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    You Are Here Home » Sauce Recipes

    Published: Nov 9, 2019 Updated: Oct 18, 2022 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 8 Comments

    Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

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    instant pot spaghetti

    Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce that tastes like it's been simmering all day, but it's ready in under 30 minutes! The sauce is loaded with ground beef, Italian sausage, herbs, and plenty of veggies too. Serve this delicious zesty sauce over pasta, spaghetti squash, or mix it in Baked Penne Pasta.

    instant pot spaghetti sauce

    Note: Although the recipe is titled "Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce, you can also use a Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker, which is what I used this time around.

    Jump to:
    • 🧐 Why This Recipe Works
    • 🛒 What Goes Into This Recipe
    • 🔖 Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
    • 🍝 How to Make Spaghetti Sauce In A Pressure Cooker
    • 🤷🏻‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
    • 🥗 Serving Suggestions
    • Storage Suggestions
    • 👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips
    • 🥫Related Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🧐 Why This Recipe Works

    My Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauces isn't exactly from scratch, but it's pretty darn close. I start off by browning ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, green pepper, and garlic.

    Next, I add the seasoning, herbs, tomatoes, mushrooms, tomato paste, wine, and water. You may be thinking: "It sounds like it's from scratch to me..."

    Here's where I cheat, but just a little. Instead of tomato sauce, I use jarred pasta sauce. Although adding an equal amount of tomato sauce would work too, you might have to adjust the seasoning a bit.

    🛒 What Goes Into This Recipe

    labeled ingredients

    🔖 Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Meat: I used ground beef and Italian sausage in this recipe. If you'd like, you can substitute ground pork or ground turkey for a healthier option.
    • Pasta Sauce: You can substitute the pasta sauce with tomato sauce.
    • Vegetables: I added tomatoes, green peppers, garlic, onion, and mushrooms. If you don't like any of those, don't add or substitute with more of what you do like. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, you can use crushed tomatoes instead.
    • Wine: Wine gives that sauce a delicious flavor. I like to use red wine but cooking sherry or white wine can also be used.
    • Spices: I used the usual suspects, oregano, basil, and Italian seasoning. The crushed red pepper flakes can be left out if you prefer a milder sauce.
    • Sugar: A tiny bit of sugar helps to cut the acidity in the sauce. I used brown sugar but white sugar can also be used.

    🍝 How to Make Spaghetti Sauce In A Pressure Cooker

    STEP 1: Set Instant Pot to "saute" and once hot, add olive oil.

    instant pot set to hi

    STEP 2: Remove sausage from casing and add to the pot, along with ground beef. Break up with a wooden spoon and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add chopped onion, green pepper, and garlic. Saute for a few minutes.

    sautéed meat and veggies

    STEP 3: Add mushrooms, tomatoes, spices, seasoning, tomato paste, wine, water, and pasta sauce.

    pasta sauce being cooked

    STEP 4: Cover and lock the lid. Make sure the valve points to "seal." Next, select the pressure cook or high pressure option and use the up arrow to adjust the time to 15 minutes.

    It should only take a few minutes to come up to pressure and begin counting down from 15 minutes.

    instant pot set to seal
    instant pot set to pressure
    instant pot set for 11:40 minutes
    instant pot set to 15 min.

    STEP 5: Once the Instant Pot is done, allow a 10 to 15-minute (NPR) or natural pressure release. Carefully release the remaining pressure. Stir the sauce, as you deglaze the bottom of the pot. Your Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce is ready to enjoy!

    tomato sauce in a pot

    Pro Tip: To avoid splatter, drape a washcloth over the pressure valve before releasing it. This will really cut down on the mess from the splatter...You're welcome! 😉

    instant pot with a dishcloth over it

    🤷🏻‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

    Can You Freeze Pasta Sauce?

    Pasta sauce can easily be frozen. To freeze, follow these simple steps:

    • First, allow the sauce to cool completely.
    • Next, pour the sauce into gallon-sized freezer Ziploc bags.
    • Release all the air from the bag, seal, and freeze.
    • Use within 3 months for optimal results.

    How long do you cook homemade pasta sauce?

    Pasta sauce can be cooked for as little as 30 minutes or for as long as all day. When cooked for many hours, the sauce thickens as it reduces. As a result, the flavor is intensified. However, the advantage of using a pressure cooker is that the sealed environment helps not only lock in all the flavor but also cooks the sauce much faster.

    tomato based sauce

    Should You Put Sugar In Spaghetti Sauce?

    Yes, I highly recommend adding a small amount of sugar in the spaghetti sauce. Brown sugar, to be exact. Just a couple of teaspoons should do.

    I'm leaving this an optional ingredient because I realize some people don't like sweet-tasting sauce or are watching their sugar intake. However, even a small amount of sugar helps to balance the flavor and mellow the acidity of the sauce.

    sauce with brown sugar

    🥗 Serving Suggestions

    It's always a good idea to make this spaghetti sauce ahead of time and freeze it or store it in the fridge (for a short time) for those days when you need a quick and delicious meal.

    This Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce is delicious when mixed with spaghetti noodles or in my Extra Easy Lasagna recipe. Whatever pasta dish you decide to prepare, make sure you serve it with some extra parmesan cheese, cream cheese garlic bread, and a fresh salad!

