Flavorful tender turkey meatballs from scratch, healthy whole wheat spaghetti, and easy pasta sauce prepared in your pressure cooker for a classic Italian dinner ready in under an hour. Really does sound like a dream, doesn’t it? How long it takes: less than an hour Equipment you’ll need: Instant Pot, mixing bowl Servings: 6 And you won’t wake up to the reality of a sinkful of pots and pans! Not even a colander to wash! Don’t pinch me and wake me up, I want to continue dreaming. While I’m at it, maybe I’ll dream of a peaceful world without hunger and disease, where everyone loves and respects each other, and my kids don’t argue or whine. Seriously, Instant Pot spaghetti and meatballs is the way to go. One pot pasta dishes are kind of amazing. If you love my Instant Pot pasta with sausage, spinach, and tomatoes, you’re going to love this recipe so much. If you haven’t tried one yet (and there are lots of easy recipes to try), don’t delay. Begin with spaghetti and meatballs. It’s a real crowd-pleaser!
About this Spaghetti and meatball recipe
I love homemade meatballs. I’ll admit that pre-made frozen meatballs are tempting but after tasting homemade, it’s kinda hard to go back to store-bought. They have a strange texture that makes you wonder what’s really in them. Make your own turkey meatballs or beef meatballs. You can bake them or fry them. For this recipe, the meatballs are browned right in your Instant Pot using the sauté function. One pot, right? If you have purchased frozen meatballs, you can skip this step and just add the meatballs with the pasta, since they are pre-cooked. After the meatballs are browned, remove them from the pot and turn it off. Add a can of diced tomatoes to your Instant Pot and deglaze the bottom. Just use your spatula and scrape all the browned bits loose. This step is important because it will prevent you from getting the dreaded burn notice. Put the meatballs back in, add the dry spaghetti (break it in half so it fits), pour a jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce and one and a half jars of water over the whole business. Cover and set the cook timer for 8 minutes. Remember that it will take an additional ten (or slightly more) minutes for your Instant Pot to come to full pressure. When the timer goes off, turn the valve to vent to quick release the pressure. It’s so stinkin’ easy! I like to let the pasta set for five to ten minutes to thicken and cool slightly. Serve your spaghetti topped with Parmesan cheese and a fresh green salad dressed with homemade Italian dressing or healthy homemade ranch dressing. Top your salad with easy to make homemade croutons! Why not add crusty Texas toast garlic bread (it’s so easy to make your own)? Try no-knead Dutch oven bread with olive oil bread dipping sauce.
How to make this Instant Pot recipe your own
Substitute meat sauce. Not crazy about making meatballs, or looking for an even easier recipe? Try Instant Pot spaghetti with meat sauce. Use ground beef. If you prefer, use ground beef instead of turkey for the meatballs. For a richer spaghetti sauce, use two jars of pasta sauce along with half jar of water. Or use your own homemade spaghetti sauce. Use a different type of pasta. I like whole wheat spaghetti, but penne would be my second choice.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Refrigerate/Freeze: Leftovers? My favorite word! Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge, for up to three days. Spaghetti and meatballs can be frozen, too, for up to four months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating for best results. Reheat: Individual portions can be reheated for one to two minutes in the microwave. It’s an easy lunch or dinner tomorrow. in your Instant Pot!
