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Instant Pot Spaghetti is the ultimate weeknight hero — comforting, hearty, and ready in just 35 minutes! Everything cooks together in one pot, so you get tender noodles, a rich, flavorful meat sauce, and zero extra dishes. The pasta absorbs all that delicious sauce as it cooks, giving every bite homemade depth without the fuss of boiling or draining. It’s classic spaghetti made even easier — and just as satisfying.
If you love hearty, family-style dinners like this one, try my Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff, Instant Pot Goulash, Instant Pot Chicken and Rice, or Crockpot Spaghetti next — all cozy comfort favorites that practically cook themselves.
Now, let’s get your Instant Pot humming — dinner will be ready before you know it!
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Make sure to break the spaghetti in half — it helps the pasta cook evenly under pressure.
✨ Don’t stir after layering the pasta — keeping it on top prevents burning and ensures even cooking.
✨ Always scrape up the browned bits after sautéing; this keeps the Instant Pot from giving a burn notice.
✨ Let the spaghetti rest for 4–5 minutes after cooking — the sauce will thicken beautifully.
✨ Use 80/20 ground beef for the best flavor and richness.
Instant Pot Spaghetti Ingredients + Key Notes
This is just a quick glance at what you’ll need. For exact measurements and the full ingredient list, head down to the recipe card below.
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Ground Beef: 80/20 blend gives you the perfect flavor without being greasy.
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Onion, Garlic + Carrot: This trio builds a sweet, aromatic flavor base (the grated carrot also balances acidity).
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Italian Seasoning: Adds classic herb flavor — you can also mix in a pinch of red pepper flakes for mild heat.
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Spaghetti Sauce: Use your favorite 24-ounce jar or 24 ounces of homemade marinara sauce.
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Water: Layered carefully so the pasta cooks evenly without sticking.
How To Make Instant Pot Spaghetti
Turn your Instant Pot to sauté and heat the oil until it reads “Hot.” Add the beef, onion, garlic, grated carrot, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook while breaking up the beef until no pink remains.
Next, turn off sauté and pour in ½ cup water. Stir and scrape up all those flavorful browned bits (this step is key!). Stir in the jar of spaghetti sauce.
Spread the broken spaghetti over the sauce in two even layers — don’t stir! Pour the remaining 1½ cups of water evenly over the top. Seal the lid and set to Manual Mode – High Pressure for 8 minutes.
When the timer beeps, carefully do a quick release. If sauce sputters out, pause and release steam in short bursts. Once safe, remove the lid and give everything a gentle stir. Let the spaghetti rest 4–5 minutes — it’ll thicken up perfectly before serving.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Choose the right pasta: Regular spaghetti (not thin or angel hair) holds up best in the Instant Pot.
⭐ Avoid overfilling: Too much pasta or sauce can trigger the burn notice. Stick to the recipe quantities.
⭐ Add veggies or extras: Sliced mushrooms, bell peppers, or a handful of spinach can easily be cooked right in for added flavor and nutrition.
⭐ Make it cheesy: Stir in freshly grated Parmesan or mozzarella just before serving for that irresistible creamy finish.
Storing + Freezing
- How Long Will This Keep In The Fridge: This will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. Keep in mind as this sits in the fridge, the pasta will absorb more sauce and will change in texture.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes, this technically can be frozen but the texture of the pasta will become mushy. I only serve this fresh.
- Make-Ahead Tips: Honestly, my instant pot spaghetti recipe is make-ahead friendly from start to finish! This is the “oops I forgot to plan dinner” recipe that you can whip up in no time.
- Do you still want to save a few extra minutes? Prep your onion, garlic, and carrot, and store in the fridge for up to one week.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
Instant Pot Spaghetti Serving Recommendations
Fresh + Crispy: I like to serve this with my fully loaded Mediterranean salad or my house salad tossed with my quick and easy balsamic vinaigrette.
Cozy Breads: It’s also wonderful with my copycat Olive Garden breadsticks, garlic bread, or easy practically no-knead bread.
Veggie Sides: We love my fried eggplant (you won’t believe how crispy it is!), simple roasted peppers, or air fryer green beans.
More Spaghetti Recipes
Pasta for dinner is a delight that’s hard to break! So why fight it? There’s a past meal for every night of the week!
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Italian Spaghetti
- Spaghetti Pie
- Mexican Spaghetti
- Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel
- Baked Spaghetti With Cream Cheese
Tried This Recipe?
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Instant Pot Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup carrot, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups water divided
- 1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
- 8 ounces spaghetti broken in half
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot on saute function. Add the vegetable oil (1 tablespoon) when the display reads "hot". Add the beef (1 pound), onion (1 cup), garlic (4 cloves), carrot (1/4 cup), Italian seasoning (1 teaspoon), salt (1 teaspoon), and pepper (1/2 teaspoon). Cook, stirring often and breaking up beef into large pieces, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Turn off saute setting and 1/2 cup water. Stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Pour in the sauce (1 jar) and mix until combined.
- Over the beef spread the broken spaghetti (8 ounces) into 2 layers. Do NOT stir. Pour the remaining 1 1/2 cups water over the pasta, again not stirring!
- Lock the lid and set the valve to seal. Set the function to "manual mode-high pressure" for 8 minutes. The instant pot will start on its own.
- Switch the valve to the "venting" position to completely release steam before opening the lid. If any sauce comes out in the jet of steam, close the vent and release the steam in bursts.
- Carefully remove the lid (there will likely still be remaining steam). Mix the noodles with the sauce. Allow to sit for 4-5 minutes to thicken before serving.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
Wow just made this.
Really good, Spaghetti came out perfect.
I’ll be checking out your other recipes.
Thanks Dan! So happy you enjoyed 🙂
wrong amount of beef. Should probably be 1 lb.
You’re absolutely right, Leona!
The recipe says 1 tablespoon beef! I hope you mean 1 lb., but now I’m not sure.
Please correct.
Hi Julie! The recipe is corrected <3
Should this be one pound not tablespoon of ground beef?
Yes! I’ve corrected my typo! Oooops!