    Storage Suggestions

    Store any leftover pasta sauce in an air-tight container, or a ziplock bag. The sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost frozen sauce overnight in the refrigerator before using in your favorite recipe.

    👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips

    • To avoid splatter, drape a washcloth over the pressure valve before releasing it. This will really cut down on the mess.
    • You can freeze the extra meat sauce in a large plastic Ziploc bag. To get all the air out of the sauce-filled Ziploc bag before sealing it, dip the filled bag into a sink filled with water. The water pressure will displace the air out of the bag. Seal as usual.
    • Adding a little sugar to your sauce helps to balance the flavor and mellow the acidity of the sauce.
    • If you are going to mix cheese, such as parmesan, in your sauce, it's best to do so once the sauce is defrosted. Creamy sauce doesn't freeze as well as a sauce made without cheese.
    spaghetti sauce in a jar with instant pot in the background

    If you enjoy making your own homemade sauces, you may want to check out these other delicious sauces: Yogurt Shawarma Sauce, Pasta Cream Cheese Sauce, Homemade Enchilada Sauce, and 5-Ingredient Sriracha Aioli.

    🥫Related Recipes

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      Honey Mustard Sauce for Ham
    • sriracha aioli recipe
      5-Ingredient Sriracha Aioli
    • chimichurri in a spoon over a jar
      Easy Chimichurri Sauce Recipe
    • soy tamarind sauce and empanadas.
      Easy Soy Tamarind Sauce From Scratch

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    📖 Recipe

    instant pot spaghetti sauce

    Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

    Zesty Spaghetti Sauce that tastes like it's been simmering all day, under 30 minutes!
    4.63 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Other, sauce
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Pressure Release: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 8 cups
    Calories: 253kcal
    Author: Hilda Sterner

    Equipment

    • Ninja Foodi 6.5 qt. Pressure Cooker 

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 Italian Sausage links
    • 1 pound ground beef (lean)
    • 1 medium onion (chopped)
    • 1 medium green pepper (chopped)
    • 5 cloves garlic (chopped)
    • 6 medium mushrooms (chopped)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil
    • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
    • 3 ounce tomato paste
    • ½ cup red wine
    • 1½ cups water
    • 24 ounce pasta sauce (your favorite brand)
    • 2 teaspoon brown sugar (optional, but recommended)

    Instructions

    • Gather your ingredients and chop vegetables.
    • Set Instant Pot to “saute” and once hot, add olive oil.
    • Remove sausage from casing and add to the pot, along with ground beef. Break up with a wooden spoon and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add chopped onion, green pepper, and garlic. Saute for a couple of minutes.
    • Add mushrooms, salt and pepper, crushed red pepper, herbs, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, water, pasta sauce, and brown sugar, if using.
    • Cover and seal the lid. Make sure the valve points to "seal." Select the "pressure" option and use the up arrow to adjust the time to 15 minutes.
    • Once the Instant Pot beeps, letting you know it’s done, do a 15 minute (NPR) or Natural Pressure Release. Carefully release the remaining pressure by turning the valve to "vent." Your Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce is ready to enjoy!

    Notes

    Tips:
    • To avoid splatter, drape a washcloth over the pressure valve before releasing it. This will really cut down on the mess.
    • You can freeze extra sauce in a large plastic Ziploc bag. To get all the air out of the sauce-filled Ziploc bag before sealing it, dip the filled bag into a sink filled with water. The water pressure will displace the air out of the bag. Seal as usual.
    • Adding a little sugar to your sauce helps to balance the flavor and mellow the acidity of the sauce.
    • If you are going to mix cheese, such as parmesan, in your sauce, it's best to do so once the sauce is defrosted. Creamy sauce doesn't freeze as well as sauce without cheese.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 8cups | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 832mg | Potassium: 683mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 836IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Please leave A Star Rating!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

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    1. Kathie Byrd says

      June 21, 2021 at 8:38 am

      Hi! I'm a newbie at this so I was wondering if you could share the brand of sausage and red wine you use for this recipe? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        June 21, 2021 at 10:27 am

        Hi Kathie,
        I do like Johnsonville Italian sausage, but you can use a different brand if you prefer. As far as the wine, I usually use burgundy or chianti, again no specific brand, just whatever I happen to have open in the fridge. You don't want to add a wine that's too sweet. Other than that, you make the call!

        Reply
    2. Tiffany says

      February 11, 2021 at 1:34 pm

      5 stars
      Grazi! This was an easy, fun & flavorful red sauce made while preparing the pasta. I love how you added wine, delicious choice! Tonight's winter dinner 🙂 Recommend.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        February 11, 2021 at 2:48 pm

        Thanks, Tiffany! I really appreciate your comment and review, enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Rachael says

      January 06, 2021 at 10:19 am

      5 stars
      I love this recipe and so does my family. I wouldn’t change a thing about it! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        January 06, 2021 at 10:42 am

        Hi Rachael,
        Thank you so much for the review! I love that your family loves it!

        Reply
    4. Vicki Apodaca says

      March 06, 2020 at 9:34 am

      5 stars
      My family loves this sauce! Sooo good!

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        March 06, 2020 at 10:04 am

        Hi Vicki! Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a review. Now come visit us in Montana!❤️

        Reply

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