instant pot spaghetti bolognese

Instant pot spaghetti bolognese has changed our family tradition. We cook spaghetti bolognese every, or most Monday evenings. For the rest of the week, anything goes.

We still enjoy this as empty nesters, but if our adult kids are around on a Monday evening – this is what they love. So this is a recipe, but not so much – I am sure you have your favorite spaghetti bolognese recipe, right? This is more about doing it all in one pot – an INSTANT POT. Enjoy.

instant pot

This instant pot variation on how I cook spaghetti bolognese has changed a few things for me.

It is quicker.

It uses up fewer pots and pans. LOVE THIS, less to wash up.

I start up by using the saute function, fry everything up and then deglaze the pot. It is super important to deglaze the pot otherwise you will get a burn warning.

All the liquid is then added in and the pasta is piled on top. This is the wonder.

spaghetti bolognese wonder

If you look on the internet or in any recipe book you will find a variation of this meal. In Italy, it even looks so different in different regions.

This is why it is a family favorite for many families.

Some enjoy it drier, my hubby for instance, and some like the sauce – me.

My husband would prefer it if I didn’t put in any celery. But, I add in the celery. I cut it up super fine and we so enjoy the flavor it adds to the dish, a nuttiness somehow.

Some people put in milk or cream – I have never done that! How about you?

Mixing the bolognese sauce through the pasta is a new way for me. We used to have a huge pile of pasta and then a much smaller blob of sauce on top. And then, of course, the parmesan cheese.

I much prefer mixing it through and letting the pasta absorb all the sauce.

spaghetti bolognese essentials

The essentials that I love to use when making this are the following:

• onion
• celery
• carrots
• tomato paste
• tomato sauce
• home made bone broth
• herbs
• salt and pepper
• ground beef
• parmesan cheese

OPTIONAL spaghetti bolognese essentials

• wine for deglazing
• bacon bits for more flavor
• a mix of ground pork and beef, personal choice
• spices to add in a bit of heat
• other cheese, cheddar if that’s all you have got
• bay leaves

putting the instant pot spaghetti bolognese together

1. Get all the ingredients out.
2. Chop up the onions, and celery, and fry together until soft and translucent.
3. Add in the grated carrots. Continue until the carrots have softened a bit too.
4. IMPORTANT – add in the herbs. I love doing this here because then the herbs come alive. Their flavors, aromas, and deliciousness are released at this stage.
5. Keep stirring and do not let it catch/burn at the bottom of the pot.
6. TIP – if this combination starts to catch, throw in a splash of water or switch off the stove or instant pot and put on the lid. I find that both the water being added in and the steam that develops with the lid on adds in enough liquid to make the scrapings at the bottom of the pot easier to loosen up.
7. Add in the ground beef or ground beef/pork mix. Keep stirring and brown the meat thoroughly and break up any of the clumps. I like to brown it off until all the liquid has evaporated.
8. Add in the bone broth and tinned tomatoes and tomato paste.
9. TAKE NOTE. The bolognese sauce must be a bit liquidy for the INSTANT POT. The pasta needs some moisture to absorb and to be delicious.
10. PROCEED WITH WONDER. Add in the dried, uncooked pasta. If you are using long pasta – break it in half. The smaller pasta works too.
11. LAYER CAREFULLY. Put the dried pasta over the top of the bolognese sauce and push it under slightly. NOT ALL of the pieces need to be submerged.
12. DO NOT stir the pasta through.
13. Place the INSTANT POT lid on.
14. Make sure it is sealed.
15. Select pressure cooking setting.
16. Set for 6 min.
17. Allow it to self-release for 10 minutes.
18. Open up and enjoy.
19. Don’t forget the parmesan cheese.

instant pot spaghetti bolognese AND OTHER pasta dishes

I have been experimenting with other pasta dishes in the INSTANT POT and they are working out just perfectly.

The basics of the INSTANT POT must be remembered.

• after the saute, deglaze the pot – always
• add about 1/2 to a full cup extra of liquid to accommodate the cooking of the pasta
• cook on high pressure for 6 minutes
• allow the INSTANT POT to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure manually
• then it is ready
• no extra dishes

the benefits of using the INSTANT POT

I am no longer scared or ignorant of using pressure cooking. Using the INSTANT POT has helped me prepare some of our favorite meals in a far quicker time.

I’ve been needing some time saving recently and I am sure so do you.

The flavors are all locked into one pot.

The inner pot is stainless steel and I LOVE cooking with stainless steel. I do not love Teflon, just don’t.

Fewer dishes to wash.

The inner pot is beautiful and can be put on the table to serve from.

If you need to, and I haven’t – you can put the inner pot straight onto your stovetop and cook there. It has a very thick base that heats up well and evenly.