| | | | |

Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

This instant pot spaghetti sauce is delicious and comforting. It’s easy and can be on the table and in your family’s bellies in less than an hour.

A sausage and gravy on some pasta in a white bowl. There is a salad and bowl of the sauce behind it

Christopher’s favorite cuisine is Italian and although I love it and seek it out when I want some comfort food, my favorite is Mexican.  But this instant pot spaghetti sauce is among my favorite ways to prepare and eat gravy.

Do I have to use an instant pot to make this?

No.  Of course, the recipe is created for the instant pot (or any pressure cooker), but you can make this spaghetti sauce (I call it gravy) on the stove top.

Save This Recipe form

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!

Why should I make spaghetti sauce in a pressure cooker?

Since I’ve gotten my IP, I make my gravy in it exclusively.  Why?  Because it is fast!  Stove top gravy takes hours, especially if you cook the sausages in the sauce, which believe me, is the best way.  The sausages turn out so soft and juicy!!

You say ‘spaghetti sauce’ but that’s not spaghetti, so what gives?

I’m pretty vocal about not ‘liking’ spaghetti.  It’s not the pasta I don’t like, per se.  It is the ‘bite’ of spaghetti I object to.  I want a mouthful of hearty pasta to chew on.  Besides, I don’t want to have to twirl my fork!  Does that make me lazy?  Maybe.  But these are my preferences.  You can ladle the delicious instant pot spaghetti sauce on any pasta you want!

I give you permission.  😉

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you click the link and buy something. You can read my disclosure here.

Helpful tips

  • Dice your onion.  Sometimes it’s fun to have chunky gravy but for this dish, I want it smooth
  • I use crushed tomatoes in this recipe, but you can use diced instead.  I’ve made it both ways and both are delicious
  • If you haven’t tried garlic paste, do look for it in your grocery as it saves time, is convenient and has a wonderful taste
  • Don’t skimp on the garlic, unless you don’t like it
  • Buy the best sausages you can afford
A white deep bowl with pasta, sauce and sausage
Photo Credit: Dishes Delish.

How to make this instant pot spaghetti sauce

Step one

Gather the ingredients – Onion, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic paste, sausages, oregano and basil.

Onion, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic paste, oregano and basil on a grey table

Step two

Chop onion in small chunks. Get your instant pot out and press the sauté button.

Step three

Add olive oil and after it heats up, add onion and sauté for 3 minutes.

Step four

Add sausages, garlic, oregano, basil and salt and continue sautéing for 3 minutes.

Sausages, onions and herbs sautéed in the instant pot container

Step five

Add the rest of your ingredients to the IP. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the instant pot container so you won’t get a burn notice.

Seal the lid and make sure the venting knob is turned to the sealed position. Press the ‘Pressure Cook’ button and set the timer to 15 minutes. The IP mode should be normal and the pressure set to high.

The IP will take between 10 – 15 minutes to come to pressure before the timer starts counting down.

Step six

After the IP beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes or do a quick release.  (Don an oven mitt before turning the venting knob to vent).

For this meal, I transfer most of the finished gravy to a serving bowl and add orecchiette pasta to our plates.

Sausages peaking out of a serving bowl with pasta in a bowl behind it

I ladle the gravy on the pasta and we’re ready to eat.

A white bowl filled with pasta with sauce and a sausage on top. There is a bowl with more sauce in the background

Looking delicious!

Overhead view of the a white bowl with two sausages with sauce and pasta

I hope you enjoyed this instant pot spaghetti sauce recipe!

What is your favorite meat to put in your spaghetti sauce?  Or your favorite pasta?  Leave me a comment as I would love to know.

And as always, may all your dishes be delish!

If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below.  I love hearing from you!  You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

A sausage and sauce on pasta in a white plate - square

Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

Succulent sausages in this delicious sauce.  It can be on your table in less than an hour.
4.71 from 17 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: instant pot spaghetti sauce, sauce with sausages, spaghetti sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 21 minutes
20 minutes
Total Time: 26 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 380kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 6 sausages or more
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 12 ounces water I use the tomato paste can
  • 2 teaspoons garlic paste 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  • See notes below for an amendment.
  • Press the sauté button on the IP, add oil, then onions and sauté for 3 minutes.
    2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 large onion
  • Add sausages and sauté for 3 minutes.
    6 sausages
  • Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and bay leaf.  After adding these ingredients, make sure to scrape the bottom of the instant pot to avoid any burn notice.
    28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 6 ounces tomato paste, 12 ounces water, 2 teaspoons garlic paste, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 bay leaf
  • Seal instant pot, make sure the venting knob is set to sealed and press the pressure cook button and set the timer for 15 minutes. The mode should be normal and the pressure set to high.
  • IP will take between 10 – 15 minutes to come to pressure, and then the timer will start counting down.
  • Once it beeps, either let the IP release the pressure naturally, or do a fast release but use an oven mitt before tapping the venting knob.
  • Plate some pasta and either transfer the sauce to a serving bowl or serve directly out of IP container.
  • Eat
  • Smile
  • Enjoy

Equipment

See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!

