When I published the Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe I got a lot of comments from people saying they wanted protein with the spaghetti. You know we make a killer meatball here at Mom’s Dinner so I knew I needed to create a really good Instant Pot Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs. This recipe DELIVERS!!! The meatballs are easy to put together, they are full of flavor and they stay together under the pressure of the Instant Pot. The spaghetti cooks in chicken broth and marinara sauce, infusing each noodle with so much flavor.
This Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe holds up to all the standards of Mom’s Dinner – it’s an easy recipe with simple ingredients and has a huge flavor payout. You’re going to love it!
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Spaghetti and Meatballs = Classic Family Dinner
- If you love your Instant Pot, you are going to love this recipe.
- It’s super easy to make but has a huge flavor payout!
- All cooked in one pot; no draining – no sautéing.
- The pasta cooks in chicken broth, HUGE flavor.
Ingredients
MEATBALLS: This recipe is specifically for Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs. IF you want to use frozen meatballs you will want to pop over to the Instant Pot Spaghetti with Frozen Meatball recipe, it is slightly different.
Ground Beef – I recommend using an 85/15 lean ground beef for your meatballs. It will have enough fat to be flavorful, but not so much that your spaghetti is greasy.
Panko Breadcrumbs – These are the coarser breadcrumbs and they make a perfect starch for the panade (which is a starch and a liquid combined to keep a ground meat recipe tender and juicy).
Milk – This is the liquid used for the panade and moistens the bread crumbs perfectly. Any type of milk will work.
Egg – 1 large egg will help bind the meatballs so they don’t fall apart in the Instant Pot.
EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil will also help keep your meatballs juicy and tender.
Garlic – 2 raw garlic cloves minced and added the meatball mixture adds a ton of flavor! Make sure you mince it pretty well so there aren’t large chunks of garlic.
Seasoning – A combo of kosher salt, dried basil and onion powder is the perfect mix to flavor the meatballs.
Parmesan – You are going to love the flavor of parmesan in the meatballs. I recommend that you use coarsely ground parmesan to get little pockets of parm throughout. See photo below.
Buy a wedge of good parmesan, cut it into chunks and then pulse it in a blender or food processor until it resembles small gravel.
PASTA:
Spaghetti – This recipe is specifically tested and written for classic spaghetti. If you choose to use a different thickness of pasta the cook time may be different.
Marinara – Use your family’s favorite jarred marinara sauce. We love Rao’s Marinara.
Chicken Broth – You can use chicken broth or water.. I will say that the chicken broth adds a really great layer of flavor to your pasta!! Give it a try.
Olive Oil – A little olive oil added before the pasta helps prevent the burn notice in the Instant Pot.
How TO Make Spaghetti and Meatballs in The Instant Pot
Step 1
Mix the panade for the meatballs. Add the ground beef, then portion and roll the meatballs.
We love using a medium cookie scoop to portion meatballs!
Step 2
Pour the olive oil in the bottom of the pot. Break the spaghetti and criss-cross it in a few layers in the Instant Pot.
Step 3
Pour in the chicken broth and kosher salt. Lay the meatballs over top.
Step 4
Pour HALF of the marinara over the meatballs.
Step 5
Close the lid and set to cook for 4 minutes, do a 5 min natural release.
Step 6
Open the pot, remove the meatballs and then vigorously stir the spaghetti (any clumps should break apart easily). Pour in the remaining sauce and stir.
Step 7
Add the meatballs back to the pot or just serve them over top of the plated spaghetti.
Storing Leftovers
Keep any leftover Spaghetti and Meatballs in the fridge, in a covered container for up to 5 days.
Tips For the Best Instant Pot Spaghetti With Meatballs
Avoid overmixing meatballs: Overworked proteins form tight bonds, leading to rubbery results. Mix until just combined.
Use 85/15 ground beef: It’s the best fat to lean ratio for flavor and texture without being overly greasy.
Tested with spaghetti noodles: Use spaghetti as your pasta. A noodle that is thicker or thinner will require different cook time.
Criss-cross the spaghetti: Breaking the noodles in half and layering them in a criss-cross patter helps the noodles not cook together.
Cook in chicken broth: For the most flavor use a chicken broth as your cooking liquid.
Only add half the marinara at first: This allows some of the sauce to infuse the noodles. Then you add the remaining half after the pressure cook so you have a nice balance of sauciness.
Side Dishes for Serving
A classic plate of spaghetti and meatballs pairs perfectly with simple sides. A crisp Caesar salad or a fresh green salad with vinaigrette adds just the right amount of brightness to cut through the rich tomato sauce. Garlic bread is always a must, and if you want to go a little extra, cheesy garlic bread makes it even better. For a nice little nibble on the side, a small bowl of assorted olives works beautifully to round out the meal.
More Instant Pot Spaghetti Recipes
Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
MEATBALLS – about 16 meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef - 85/15
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large egg - lightly beaten
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese - coarse ground
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
SPAGHETTI
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - or evoo
- 1 lb. spaghetti
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 24 oz marinara - divided
Instructions
Homemade Meatballs
- In a large bowl mix the bread crumbs, extra virgin olive oil, and milk. Let sit for a few minutes to absorb.¼ cup panko bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Add the egg, garlic, parmesan, seasonings and ground beef. Mix just until it is combined.1 lb ground beef, 1 large egg, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Roll the meatballs, about 1.5Tbsp in size each – you will have around 16-18 meatballs.
Instant Pot Cooking
- Layer the ingredients into the Instant Pot – 1 tablespoon oil, spaghetti divided into sections and laid in a criss-cross pattern, pour the chicken broth over top, sprinkle in the kosher salt, layer in the meatballs. Then pour in HALF the jar of sauce.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 lb. spaghetti, 3 cups chicken broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure, normal heat for 4 mins, then do a 5 min natural release. Finish with a quick release after that.
- Remove the meatballs to a separate plate.
- Vigorously toss the spaghetti with tongs, any clumps should bread up easily. Add the remaining sauce and toss together.Don't worry if it looks a little watery, it will thicken as it cools.
- Add the meatballs back to the pot and let everything cool for about 5 minutes.
Serving
- Excellent served with a Caesar Salad , assorted olives and Garlic Bread
Storing
- Keep in the fridge, in a covered container, for up to 5 days.
Comments
No Comments