This Instant Pot Penne Bolognese recipe is what easy dinner dreams are made of! All made in one-pot at one time. Just a 5 minute cook time AND using affordable ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry! This easy pasta with meat sauce is hearty, delicious, and budget friendly.
Ingredients You'll Need for this One-Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce:
- Ground beef
- Onion and Garlic
- Beef Broth
- Spices: Dried Basil and Dried Parsley
- Marinara Sauce - user your favorite jar
- Penne Pasta - or other short pasta such as rotini , farfalle, or ziti
- Optional Toppings: Fresh Basil and Parmesan Cheese
Check out this quick video!
How to make the Instant Pot Pasta:
- Sauté the Beef and Onion. You can do this in the Instant Pot using the Sauté function. Add the garlic in the last minute. If you add the garlic with the beef and onion, you risk overcooking and burning the garlic.
- Add Remaining Ingredients. Beef Broth, Spices, Jar of Marinara, and Dry Pasta. Give it a stir!
- Cook on High Pressure. Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to 5 minutes on High Pressure.
- Natural Release then Quick Release. When finished cooking, allow to Natural Release for 5 minutes before doing a controlled quick release.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
Do I have to brown the ground beef first?
Yes! Browning the ground meat is so important for both the flavor and texture. It's super easy in the Instant Pot, no need for an extra pan. Just use the sauté setting.
I’ve never used my Instant Pot before, how do I start?
Using a pressure cooker for the first time can be SUPER intimidating. I recommend first doing a ‘water test’ to learn how it works and what to expect during the pressure cooking process. Here is a great step by step. The ‘test’ does not make your Instant Pot work better, but it will allow you to get comfortable before actual food and ingredients are involved.
Does this reheat well for leftovers?
Yes! Leftover pasta can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Use a good jar of marinara!
I recommend using your favorite jar of marinara. The marinara is the bulk of the sauce, so using a quality jar will make a big difference in the flavor of the sauce. Do you have a favorite store-bought marinara? Let me know in the comments! I'd love to try some.
Check out some other Instant Pot recipes:
- Instant Pot Sweet Potato Pork Stew
- Salsa Chicken Quinoa Bowls
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Vegetarian Curry Lentils
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PrintRecipe
Instant Pot Penne Bolognese - One Pot!
All made in one-pot at one time. Just a 5 minute cook time. AND using affordable ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry! This easy pasta with meat sauce is hearty, delicious, and budget friendly.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Instant Pot, Main Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound lean Ground Beef
- 1 small to medium Yellow or White Onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons Minced Garlic
- 1 15oz can Beef Broth
- 1 24-oz jar Marinara Sauce
- 8 ounces Penne Pasta
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- Sliced Fresh Basil and Grated Parmesan. Optional, for serving
Instructions
- Sauté the Beef, Onions, and Garlic. Set your Pressure Cooker to the high sauté setting. Heat the olive oil. Add the ground beef and onions. Sauté and crumble while it all cooks. About 3-5 minutes until the ground beef is cooked and the onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for one minute more. Drain excess fat.
- Add Remaining Ingredients. Turn off the Pressure Cooker. Add beef broth. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom. Stir in marinara sauce, spices, salt and pepper to taste, and pasta.
- Cook on High Pressure. Close lid, set valve to sealing, and set the Instant Pot to 5 minutes on High Pressure.
- Release Pressure. When the time is up, allow to natural release for 5 minutes. Then do a controlled quick release (see notes). When pressure is released, turn off instant pot and serve.
- Serve and Enjoy! Sprinkle on sliced basil and parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
Instant Pot: I use an 8qt Instant Pot, but a 6qt would also work. I have not tested in a smaller size than the 6qt.
Pasta: I used regular, white pasta. Cook time may need to be adjusted if you use whole wheat or other alternative pasta.
Controlled Quick Release: Slightly open the valve in small bursts. If liquid spurts out, then close valve and natural release for another minute or two. Do controlled, quick bursts before opening valve all the way.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ of recipe
- Calories: 475
- Sugar: 10.6 g
- Sodium: 1039.4 mg
- Fat: 10.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 56.9 g
- Fiber: 5.1 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 71.1 mg
Michelle Baccus says
Hi there. Made this recipe tonight after a long day at work, and it was amazing! Love a fast and easy recipe and this is it! I used "better than boullion" because I did not have a can of beef broth and what flavor it added! I had to add 3 mins to the cooking time due to pasta being undercooked, but that was probably on me.....I just dumped half of my 16 oz penne container in! Didn't weigh or measure 🙂 Thank you for this recipe and I look forward to trying more of your instant pot recipes. I'm new to IP and so excited!
Kathleen Hansen says
This makes me so happy, Michelle! So glad you loved it!
Suzy James says
Just wondering how this dish does in 8 qt instapot. Does the double recipe work well in this size pot?
How about the triple recipe.? Worried about the pasta expanding in there.
Kathleen says
I used an 8qt instant pot for this recipe - that is what is pictured and in the video. I haven’t tested making a double recipe, so I can’t say for certain but it should fit. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
Wayne Thomason says
I used Barilla marinara, Great Value penne, minced garlic from a jar and I skipped the parsley. This was my first multi-cooker meal as I was just trying my new cooker for the first time. It was great although it took a little longer than 15 minutes to cook due to the saute step taking more than five minutes and the preheat before the timer started on the pressure cook phase took about 4-5 minutes. Still, easier and better flavor and texture than doing it in boiling water and a skillet.
It would also be nice to have nutritional values listed on the menu (calories specifically).
Christine in CLE says
I mistakenly added an entire 16 Oz package of pasta, instead of the 8 Oz called for in the recipe. To attempt to save the dish, I added half a jar of water so their would be enough liquid. I didn’t adjust anything else, and I’m happy to report that the dish turned out delicious. Sharing in case anyone makes the same mistake, or needs a little more volume.
Kathleen says
Glad that it turned out well for you! Thank you for your comment and letting others know 🙂