whole tomatoes, and red wine (if you're using it). Secure lid and turn on "meat/stew" setting and cook for 10 minutes.
- Natural release.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin this Easy Instant Pot Meat Sauce Recipe on Pinterest:
You might also like:
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Cookie Cutter Pumpkin Carving - October 11, 2024
- My King of Christmas Tree Review - October 9, 2024
- Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake - September 25, 2024