Notes

AMENDMENT
I’m adding this amendment for this recipe as a few people said they got a burn notice on their IP. Although it always works for me and I make this a lot.
Instead of sautéing the onions and sausage before cooking – add the chopped onion on the bottom of the instant pot insert. Place the sausages directly on the onions. When you add the rest of the ingredients, do not stir before you close the IP lid.
Helpful tips
  • Dice your onion.  Sometimes it’s fun to have chunky gravy but for this dish, I want it smooth.
  • I use crushed tomatoes in this recipe, but you can use diced instead.  I’ve made it both ways and both are delicious.
  • If you haven’t tried garlic paste, do look for it in your grocery as it saves time, is convenient and has a wonderful taste.
  • Don’t skimp on the garlic, unless you don’t like it.
  • Buy the best sausages you can afford.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 1234mg | Potassium: 946mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 790IU | Vitamin C: 21.4mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 4.1mg
Get new recipes in your inbox!Click here! to sign up for our newsletter
Website | + posts

From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to food journalist, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted cocktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.

Similar Posts

42 Comments

  1. This looks fabulous! I love my Instant Pot and am always looking for great recipes to make in it and this will definitely be one of them. Your tips and process photos are especially helpful.

      1. This was a poor recipe for the IP! I had to shut it off because “food burn” came on. Cleaned the pot and stirred in all ingredients with a whisk! Burned again!!! Moved into a large pot and cooked on the stove top!! Took much more time tonight!! Deleting this from my favorites. It sounded great! I did add 2 T sugar to cut acid and a bit more garlic!

  2. Spaghetti sauce in under an hour sounds very appealing, especially on busy weekdays. I’ve been experimenting with my Instant Pot quite a bit lately; I’ll have to put this recipe on my list to try!

  3. Spaghetti sauce in the Instant Pot is one of my fav things to make! So easy, budget friendly, and of course…pasta is such a fav in our house!!! I’m pinning this right now 🙂

  4. I do not have an instant pot, but I do have a pressure cooker…and of course a slow cooker. Making a HUGE batch of this is great at this time of year with all the fresh tomatoes. I would be freezing some…as long as my kids did not take it home first. Nothing beats homemade pasta sauce.

  5. This sounds delicious. I rarely use salsiccia in my pasta sauces and your post reminded me I should do it more often. Garlic paste is not something I’m familiar with, I generally sauté the garlic together with the onion (if I use it). I’ll look it up, not sure I’ve seen it on sale around here.

  6. I love a good homemade sauce and this one looks like a real winner! It looks super rich and that colour is so vibrant. I can think of so many uses for this one. I’m sure it will come in handy in the winter months when I’m craving all the comfort food 😉

  7. What a fantastic recipe! Delicious and made in no time…the perfect meal for a busy family during the week!

  8. My Italian in-laws also call it gravy. I haven’t used my Instant Pot to make spaghetti sauce yet, but now I think I’ll have to give it a go! This looks delicious 🙂

  9. Although I don’t have an Instant Pot I do have a slow cooker and I don’t mind cooking on top of the stove. The dish looks wonderful and I bet it smells heavenly. I’ll be trying this out this weekend.

  10. Love, love, LOVE this dish. The best way to cook and eat sausages, according to moi. They stay moist and juicy. And gravy! Nothing more to say.

  11. I have a family spaghetti recipe I’ve made for years on the stove top but I’ve not made my spaghetti sauce in the IP yet! I need to try yours out! Looks so divine and is the perfect comfort food!!

  12. This spaghetti sauce can be made in a jiff on a weeknight since it’s made in the instant pot. No need to wait for the weekend and hours of cooking.

  13. I love instant pot recipes like these that take recipes from my childhood like this and make it in a quarter of amount of time! Can’t wait to make this!

  14. This looks absolutely delicious! So tasty. It’s a great option for busy families. Btw spaghetti sauce is my kiddos favorite. I bet he would enjoy this recipe. Cooking with instant pots seams super easy especially when you have a large family.

    1. Thanks for the comment Erin. No, I believe it would be the same time. But watch out that you don’t overfill the Instant pot. In the metal insert, there is a line you shouldn’t go over.

  15. I removed the sausage from the casings and as soon as the IP reached pressure, the “food burn” warning came on! I had also added a Tbsp of sugar. Had to release pressure and added some chicken broth, more water and resumed cooking. Hubby is Italian and insists any good gravy must be cooked all day! He loved his dinner! He was really surprised at the results obtained in 30 minutes.
    Wondering where in grocery they stock garlic paste?

    1. Hi Jean, I get the garlic paste by the packaged fresh herbs. They are in plastic tubes. It’s fun to see you call it gravy too! I’m glad your hubby liked it especially since I understand having gravy cook all day as my family did as well. Interesting about the food burn light coming on as when I make it, there is plenty of liquid. Though I don’t remove the casings from the sausages, that’s a great idea. Thank you for your comment, I appreciate it and hope you find the garlic paste as I really enjoy using it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating