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The best way to make spaghetti and meatballs in the instant pot – this easy recipe uses frozen meatballs for a quick dinner the family loves.
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I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!
Simple Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
There are some recipes you just crave when you need a big, cozy, and comforting bowl of comfort – and spaghetti and meatballs will always be one of mine.
I love meatballs – and have a ton of meatball recipes on my site (like my creamy meatball soup, easy homemade meatballs, garlic butter meatballs, and even vegan hoisin meatballs) – I just can’t get enough!
Spaghetti and meatballs is one of my favorite easy meals – just boil spaghetti, heat or make meatballs, and add sauce. Can’t get any easier…. right?
Except it totally can!
I know it sounds crazy for such an easy thing to make for dinner, but cooking Spaghetti and Meatballs in an Instant Pot saves a TON of time, is incredibly easy to clean and prep, and saves a ton of steps.
This recipe is truly a dump it in, set it and forget it recipe – you won’t even so much as stir until the time is up – and it honestly tastes SO much better than how I normally make stovetop spaghetti and meatballs with pre-made sauce and meatballs.
Cooking spaghetti and meatballs in the Instant Pot helps spaghetti sauce emulsify properly with no work (meaning the sauce sticks to noodles perfectly), giving perfect results every time.
I hope you love how easy this recipe is as much as my family!
Instant Pot Spaghetti with Frozen Meatballs
This recipe relies on using frozen meatballs – which is not something I normally call for in recipes.
I am a big believer of thawing frozen foods before cooking, but this recipe has been specifically designed to go straight from the freezer and the cabinet into the instant pot – without even stirring, let alone thawing.
Using frozen meatballs is pretty essential to this recipe – I’ve tried with thawed pre-cooked frozen meatballs, but if the meatballs are thawed before added to this, they get gummy and soggy.
For this recipe, use meatballs straight out of your freezer – I promise it will work and give the best results!
What Kind of Meatballs To Use
This recipe is incredibly adaptable – as long as you use frozen meatballs that are pre-cooked.
This is a great budget meal, since pre-cooked frozen meatballs are often less expensive and a million times easier than making your own.
While I absolutely LOVE making my own meatballs (be sure to check out the best meatball recipe, or even my air fried keto meatballs for some of my faves) – this recipe works with pre-cooked and frozen meatballs.
You can use any kind you want (chicken, vegetarian, turkey, beef, pork; even large or small meatballs) but they need to bee the pre-cooked frozen kind.
What Sauce to Use For Spaghetti and Meatballs
Since this recipe calls for store-bought meatballs and store-bought spaghetti sauce, you can really pick whatever kind of sauce you love.
Any 32 ounce (2 pound) bottle of your favorite spaghetti sauce will work perfectly!
Since we’re not adding many other ingredients, you will want to go with a sauce you truly love.
If you normally toss in some Italian herbs or spices when cooking spaghetti and meatballs, go ahead and add them to the sauce when adding to the Instant Pot, so it can cook into the sauce like you normally would.
How To Cook Spaghetti And Meatballs in an Instant Pot
This instant pot spaghetti and meatballs recipe is basically foolproof – but it does rely on very specific steps and a specific order that you need to follow for this recipe to work properly.
Please read through the steps below – I promise they are insanely easy – for perfectly cooked meatballs, perfectly sauced noodles, and a thick, delicious sauce full of flavor.
Add Meatballs – Remove meatballs from packaging and add directly to Instant Pot pan, while frozen.
Add Spaghetti – Hold spaghetti and snap in half. Layer spaghetti over frozen meatballs in Instant Pot.
Add Sauce – Dump sauce over spaghetti in Instant Pot. If using any herbs, season when adding sauce. DO NOT STIR. Let this sit exactly as-is, or the recipe won’t work.
Add Stock or Water – Pour in stock (more flavor) or water (works just fine too). The recipe calls for two cups of stock and one cup of water – this is the blend I like, because it enhances the meaty flavor. You can make it all stock, or all water, change it up depending on the flavor you’d like. Some stock can be very salty, so I try to grab low sodium stocks.
Again – DO. NOT. STIR.
