Easy Instant Pot Meat Sauce in Under an Hour

There’s nothing like an Italian red sauce for a comforting, filling meal. This Instant Pot meat sauce is a snap to make and excellent served over pasta, polenta, or in lasagna. 

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My mom makes the best meat sauce. The best. My sons will tell you that mine is as good as Grammy’s — maybe even better. (Mom’s is always best, right??)

An Instant Pot Meat Sauce 

This red sauce is an adaptation for the Instant Pot, for those of us who need to get dinner on the table in a hurry without stirring a pot on the stove for hours.

An easy meat sauce that comes together in under an hour in an Instant Pot, but tastes like it’s been simmering all day? It’s a winner.

If you don’t have an electric pressure cooker, there are instructions in the recipe card below for making it on the stove top.

Ingredients

Ground meat — This recipe calls for both Italian sausage and ground beef. If you prefer a different kind of ground meat, that’s perfectly fine. Ground chicken or ground turkey will make a little bit lighter red sauce. (I just wish they’d stop using Styrofoam to package it!)

Tomatoes  — You’ll use three different types of canned tomatoes for this recipe: tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato puree. If you preserve your own tomatoes at home, use those. Not everybody has tackled home canning yet, though, and I wanted this easy meat sauce recipe to be easy enough for everyone to make. You can also use fresh Roma tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes are a favorite for cooking). Use about eight cups of chopped Romas to replace the canned tomato products.

Onion — This recipe calls for a yellow onion, but you can use any kind of bulb onion you have on hand — white, yellow, or red.

Red bell pepper — The sweetness of the red bell pepper is perfectly suited to this recipe. 

Seasonings — Italian seasoning features oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary; it’s what gives this meat sauce an Italian flair. Red pepper flakes add a bit of spice, and of course you’ll add salt and pepper. 

Red wine — This is an optional ingredient, but one that really adds flavor. Avoid sweet wines, opting for something like a Zinfandel or Cabernet. If you prefer to leave it out, the meat sauce will still emerge from the Instant Pot tasting great.

Related: Easy Meals to Cook at Home (for Less!)

Making this Meat Sauce

This easy sauce can be prepared entirely in the liner of the Instant Pot. Start by sautéing the ground meat and onion together, stirring frequently to break up the meat. Once browned, use hot pads to lift the liner out of the Instant Pot; drain excess grease. 

Add remaining ingredients and seal the pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can use the quick pressure release method. If not, let the pressure release naturally. 

If you’re serving this as a spaghetti sauce, go ahead and boil the water for noodles while the sauce is cooking. This pasta sauce will work with a variety of noodles; use what’s in your pantry.

(I know, the Italian nonnas are out there cringing about mixing the wrong sort of pasta with the sauce, but cringe away, ladies! We’ve got to get dinner on the table!)

If you do not have an electric pressure cooker, no worries. Simply follow the instructions, but use a large stock pot instead. For a really flavorful sauce, cook over medium-low heat for two-to-three hours, stirring often to prevent sticking.

Meal Ideas

Of course this sauce is delicious on pasta. But with half of the people in my household avoiding wheat, we don’t eat it that way very often. Most of us have come to prefer eating it scooped over a hot bowl of polenta or cooked spaghetti squash. It’s a must in homemade lasagna, and it’s a tasty topping for baked potatoes.

Storing Leftover Meat Sauce

Allow meat sauce to cool. Transfer to an airtight container within two hours of serving. Refrigerate for several days. To serve, reheat in a saucepan.

★ Did you make this Instant Pot meat sauce? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! ★

Continue to Content

Instant Pot Meat Sauce

Yield: 12 cups

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

This rich and flavorful Instant Pot spaghetti sauce is so easy; perfect for a weeknight meal. Serve it over pasta, polenta, or just alongside a loaf of crusty French bread for dipping!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground Italian Sausage, mild
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 2 cups tomato sauce, 15 ½ ounce can
• 1 3/4 cups diced tomatoes, 14 ounce can
• 3 3/4 cups tomato puree, 29 ounce can
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup red wine, optional

Instructions

1. Start by sautéing the ground meat and onion together, stirring frequently to break up the meat. Once browned, use hot pads to lift the liner out of the Instant Pot; drain excess grease. 
2. Add remaining ingredients and seal the pressure cooker.
3. Set for a manual high-pressure time of 12 minutes, allowing for a quick pressure release at the end of the cooking time. If you're not in a hurry, it's perfectly fine to let the pressure release naturally.

Notes

Serves 12

If you prefer a different kind of ground meat, that’s perfectly fine. Ground chicken or ground turkey will make a little bit lighter red sauce. 

This homemade meat sauce recipe calls for canned tomatoes. If you’re a home canner, feel free to substitute your homemade version in equal amounts. 

If you don't care for chunks of tomatoes in your sauce, replace the diced tomatoes with 14 ounces crushed tomatoes.

If you do not have an electric pressure cooker, no worries. Simply follow the instructions, but use a large stock pot instead. For a really flavorful sauce, cook over medium-low heat for two-to-three hours, stirring often to prevent sticking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 418Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 1018mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 27g

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Originally published May 2019; this post has been updated.

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