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Instant Pot spaghetti with ground beef and marinara sauce in a bowl

Instant Pot Spaghetti (Easy One-Pot Family Dinner)

This easy Instant Pot spaghetti is a true one-pot dinner made with ground beef, marinara, and dry spaghetti cooked right in the sauce. No draining, barely any cleanup, and a rich, flavourful result that’s perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Instant pot build time 15 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings: 5 generous portions
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 560 g extra-lean ground beef about 1¼ lb, use more or less, quantity isn't that important
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 carrot chopped or grated
  • 1 celery stick chopped or finely diced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Garlic powder, to taste
  • 1 Jar 1 jar marinara sauce approximately 640 mL works, some variance will be fine
  • 1-2 tbsp soy sauce adds umami — you won’t taste it but worth the add
  • 10 oz dry spaghetti noodles
  • 2 1/2 cup water, divided

Method
 

  1. Sauté vegetables: Set the Instant Pot to Sauté, add a splash of olive oil and let it warm up for a minute or two. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook for a few minutes until softened.
  2. Brown the beef: Add ground beef, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and cook until fully browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
  3. Deglaze:Add ½ cup water to the pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
  4. Add sauce: Stir in the marinara sauce and soy sauce.
  5. Add spaghetti (do not stir): Break spaghetti noodles in half and lay them evenly on top of the sauce.
    dry spaghetti noodles on top of sauce in instant pot
  6. Rinse the jar: Add 2 cups water to the empty sauce jar, shake well, and pour into the pot over the noodles. Do not stir or push them down. Noodles should be just covered by liquid.
    water and sauce poured over uncooked spaghetti in instant pot
  7. Pressure cook: Secure lid, set valve to Sealing, and cook on Manual / High Pressure for 8 minutes.
  8. Quick release & finish: When done, quick release immediately. Remove inner pot from the Instant Pot. It will look too liquidy - it's not. Stir well, let sit 5–10 minutes, then stir again. Sauce will thicken as it rests.
  9. Serve: Serve hot, straight from the pot.

Notes

It will look very liquidy when you open the lid — this is normal. Stir and let it rest.
  • You can add or swap vegetables freely (grated for hidden veggies).
  • Works with ground chicken, turkey, or pork using the same cook time.