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Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
This classic comfort dish brings homemade beef and pork meatballs together with pasta entirely in an electric pressure cooker. The machine handles both browning the savory meatballs and cooking the spaghetti directly in the marinara sauce. The meat stays incredibly tender thanks to a mixture of panko and milk, while the noodles absorb the rich tomato flavor as they cook. It is a perfect choice for busy weeknights when you want a hearty meal without a sink full of pots and pans.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. 85/15 lean ground beef
- ½ lb. ground pork
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 ½ oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about ⅓ cup), plus more for serving
- ⅓ cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated (about 1 tsp.)
- 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups water
- 1 (24-oz.) jar marinara sauce
- 12 oz. uncooked spaghetti, broken in half
Instructions
- 1Mix the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, chopped parsley, grated Parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, milk, grated garlic, and one and a half teaspoons of kosher salt in a large bowl until well combined. Form the meat mixture into 16 equal-sized balls, using about three tablespoons for each.
- 2Turn your pressure cooker to the sauté function and pour in the olive oil. Set the temperature to high and let the oil heat up for two to three minutes. Place half of the meatballs into the pot to cook in batches.
- 3Brown the meatballs on all sides, turning them gently as they cook for six to eight minutes. Move the browned meatballs to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining batch.
- 4Turn off the sauté function. Pour three cups of water and the remaining half teaspoon of salt into the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom.
- 5Pour in the marinara sauce, add the broken spaghetti, and return the meatballs to the pot. Stir everything gently to mix the ingredients. Secure the lid on the cooker and set the steam release valve to the sealing position.
- 6Program the machine to pressure cook on high for eight minutes. Keep in mind the pot needs about 14 to 15 minutes to build pressure before the actual cooking timer starts.
- 7Switch the steam release valve to the venting position carefully once the timer finishes. Allow the steam to release completely over six to eight minutes until the float valve drops, then take off the lid.
- 8Toss the spaghetti well to separate any noodles that stuck together during cooking. Let the dish rest for five minutes before serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese on top.