Are you ready for the BEST Instant Pot spaghetti recipe ever? You are going to love this 30 year strong recipe from my mother-in-law that can now be made in 10 minutes!
It is full of delicious ground beef, smooth pasta sauce and the best al dente pasta noodles that come together perfectly in this family friendly meal. Turn a busy weeknight into spaghetti night with this super easy instant pot spaghetti the whole family will love.

What makes this the BEST Instant Pot spaghetti?
We love this Instant Pot gluten-free spaghetti because it is so quick to make. It is also a great kid friendly recipe that will become a family favorite in no time!
The best part is that this great recipe comes from my mother in law who has been making it for over 30 years. Her stovetop recipe simmers for 5-7 hours but with the Instant Pot, it only takes 8 minutes!
She uses traditional pasta, but in this gluten-free version, created especially for those with celiac disease or on a gluten-free diet, you can use some good alternatives like brown rice pasta, which is one of the best gluten-free pastas.
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Surprisingly, it still has that great all-day simmered taste and texture. While I adore her recipe and method (and so does my hubby) I just don’t always have the time to make it.
I thought it would be fun to recreate it in the Instant Pot. This one pot dish is one we make again and again and I hope you do too.
I also love to make her delicious hamburger soup so we updated that to make Instant Pot hamburger soup recipe as well. I think you guys will love it! Both go great with our gluten free garlic bread.
Can you brown meat in the Instant Pot?
Yes, it’s actually done using the sauté button and it makes things so much easier! We actually use this method right here in this BEST Instant Pot spaghetti.
If you want to forgo the ground beef in the spaghetti sauce all together, you could give these Instant Pot meatballs a try. Or use some leftover ground beef to make our Big Mac salad. You can also mix in ground Italian sausage to add to flavor profile.
If you prefer to leave out beef all together, you can serve this pasta up with delicious baked chicken.
How to make Instant Pot spaghetti
Using the sauté setting on your Instant Pot, cook ground beef with onion until the meat is no longer pink. Crumble meat and sprinkle with cornstarch (both shown in photo 1).
Once cooked, break the gluten-free up uncooked spaghetti in half and place it on top of the meat (shown in photos 2 and 3). Next, place all remaining ingredients in the pot with another 3 cups of water (shown in photo 4).
Seal the Instant Pot and set it to manual mode, cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. When the time is up, use manual quick release to open the Instant Pot. Stir spaghetti and serve hot with fresh parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Is this truly a one pot meal?
Yes, really only one pot! The great thing about this recipe is that it can be made for a crowd so fast. Just think, only one dirtied dish and you have a fabulous, easy meal to serve everyone at your table.
I do recommend serving it up with some hot garlic bread like our gluten-free sourdough crescent rolls or even lower the whole carb count for the meal with this Keto cornbread.
Can I add vegetables or use a different cut of pasta?
Yes definitely! I recommend adding in diced zucchini or squash. You could also add in some fresh spinach or bell peppers.
While I recommend gluten-free spaghetti or capellini noodles, you can easily use penne, rotini or even fettuccine. Really, whatever you have on had is great.
Although, for gluten-free especially, it is important to choose a high quality pasta so it doesn’t get mushy. I highly recommend Jovial gluten-free pasta. It is hand made fresh in Italy and is incredible!
And if you are looking for a lower carb “pasta” dish, check out this chicken Alfredo spaghetti squash. Our instant pot broccoli cheddar soup is also low carb and full of flavor!
Can I use the Instant Pot to reheat leftovers?
Absolutely! Leftover spaghetti tastes just as good the next day. Using the sauté button, you can easily reheat leftovers. I just heat it on sauté while stirring until it is nice and hot.
For best results be sure to stir or it will get stuck to the bottom of the instant pot. You can also add a bit of water make it a bit more saucy. Another fast family dinner for those busy nights.
If you love this recipe, please let us know below. Consider leaving a comment, a rating or sharing on social media. We are so grateful for wonderful readers like YOU! Here are some other great Instant Pot recipes…
50 Gluten-Free Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Creamy Italian Chicken
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
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BEST Instant Pot Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 2 lb. hamburger
- 1 46 oz. can tomato juice
- 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 T chili powder
- 1 T oregano
- 1 T parsley
- 1/4 C onion diced
- 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 pkg. spaghetti I recommend Jovial brand gluten-free
Instructions
- Using the saute setting on your Instant Pot, cook ground beef with onion until the meat is no longer pink
- Crumble meat and sprinkle with cornstarch
- Once cooked, break the noodles in half and place them on top of the meat
- Next, place all remaining ingredients in the pot
- Also add another 3 C water
- Seal the Instant Pot and set it to manual mode, cook on high pressure for 8 minutes
- When the time is up, use manual quick release to open the Instant Pot
- Stir spaghetti and serve hot with fresh parmesan and basil
Video
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally published on November 2, 2017. I have updated photos and made instructions a bit more easy to follow.
Jenny says
It is delicious & so easy to make! We just had it camping…no starchy water to get rid of.
Chandice says
Aww so glad you loved it, thanks Jenny!
Tera says
This is AMAZING!! I don’t love spaghetti, it’s time consuming and messy to cook and clean up. But it’s my husband’s favorite so I try to make it occasionally. I decided to try this instant pot version and got 2 big thumbs up from hubby!! He doesn’t know its GF and I’m probably not gonna tell him! Lol!
Chandice says
That is so awesome! Hey, hubby’s don’t need to know it is gluten-free if they already love it right? 😉
Karla says
I made this today and thought it was very runny. The noodles were cooked well, though, and not mushy. If you use less water, will you get a burn message?
Chandice says
It is a bit more saucy. You can use less water and it should be just fine. 🙂
Amy says
There is no water in the recipe – do you mean less tomato juice?
Chandice says
In the directions it mentions water…
Ashley says
Looks good! Do the gf noodles stick together?? I find when I boil/cook gluten free noodles that they stick together if I’m not constantly stirring…
Chandice says
They do pretty well if you use a fork to separate them just before putting the lid on after adding the sauce. We haven’t had big issues with this. Hope you enjoy the spaghetti as much as we do. 🙂
Becca says
What brand of gluten free spaghetti do you use?
Chandice says
I use different brands but I like Barilla GF.