Close Lid, Set to Seal
Close Instant Pot lid, set to high pressure for nine minutes.
While 9 minutes is the cooking time we use, please remember this will take longer than 9 minutes to cook, because the Instant Pot takes time to come to pressure, and the 9 minutes doesn’t start until the pot is at pressure.
This means your spaghetti and meatballs will take longer than if you made it on the stove.
However – this is only one dish to clean up, and involves basically zero work, for only a couple minutes difference.
I will only ever make spaghetti and meatballs from store bought meatballs this way ever again – it comes out perfectly and is too simple to not use, even though it adds a few minutes.
You can use that time to whip up some Garlic Butter Texas toast to go alongside this dinner in that time, since you won’t be doing any other work!
Cook
Let the Instant Pot cook at pressure for 9 minutes until the timer goes off.
When done cooking, force the release.
Quick release is very important for this recipe, so your noodles don’t overcook and turn to mush.
Use quick release when food is done, and be very careful to never put your face near the Instant Pot and use gloves or tongs to slide the vent open to prevent any burning from steam when releasing your pressure cooker.
How Long To Cook IP Spaghetti and Meatballs
This recipe was tested at my home outside of Denver, Colorado – meaning we’re high altitude. 9 minutes should be where you start if you’re also at high altitude.
If you like al dente pasta, you can reduce cook time to as low as 6 or 7 minutes.
I suggest starting at 9 because that is what works for most people, but you absolutely can reduce the cook time if you find your spaghetti too soft.
Stir
Now that the spaghetti and meatballs are cooked, you can stir it all up!
The spaghetti sauce will be a bit funky looking when first opened – simply give it a quick stir and it will look perfect!
Serve
Remove from Instant Pot quickly to prevent overcooking (mushy noodles are no fun), and serve!
We like to top with fresh grated parmesan cheese, and a bit of fresh parsley or basil.
What to Serve With Spaghetti and Meatballs
This spaghetti and meatball recipe is hearty and comforting, but if you’re looking for a whole meal, I am lining up some of my favorite recipes that pair perfectly with spaghetti!
Try these recipes:
Other Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love
If you love this super easy Instant Pot pressure cooker recipe, please check out more of my popular Instant Pot Recipes!
Try these recipes:
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Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Equipment
- Zulay Kitchen 12 inch Pasta Server – Durable Food Grade Stainless Steel Pasta Spoon Server With Ergonomic Handle & Heat Resistant Design – Kitchen Spaghetti Server Fork For Noodles, Pasta, & More
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian style frozen meatballs*
- 8 oz spaghetti noodles, which is half a box of spaghetti
- 2 cups beef stock, I opt for low sodium
- 1 cup water
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce, 28 oz
Instructions
- Remove meatballs from packaging and add directly to Instant Pot pan, in an unplugged instant pot, while frozen.
- Remove 1/2 spaghetti from a box and hold to snap in half.
- Layer spaghetti over frozen meatballs in Instant Pot.
- Dump sauce over spaghetti in Instant Pot. Do not stir.
- If using any herbs, season when adding sauce.
- Pour in stock and water.
- Do not stir.
- Close Instant Pot lid, set to high pressure for nine minutes.
- Let the Instant Pot cook at pressure for 9 minutes until the timer goes off. Note: this is tested in Denver, CO. Reduce down to 6 minutes according to your preference and altitude (if too soft, reduce time to 7 minutes and troubleshoot from there, but most people like this cooked at 9 minutes.)
- Quick release when food is done, maintain a safe distance to prevent steam burns.
- Stir well to toss spaghetti and meatballs in sauce.
- Remove from Instant Pot quickly to prevent overcooking, and serve!
- Optional: top with fresh grated parmesan cheese, and a bit of fresh parsley or basil.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this for the first time today. It’s so good. I like that you wrote your in Denver because I’m in the springs. 🙂 And was looking for a a recipe at elevation. This will be added to my easy fast dinners.
Can I double this recipe in a 6 Qt Instant Pot?
Yes
My family is obsessed with IP spaghetti! It’s the best!
This is a staple in our house. Thanks!