This Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce is a simple healthy dinner where the pasta is cooked along with the meat sauce making a one pot meal in under 30 minutes. Use your favorite meat, pasta and jarred sauce. 

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As an Italian girl, I am very connected to my pasta and sauce.  However, Sunday afternoon’s aren’t the same as they were growing up and sauce isn’t simmering on the stove all day to be served with copious amounts of pasta.

I will say that the instant pot makes the best pasta and meat sauce recipe because it comes together in only 30 minutes, has 3 ingredients and is a one pot meal. 

It’s also fully customizable because you can use so many different types of sauce, you can use sausage, turkey or ground beef AND the pasta types you can use are endless. 

Anyone can use this recipe and feel like a dinner hero with lunch leftovers!

Can you cook dry pasta in an instant pot or pressure cooker?

• Although this recipe is special because the pasta cooks in WITH the sauce, it is possible to cook dry pasta in your instant pot in water. 
• To cook 1 pound of pasta in your instant pot simply add your pasta along with 4 cups of cold water and season with salt.  
• Pasta should just be covered with water. 
• Cook on manual HIGH pressure for 1 minute and let pressure naturally release for 5 minutes before quick releasing the rest of the pressure.  
• Drain pasta and toss with desired sauce immediately. 

Can you cook gluten free pasta in the Instant Pot?

A method to cook gluten free pasta dry in the instant pot is still tricky.  Gluten free pastas are usually made with a blend of a few different grains which unfortunately leads to a gummy pasta most of the time. 

I have had luck using the method above with gluten free pasta except I did quick release on pressure as soon as it was done cooking and blasted it with cold water to keep it from cooking.  

I can’t say this has happened perfectly each time but would love to hear if you have found a way to cook gluten free pasta in a pressure cooker!

How much pasta do I need for 24 oz pasta sauce?

24 oz is the standard amount of sauce in a jar you can buy in the store.  For 24 oz jarred pasta sauce, you need 12 oz pasta along with about 1 cup of water. 

How to make Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce: 

Turn your instant pot to Saute mode on high and add 2 tsp oil.

Once oil is warmed up, add in 1 pound ground meat of choice. Saute by breaking up evenly making sure it is cooked all the way through.  This should take about 5-8 minutes.

Add your 24 oz jar of pasta sauce and stir in with the cooked meat.

Add in your pasta evenly across the sauce and meat mixture and press into the sauce.

In your leftover sauce jar, add one cup of water and shake to get out the remaining sauce.

Pour water evenly over your pasta. Push pasta down into water and sauce mixture once again. Pasta should be JUST covered.

Set your instant pot to manual HIGH pressure for 8 minutes.

Once cooking is complete, use a quick release.

Stir all cooked ingredients together and serve hot.

Recipe Tips:

• If pasta is not covered slightly with water after 1 cup is added, add more until it is.
• If you are using a spaghetti noodle, break in half before adding to meat and sauce mixture.

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Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This Instant Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce is a simple healthy dinner where the pasta is cooked along with the meat sauce making a one pot meal in under 30 minutes. Use your favorite meat, pasta and jarred sauce. 

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Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian Sausage, Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
• 24 oz Jarred Marinara Pasta Sauce
• 12 oz Pasta (see notes)
• 2 tsp Avocado Oil
• 1 cup Water

Instructions

1. Turn your instant pot to Saute mode on high and add 2 tsp oil.
2. Once oil is warmed up, add in 1 pound ground meat of choice. Saute by breaking up evenly making sure it is cooked all the way through.  This should take about 5-8 minutes.
3. Add your 24 oz jar of pasta sauce and stir in with the cooked meat.
4. Add in your pasta evenly across the sauce and meat mixture and press into the sauce.
5. In your leftover sauce jar, add one cup of water and shake to get out the remaining sauce.
6. Pour water evenly over your pasta. Push pasta down into water and sauce mixture once again. Pasta should be JUST covered.
7. Set your instant pot to manual HIGH pressure for 8 minutes.
8. Once cooking is complete, use a quick release.
9. Stir all cooked ingredients together and serve hot.

Notes

1. Ratio is 24 oz pasta sauce plus 1 cup water to 12 oz dried pasta.
2. If pasta is not covered slightly with water after 1 cup is added, add more until it is.
3. If you are using a spaghetti noodle, break in half before adding to meat and sauce mixture.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 385 Total Fat: 8g Carbohydrates: 52g Protein: 20g

It is the reader's responsibility to determine the value and quality of any recipe or instructions provided for food preparation and to determine the nutritional value, if any, and safety of the preparation instructions.

Valerie Skinner is a Whole30 approved personal chef & recipe developer that bridges the gap between healthy eating and busy lives by providing simple healthy meals and recipes for you and your family.

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